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Major victory for pro-choice groups

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  • 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.

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Man who tried to kill spider with lighter sparked Utah blaze

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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.

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Pelosi leaves Taipei to sound of Chinese fury By Matt Murphy

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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.

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

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  • 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.

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Why some heatwaves prove deadlier than others

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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.”

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

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  • 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.

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South Korea develops nanotech tattoo as health monitoring device

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  • 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.

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Richest and Poorest countries-2022

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  • 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.

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Mexican President Lopez Obrador sparks concerns after tough statements on US energy dispute

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Mexico president
  • A US-led complaint against Mexico’s energy policy has sparked considerable concern within the Mexican government.
  • President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador is “seriously analysing” the situation. He has attempted to defuse it by personally negotiating deals with companies that oppose his policies.
  • A source familiar with Mexico’s efforts to resolve the dispute said that the dispute has reached an institutional level.

Despite President Andres Manuel Lopez Obrador’s defiant stance, a potentially costly US-led complaint against Mexico’s energy policy has sparked considerable concern within the Mexican government, officials and people close to the matter say.

The US Trade Representative demanded dispute settlement talks with Mexico last week, claiming Lopez Obrador’s push to tighten state control of the energy market is unfair to its companies and likely violates a regional trade agreement.

With rousing appeals to national sovereignty, Lopez Obrador said he would lay out Mexico’s position on the issue alongside an independence day military parade on Sept. 16, even as he sought to minimise any potential conflict with the US.

“Nothing will happen, nothing will happen, because we both need each other,” he said last week.

In reality, Lopez Obrador is annoyed, concerned, and frustrated by the squabble, and has attempted to defuse it by personally negotiating deals with companies that oppose his policies, according to a person familiar with the president’s thinking.

Separately, two Mexican officials expressed concern about the trade dispute, and a third stated that the president was “seriously analysing” the situation.

The president addressed the US demand a day after it became official, saying he had reached agreements with 17 of 19 American energy companies in June, without naming them.

The office of Lopez Obrador, a leftist who has sought to energise his electoral base in this and other disputes by claiming that opposition to his policies is being driven by corrupt domestic adversaries, did not respond to a request for comment.

However, the agreements he announced with energy companies did not prevent USTR from filing its demand. Canada soon followed suit.

During a 75-day consultation period, Mexico’s economy ministry has pledged to pursue a “mutually satisfactory” solution through “open, frank” dialogue.

If no agreement is reached, the USTR may request a dispute panel.

“This is very serious, and it must be handled very carefully,” said Alfredo Femat, chairman of the lower house’s foreign relations committee and a member of Lopez Obrador’s ruling MORENA party’s coalition allies.

Once the issue reached a panel, Mexico’s ability to broker an agreement would be lost, according to Femat.

According to a second source familiar with the situation, Mexican officials have expressed surprise to business leaders that the USTR demand was submitted just a week after Lopez Obrador returned from talks with US President Joe Biden in Washington.

Officials have stated that Mexico does not intend to change its laws, but is open to exploring other options, according to the source. The source also expressed concern that tariffs could target Mexican-made SUVs and pickup trucks.

According to a Mexican official, Mexico would argue to Washington that a trade war with one of its key trading partners risks harming the US economy at a critical time, with midterm elections in the US looming in November.

Last week, Lopez Obrador claimed that without the assistance of Mexico’s auto industry, the cost of a new car in the United States would rise by $10,000. He rejected the possibility of Mexico leaving the USMCA on Thursday. [L1N2Z91XM]

Mexico’s economy ministry referred to earlier remarks about how it hoped to resolve the dispute through consultations. A foreign ministry spokesperson echoed that sentiment, saying Mexico was confident that established mechanisms could facilitate an agreement but declining to confirm other details reported by Reuters.

Still, the first source familiar with Mexico’s efforts to resolve the dispute said that the dispute has reached an institutional level where the government cannot rely on case-by-case solutions.

However, if Lopez Obrador feels trapped, there is a risk that he will escalate the conflict, according to the source, who added, “He is not capable of backing down, because he has already gone too far.”

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Asia’s richest men battle to dominate 5G in India

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Mukesh Ambani
  • India’s largest auction for 5G airwaves concludes. 71% of 72 gigahertz of spectrum for sale, with highest bidder R-Jio spending $11 billion.
  • Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea bid for pan-India airwaves, while new entrant Adani Data Networks bid on specific sectors.
  • The launch of 5G in India is expected to usher in a new era of high-speed internet. Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel are still reeling from the tariff wars sparked by R-disruptive Jio’s entry, which slashed prices.

After seven days, India’s largest auction for 5G airwaves concluded, potentially setting the stage for a battle for supremacy over India’s digital future between two of Asia’s wealthiest men, Gautam Adani and Mukesh Ambani.

The auction featured 72 gigahertz of spectrum for sale. According to India’s telecoms minister, Ashwini Vaishnaw, 71% of what was on offer was sold.

The government received bids totaling approximately $19 billion from the three existing players – Mr Ambani’s Reliance-Jio, Vodafone Idea, and Bharti Airtel – as well as a fourth, new entrant, Adani Data Networks.

According to CRISIL Research, total bids had more than doubled since the last auction in March 2021, exceeding expectations.

While R-Jio was the highest bidder, spending $11 billion on spectrum, the Adani group spent only about $26 million. Bharti Airtel and Vodafone Idea submitted the final bids.

While Bharti Airtel and R-Jio allegedly bid for pan-India airwaves, cash-strapped Vodafone Idea reportedly spent only on priority sectors.

“Jio is fully prepared for 5G rollout in the shortest time possible due to its nationwide fibre presence… and strong global partnerships across the technology ecosystem,” R-Jio said in a statement.

The Adani Group bid on private spectrum that would be accessible in specific areas such as ports or airports – a sector in which it has already made significant investments.

Mr Ambani’s R-Jio is now a household name in India’s internet market, and Mr Adani is a surprising bidder – he controls a sprawling business spanning ports, airports, and power, and recently displaced Bill Gates to become the world’s fourth-richest person, with a net worth of more than $112 billion.

“We believe that if the Adani Group does end up purchasing spectrum in the upcoming auction, it could potentially increase competition… as well as opening the door for the Adani Group to expand into consumer mobile services over time,” Goldman Sachs wrote in a note.

The move will frighten Vodafone Idea and Bharti Airtel, which are still reeling from the tariff wars sparked by R-disruptive Jio’s 2016 entry, which slashed prices. They are now facing increased competition from yet another wealthy billionaire.

It’s an unexpected confrontation for Mr Ambani with a rival who has previously avoided what is perceived to be his territory.

The launch of 5G in India is expected to usher in a new era of high-speed internet, allowing for video downloads in seconds and the use of advanced connected devices via cloud computing technologies.

Thirteen Indian cities will soon have access to 5G services.
With faster speeds available, Indian telecom companies are expected to benefit from charging higher prices for 5G – they have so far avoided charging more for 4G plans compared to 2G or 3G plans.

According to a Nomura note, 5G tariff plans will likely result in higher revenues for telecom companies.

However, given the possibility of higher prices and the fact that only about 7% of India’s total smartphone base is 5G-enabled, India will move slowly to 5G.

However, record auction proceeds – the highest in the previous seven rounds since 2010 – will help shore up the government’s finances at a time when India’s fiscal deficit – the difference between revenues and expenditure – is expected to reach 6.4 percent.

According to analysts, India’s Department of Telecommunications will receive $1.6 billion upfront over the next 20 years.

The government expects to complete airwave allocation by August and to begin rolling out 5G services in early October of this year.

“We should have a good rollout of 5G in the country within a year or so,” Mr Vaishnaw said.

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Student Builds Platform to Help World Stay Informed About Ukraine War

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ukraine
  • Bernard Moerdler, 21, created the Ukraine Sirens Alert platform to keep the world informed as Russia’s invasion continues. The alert system not only warns of approaching missiles, but provides real-time data on shellings, minefields, and other threats that may affect civilians.
  • Ukraine Sirens Alert has thousands of daily users who use the platform to locate shelters and Wi-Fi hotspots. More than 42,000 shelters have already been mapped on the website UASA.io.
  • The project was started by student Bernard Moerdler after his girlfriend’s family became trapped in Ukraine.

As an air raid warning appears, Bernard Moerdler points to his computer screen.

“Luhansk is currently under attack,” Moerdler explained.

The 21-year-old student and programmer created the Ukraine Sirens Alert platform to keep the world informed as Russia’s invasion continues.

The alert system not only warns of approaching missiles, but also provides real-time data on shellings, minefields, and other threats that may affect civilians caught up in the conflict. The majority of the data is derived from government, military, and open source sources.

“It’s like an octopus with tentacles all over gathering all the data into one place so users can find it easily,” Moerdler explained.

When Russia declared war on Ukraine in late February, the humanitarian project was born. Moerdler’s girlfriend had family members who were trapped in the country, desperately trying to keep up with the conflict as it unfolded.

That’s when Moerdler realised he needed to do something to help.

“I realised that the systems in place are simply insufficient, and that I could try to create something better. So that’s how I came to design the system “Moerdler remembered.

Wednesday, April 6, 2022, a makeshift chapel in the bomb shelter nuns have prepared to take shelter in when air raids occur, at the Hoshiv Women’s Monastery, where nuns have been taking in internally displaced people fleeing the war, in Ivano-Frankivsk region, western Ukraine. The basement is also lined with mattresses, blankets, and benches. Even when there are no sirens, children enjoy exploring the vast underground space.

Ukraine Sirens Alert has thousands of daily users who use the programme to locate shelters and Wi-Fi hotspots on their way to safer places. More than 42,000 shelters have already been mapped on the website UASA.io.

Ukrainians can sign up for SMS and email alerts through the website to be prepared for incoming fire. The messages, like the Israeli Red Alert system that inspired Moerdler, can be lifesaving in the event of an emergency.

Bernard Moerdler, a 21-year-old student and programmer, says the idea for the platform came to him after his girlfriend’s family members became trapped in Ukraine at the start of the war.

As Russian attacks become more common, the cost of alerting Ukrainians via SMS message rises. Moerdler has set up a GoFundMe page to help fund the project.

“I hope we are on the verge of peace and that the conflict is over.” According to Moerdler. “But until then, I’m just going to keep going, keep innovating, and try to help as many people as I can.”

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US sending $550 million in military aid to Ukraine, including HIMARS ammunition

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military aid
  • $550 million in military aid will be sent to Ukraine, including 75,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition.
  • Additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems (HIMARS) arrived Monday.
  • Ukrainian forces have used HIMARS to destroy at least 50 Russian ammunition depots.

Another $550 million in military aid will be sent to Ukraine, including 75,000 rounds of 155mm artillery ammunition and additional ammunition for High Mobility Artillery Rocket Systems, according to US officials (HIMARS).

On Monday morning, four more HIMARS, which have a longer range and are more precise than older artillery Soviet-era rocket systems, arrived in Ukraine.

“We have proven to be smart operators of this weapon,” said Ukrainian Defense Minister Oleksiy Reznikov on Monday morning.

Since June, Ukrainian forces have used the weapons system to destroy at least 50 Russian ammunition depots, according to Reznikov.

HIMARS was used by Ukrainians in late July to damage the Antonovsky Bridge, a vital crossing that connects Russian forces in the occupied Kherson region to the Crimean peninsula.

“[The Ukrainians] are spending a lot of time striking targets like ammunition supplies, other logistical supplies, and command-and-control,” a senior US military official told reporters last month on a background call.

“All of these factors have a direct impact on the ability to conduct front-line operations. So, yes, even though they aren’t shooting the HIMARS on the front lines, they are having a significant impact on that.”

Since Russia’s invasion, the Biden administration has sent more than $8 billion in security assistance to Ukraine, including anti-tank Javelin missiles, anti-aircraft Stinger missiles, drones, and thousands of small arms.

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Putin spokesman accuses US of ‘provoking’ China amid expected Pelosi trip to Taiwan

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putin
  • Dmitry Peskov, press secretary to Russian President Vladimir Putin, accused the United States of “provoking” China. Speculation that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit Taiwan during her Asian tour.
  • Neither Pelosi’s office nor the White House has confirmed whether she will travel to Taiwan.
  • Russia has become embroiled in the tense relations between Washington and Beijing. Russia seeks to reaffirm its ties with China amid deteriorating geopolitical relations.

Dmitry Peskov, press secretary to Russian President Vladimir Putin, accused the United States of “provoking” China on Tuesday, amid speculation that House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit Taiwan during her trip to the region this week.

“Whether she makes it there or not, everything about this tour and the potential visit to Taiwan has a provocative character,” Peskov told Russian reporters. “Russia is completely united with China.”

Peskov’s remarks came as Pelosi arrived in Malaysia for the second leg of her Asian tour, having previously visited Singapore.

Neither Pelosi’s office nor the White House have confirmed whether she will travel to Taiwan, though the Biden administration stated on Monday that the United States would “not be intimidated” by China’s “saber-rattling” following a severe backlash from Beijing.

Pelosi said in a statement released Tuesday that she will meet with Malaysian officials to discuss “security challenges, economic opportunities, and governance priorities,” though Taipei was not specifically mentioned.

Pelosi is expected to arrive in Taipei Tuesday night, according to Taiwanese media.

White House Security Advisor Jake Sullivan was also pressed Tuesday morning about whether Pelosi, the highest-ranking elected US official to visit Taiwan in more than 25 years, would make the trip amid rising tensions with Beijing.

“I cannot confirm that because the Speaker makes her own travel decisions,” he told NBC’s Today show.

Sullivan, who stated that the United States still adheres to the one-China policy, noted that House Speakers have previously visited Taiwan, and that several members of Congress visited Taipei earlier this year.

“It is on China to try to turn what is historically normal into a crisis or to use it as a pretext for aggressive action around Taiwan. They’d be the ones raising the stakes “He continued. “The United States has no desire to escalate.”

Russia has become embroiled in the tense relations between Washington and Beijing, as Moscow seeks to reaffirm its ties with China amid deteriorating geopolitical relations with the West as a result of its involvement in the Ukraine conflict.

“Instead of understanding China’s position, the US has chosen the path of escalation and is provoking the situation,” Peskov claimed. “There will be no good come of it.”

Rebekah Koffler, a former Defense Intelligence Agency (DIA) intelligence officer in Russian doctrine and strategy, told Fox News that the controversy over Pelosi’s rumoured visit plays right into Putin’s hands by diverting attention away from Moscow’s war in Ukraine.

“Putin is ecstatic about Nancy Pelosi’s visit to Taiwan because it’s turning into a risky diplomatic showdown between China and the US,” she explained. “This trip forces Washington to deal with two nuclear powers at the same time, both of which regard the United States as mortal enemies.”

According to Koffler, the tension surrounding her trip allows Putin to publicly support China, which he “in reality views as a competitor at best.”

“Putin is watching very closely whether the US will go ahead with Pelosi’s visit in the end, to assess Washington’s risk tolerance and Biden’s resolve,” she added.

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Shock in Kabul as US kills al-Qaeda leader

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US
  • Sherpur, or the town of thieves, was the name given to it by Kabulis. The Taliban took over some of the empty villas near some high-walled Western embassies.
  • Owners of nearby buildings told us they had been ordered to close their rooftops. Ayman al-death, Zawahiri’s a top target on America’s wanted list, had been reported previously.
  • He was said to be a recluse in the rugged terrain along the Afghan-Pakistan border.

The first signs of a months-long operation emerged when an attack rocked Kabul’s centre in the early hours of Sunday morning: we heard two thunderous blasts on our street nearby.

Speculation raged about who or what had struck Sherpur’s “empty house.”

It is a neighbourhood that has become notorious over the last two decades for its garish multi-story villas, which Kabul residents have mocked as the stronghold of corrupt warlords and officials, a gaudy symbol of the spoils of an ugly war.

Choorpur, or the town of thieves, was the name given to it by Kabulis. The Taliban took over some of the empty villas near some high-walled Western embassies, which also closed when the Taliban took control.

Every day, new puzzle pieces emerged: a possible strike on an Islamic State target; the use of a US drone, which raised even more questions; and the involvement of US forces on the ground.

The mystery was solved early Tuesday morning.

We attempted to approach the area on a main road leading into the street, past Spinney’s luxury supermarket and the Afghan Ghazanfar bank, as Kabul awoke to the news that the US had killed al-Qaeda leader Ayman al-Zawahiri in a drone strike.

A single Taliban guard crossed his arms angrily to warn us away.

We walked around the back of the villa from a side street.

Guards and workers in neighbouring buildings confirmed which house was hit on Sunday; balconies protruding from the top floor were now covered in green plastic sheeting.

Was there any activity or residents at this location?

“The house was empty,” the refrain went. Was this a rehearsed response, a repeat of the Taliban’s official statement?

Owners of nearby buildings told us that they had been ordered hours before to close their rooftops to everyone, including their own employees.

As word of Zawahiri’s assassination spread like an electric current on social media, the scene of this explosive moment appeared strangely quiet.

On this hot summer day, traffic flowed along the surrounding tree-lined streets. But as the minutes passed, more journalists arrived, more passers-by stopped, and more Taliban guards appeared.

As we stood on the main street, one armed Talib warned a colleague, “If you don’t listen to me, I’ll speak to you through my gun.”

A group of Afghan and foreign journalists approached us, one in tears after an argument on the main road leading to the front of the house.

Her equipment had been forcibly removed. The item was then returned.

What had previously been whispers became more audible.

There was talk that Arabs had been seen moving through these streets in recent months. Nobody dared to say much about it.

A nearby local journalist told us: “In the last few months, we’ve seen non-Afghan residents in this neighbourhood. They are illiterate in the local languages. We have no idea who they are.”

There are many questions, conspiracies, and possible outcomes now.

Ayman al-death, Zawahiri’s a top target on America’s wanted list, had been reported previously, including last year, when he was said to have died of illness.

Zawahiri was al-most Qaeda’s prominent ideologue and spokesperson.
He was said to be a recluse in the rugged terrain along the Afghan-Pakistan border if he was still alive.

But it has now been revealed that he was a guest of the Taliban leadership, living in the villa said to belong to Sirajuddin Haqqani, the acting Taliban interior minister who is sanctioned by the US.

Ayman al-Zawahiri, who was he?
BACKGROUND: US drone strike kills al-Qaeda leader
There is a resemblance to the US assassination of Zawahiri’s brother-in-law, Osama Bin Laden, who was hiding in plain sight in a villa in the Pakistani city of Abbottabad, just down the street from a Pakistani military academy, in 2011.

In Afghan Pashtun tradition, there is also an echo of the Taliban’s retort to the US after the 9/11 attacks that Bin Laden was only their honoured guest.

The 2020 US-Taliban agreement, signed in the Gulf state of Qatar after nearly two years of tortuous negotiations, was supposed to resolve this critical question.

We were repeatedly told during the talks that the Taliban’s commitment to not allowing Afghanistan to become a safe haven would be spelled out in black and white.

However, the deal that emerged, complete with secret annexes, was not so straightforward.

The Taliban has vowed to prevent any attacks on US soil from taking place from their territory.

They never explicitly agreed to cut ties with their fellow jihadis, including Zawahiri, who had sworn allegiance to the Taliban leader, or emir, Haibatullah Akhundzada, like other al-Qaeda leaders.

There have been repeated and credible reports of al-Qaeda fighters crossing the Pakistani border into Afghanistan since the Taliban swept into Kabul on 15 August last year, but there have also been repeated Taliban pledges to fight terrorism.

The Taliban also accuses the US of breaking their agreement by attacking a Kabul residential neighbourhood. A Taliban spokesman warned that “repeating such actions will harm the existing opportunities.”

A map depicting the location of Ayman al-residence. Zawahiri’s
This watershed moment comes at a time when the Taliban are still struggling to establish international legitimacy and recognition a year after seizing power. They may not want to jeopardise any fragile progress.

The United States and other Western powers have also been caught in a bind: how do they assist the people of Afghanistan, who are in the grip of a worsening humanitarian crisis, while many Taliban leaders remain subject to US terrorism sanctions?

American interests in the region also include combating extremist groups such as the Islamic State, which they share with the Taliban.

Since taking power in Kabul, the Taliban have been walking a political tightrope.

Social media is now ablaze with accusations of yet another US war crime, this time involving an alleged extrajudicial killing.

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Pelosi touches down in Malaysia amid tensions over trip to Taiwan

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Nancy Pelosi
  • Pelosi and her delegation landed at a Malaysian air force base.
  • She met with lower house Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun and attended a luncheon with PM Ismail Sabri Yaakob.
  • Discussed “security challenges, economic opportunities, and governance priorities” with Malaysian leaders.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi arrived in Malaysia on Tuesday for the second leg of her Asian tour, which will be overshadowed by a stop in Taiwan.

Pelosi and her delegation landed at a Malaysian air force base. In Parliament, she met with lower house Speaker Azhar Azizan Harun and attended a luncheon with Prime Minister Ismail Sabri Yaakob.

Pelosi released a statement about her visit on Tuesday, writing: “Today, Prime Minister Ismail Sabri and Foreign Minister Saifuddin welcomed our Congressional delegation. We had a wide-ranging discussion about how to advance our common goals of a free and secure Indo-Pacific.”

Pelosi stated that she discussed “security challenges, economic opportunities, and governance priorities” with Malaysian leaders.

“In each of our meetings, we expressed gratitude for Malaysia’s vote at the United Nations condemning Russia’s aggression and their leadership in ASEAN in condemning Burma for its lethal crackdown on dissent,” Pelosi said. “Our governance discussions focused on government integrity, addressing the climate crisis, and combating COVID. We agreed to continue working together on issues relating to our common security interests, economic priorities, trade, human trafficking, and climate change.”

While no official announcements have been made, local Taiwanese media have reported that Pelosi will arrive in Taipei on Tuesday night. She would be the highest-ranking elected official from the United States to visit in more than 25 years.

The news of Pelosi’s visit irritated China, which regards Taiwan as part of its territory and sees any visit by a high-ranking American official as confirmation of the United States’ support for the Island’s independence.

If Pelosi goes ahead with the visit, China’s military will “never sit idly by.” China’s threats of retaliation have raised fears of a new crisis in the Taiwan Strait, which separates the two sides, potentially disrupting global markets and supply chains.

The White House has stated that it will not engage in “sabre rattling” with China.

The significance of the threats was downplayed by White House national security spokesman John Kirby.

“We should not be intimidated by that rhetoric or those potential actions as a country. This is an important trip for the speaker, and we will do everything we can to help her “Kirby stated to reporters.

Taiwanese Premier Su Tseng-chang celebrated Pelosi’s possible arrival without confirming the House Speaker’s visit.

“We always warmly welcome distinguished foreign guests to our country,” he said.

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Iran gains foothold in South America as Biden admin pursues nuclear deal

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  • Iran has been attempting to expand its influence in South America while undermining American interests and security.
  • A mysterious Venezuelan-flagged plane landed in Argentina last month with a crew of 14 Venezuelans and five Iranians, one of whom was a senior Iranian official. The plane has since been seized and an investigation has been launched.
  • Moscow has made it a goal under President Vladimir Putin to erode US influence in South America. Iran’s Vice President for Economic Affairs attended Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s inauguration earlier this year.

Iran has been attempting to expand its influence in South America while undermining American interests and security, eliciting little response from the Biden administration, which is attempting to salvage the Obama-era nuclear agreement with the country.

According to James Phillips, senior research fellow for foreign policy at the Heritage Foundation, “the Iranian Revolutionary Guards are much more actively involved in subversive and assassination issues.”

Phillips cited a 2011 plot to assassinate Saudi Ambassador to the United States in Washington, D.C.’s Georgetown neighbourhood, noting that Iranian agents sought to collaborate with a Mexican drug cartel to carry out the plot on American soil.

“This was over ten years ago…. it’s been going on for a long time,” Phillips explained.

Iran’s outreach in Latin America appears to have resumed in recent years, most recently with the appearance last month of a mysterious Venezuelan-flagged plane in Argentina. The plane, which belonged to an Iranian operator sanctioned by the US, landed in Ezeiza with a crew of 14 Venezuelans and five Iranians, one of whom was a senior Iranian official.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the plane has since been seized and an investigation has been launched, but it is unclear why it was allowed to land in Argentina and what it was doing there.

Argentine federal police searched the plane and discovered material used for military cyber defence operations on board, while the captain was identified as Gholamreza Ghasemi, a board member and manager of Fars Air Qeshm, an Iranian airline sanctioned by the US.

Argentine President Alberto Fernández has insisted there was nothing suspicious about the plane, while the country’s security minister claimed the captain just happened to have the same name as Ghasemi, a claim contradicted by Paraguayan intelligence and called into question by Argentine members of Congress.

Though Iran has a long history of cooperation with Venezuela, a country that has a history of undermining American interests, Iranian cooperation with democratic Argentina would be a more concerning development for the US in the region.

Both Iran and Argentina applied for membership in the BRICS group, which includes Brazil, Russia, India, China, and South Africa, a week before the plane landed in Ezeiza. The group, which has held an annual summit since 2009, wields considerable power in global affairs, positioning itself as an alternative to US-dominated Western alliances.

According to an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson, membership in BRICS would result in added value for both sides “while Russia boasted that the US was failing to reduce its international influence in the midst of its ongoing conflict in Ukraine.

Iranian influence in South America would benefit Russia, which has made it a goal under President Vladimir Putin to erode US influence in the region.

“As part of a long-term strategy to establish a permanent presence in the region, Moscow has been deepening ties with fellow authoritarian regimes in Cuba, Venezuela, and Nicaragua,” Rebekah Koffler, president of Doctrine & Strategy Consulting, former DIA intelligence officer, and author of “According to Fox News, Putin’s Playbook: Russia’s Secret Plan to Defeat America.

During their meeting in Tehran, Iran, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, centre, and Russian President Vladimir Putin, left, greet each other as Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi stands at right.

Russia’s goals, according to Koffler, are not only to gain access to new markets and resources as the rest of the world attempts to isolate the country, but also to show the US that it can operate militarily in America’s backyard.

“Ultimately, Russia wants to build a formidable force posture on America’s doorstep as a deterrent, which Moscow could activate if Washington intervenes in Putin’s plans to re-establish control over Russia’s former Soviet states, such as Ukraine,” Koffler said.

The mysterious plane in Argentina is not the only indication that Iran is attempting to increase its influence in Latin America. Mohsen Rezaee, Iran’s Vice President for Economic Affairs, attended Nicaraguan President Daniel Ortega’s inaugural ceremony earlier this year. Rezaee, a former member of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, is wanted in Argentina for allegedly masterminding the 1994 bombing of Buenos Aires’ Jewish community centre.

Ortega has long been a divisive leader, with international observers accusing him of authoritarian policies. During his tenure, Nicaragua has been subjected to a number of US sanctions, while the State Department has criticised his support for “radical regimes” in Cuba and Iran, as well as repeated attempts to undermine capitalism and US interests.

There is also evidence that Iran’s influence has spread as far north as Mexico. Hezbollah, a terrorist organisation designated by the United States and the European Union that receives military training, weapons, and financial support from Iran, has been gaining a foothold in Latin America for much of the last decade and has recently made inroads with Mexican drug cartels.

The Justice Department announced last month that Adalberto Fructuoso Comparan-Rodriguez, a former mayor of Aguililla, Mexico, and alleged leader of the United Cartels in Michoacán, Mexico, had been extradited to the United States on drug trafficking charges.

According to the allegations, Comparan-Rodriguez met with a drug trafficker believed to be affiliated with Hezbollah in Cali, Colombia. Comparan-Rodriguez and an associate informed the trafficker that they could supply hundreds of kilogrammes of methamphetamine, eventually agreeing to transport 500 kilogrammes of methamphetamine from Mexico to Texas, where it was then transported to Miami.

After Comparan-Rodriguez was apprehended by Guatemalan authorities, law enforcement was able to seize the drugs before they hit the streets, but the case demonstrated Hezbollah’s growing influence in Latin America.

Hezbollah has a long history of operating in the tri-border region of Argentina, Brazil, and Paraguay, and the organisation has recently expanded its reach into Venezuela. Former Secretary of State Mike Pompeo stated in 2019 that the terrorist organisation now has “active cells” in Venezuela, posing a security risk to the United States.

“People don’t realise Hezbollah has active cells – the Iranians are affecting Venezuelans and South Americans,” he said at the time. “We have an obligation to reduce that risk for the sake of America.”

The current administration, on the other hand, has taken a different approach to the threat posed by Iran, abandoning the Trump administration’s policy of maximum pressure in favour of attempting to rekindle the Obama-era Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action, also known as the Iran nuclear deal.

Phillips called the new approach a mistake, claiming that the Biden administration has become complacent on Iran in order to salvage some of former President Obama’s legacy.

“With regard to Iran sanctions, the Biden administration has painted itself into a corner,” Phillips said. “It greatly underestimated the leverage it would need to extract another nuclear deal from Iran…it took its foot off the pedal on the Trump administration’s maximum pressure sanction strategy.”

The lack of leverage has only emboldened Iran, which has accelerated its efforts to obtain nuclear weapons in addition to its activities in Latin America.

“Iran is on the verge of developing a nuclear weapon,” Phillips said. “They already have enough enriched uranium to make a nuclear bomb in a matter of weeks.”

Phillips believes that sanctions alone will not deter Iran’s growing ambitions, and that the administration must demonstrate a credible threat of military force.

“Sanctions alone will not stop Iran’s nuclear programme any more than sanctions alone stopped North Korea’s,” he said. “A credible threat of effective use of force would deter Iran.”

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People are being airlifted to safety to escape Kentucky floods

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Kentucky
  • Hundreds of people are being airlifted to safety after the worst flooding in decades hit eastern Kentucky.
  • Governor Andy Beshear said rescue crews could be finding bodies for weeks.
  • President Joe Biden has declared a major disaster and ordered federal aid to help local rescuers.

Residents in eastern Kentucky are being airlifted to safety after the worst flooding in decades hit the region.

National Guard troops are using helicopters to rescue people who have become stranded.

Kentucky Governor Andy Beshear said the rescue operation was ongoing and that crews would “be finding bodies for weeks.”

President Joe Biden declared the floods a “major disaster” and directed federal assistance to assist local rescuers.

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Russia accuses US of direct role in Ukraine war

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russia
  • Russia accuses US of direct involvement in Ukraine conflict.
  • Moscow says US approving targets for American-made Himars artillery used by Ukrainian forces.
  • Russia has previously accused the US of conducting a “proxy war” in Ukraine. The BBC was unable to independently confirm this allegation.

For the first time, Russia has accused the United States of direct involvement in the Ukrainian conflict.

According to a spokesperson for Moscow’s defence ministry, the US is approving targets for American-made Himars artillery used by Ukrainian forces.

Intercepted calls between Ukrainian officials, according to Lt Gen Igor Konashenkov, revealed the link. The BBC was unable to independently confirm this.

US officials made no immediate comment on the allegation.

Russia previously accused the US of conducting a “proxy war” in Ukraine.

“The Biden administration is directly responsible for all rocket attacks authorised by Kyiv on residential areas and civilian infrastructure facilities in Donbass and other regions that resulted in mass civilian deaths,” Mr Konashenkov said.

Himars is a multiple rocket system that can launch precision-guided missiles at targets up to 70 kilometres (45 miles) away – far beyond the range of Ukraine’s previous artillery.

They are also thought to be more accurate than their Russian counterparts.

In April, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said that US President Joe Biden’s decision to arm Ukraine with billions of dollars meant that “NATO, in essence, is engaged in a war with Russia through a proxy and is arming that proxy.”

“War means war,” said the 72-year-old.

Russia has been accused of numerous war crimes and crimes against humanity throughout the Ukrainian conflict. Ukraine accused Moscow last week of bombing a prison in separatist-held Donetsk in order to cover up allegations of torture.

Furthermore, the BBC has documented allegations of torture and beatings of Ukrainian detainees by Russian military and security forces.

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New device will investigate Milky Way’s origins

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Milky Way
  • The William Herschel Telescope (WHT) in La Palma, Spain, will catalogue five million stars per hour. A super-fast mapping device linked to WHT will analyse the composition of each star.
  • It will demonstrate how our Milky Way galaxy evolved over billions of years. The WHT’s Weave is a giant plate that maps the formation of stars in the Milky Way.
  • It can calculate the speed, direction, age, and composition of each star it observes, resulting in a moving picture of stars from across the Universe. Dr Marc Balcells believes Weave will change our understanding of how galaxies form.

Scientists have upgraded one of the world’s most powerful telescopes with new technology that will reveal the formation of our galaxy in unprecedented detail.

The William Herschel Telescope (WHT) in La Palma, Spain, will be able to catalogue five million stars per hour.

A super-fast mapping device linked to WHT will analyse the composition of each star as well as its speed of travel.

It will demonstrate how our Milky Way galaxy evolved over billions of years.

Prof Gavin Dalton of Oxford University has spent more than a decade developing the ‘Weave’ instrument.

He told me he was “overjoyed” that it was ready to go.

“It’s a fantastic achievement by many people to make this happen, and it’s fantastic to have it working,” he said. “The next step is the new adventure, which is fantastic!”

Weave instrument: It resembles a large metal disc crisscrossed by fiber-optic tubes pointing in all directions. It is hovered over by robotic arms.

Weave has been installed on the WHT, which is perched atop a mountain on the Spanish Canary Island of La Palma. The name WHT Enhanced Area Velocity Explorer refers to exactly what it does.

It is an engineering marvel with 80,000 separate parts.

Astronomers identify the positions of a thousand stars for each patch of sky where the WHT is pointed. The nimble robotic fingers of Weave then precisely place a fibre-optic – a light-transmitting tube – on each location on a plate, pointing towards its corresponding star.

These fibres are essentially miniature telescopes. Each instrument captures light from a single star and channels it to another. This divides it into a rainbow spectrum, which contains the star’s origin and history.

All of this is completed in less than an hour. While this is happening, the fibre optics for the next thousand stars are placed on the reverse side of the plate, which flips over to analyse the next set of targets once the previous survey is finished.

Over billions of years, it grew through successive mergers with other small galaxies. Along with the addition of stars from the new galaxies that join ours, each merger shakes things up enough to result in the formation of brand new stars.

Weave can calculate the speed, direction, age, and composition of each star it observes, resulting in a moving picture of stars in the Milky Way. Prof Dalton claims that by extrapolating backwards, it will be possible to reconstruct the entire formation of the Milky Way in unprecedented detail.

“We’ll be able to trace the galaxies that have been absorbed as the Milky Way has grown over cosmic time – and see how each absorption triggers new star formation,” he explained.

Dr. Marc Balcells, the WHT’s overall director, told BBC News that he believed Weave would change our understanding of how galaxies form.

“We have been told for decades that we are living in a golden age of astronomy, but what lies ahead is far more important.

“Weave will answer questions that astronomers have been trying to answer for decades, such as how many pieces come together to form a large galaxy and how many galaxies were combined to form the Milky Way.”

“There will be a huge amount of things that we will discover that we did not expect to find,” she said. “Because the Universe is brimming with surprises.”

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Teenagers unfairly jailed over chat messages

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  • Four teenagers should not have been jailed for conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm. They were convicted after posting messages on social media about revenge attacks.
  • The Crown Prosecution Service responded that the charges were “right”.
  • Drill music is a type of rap music that features violent imagery and language. The CPS told the BBC that it is “aware of the complexities of prosecuting allegations of gang involvement”.

According to a Labour MP, four teenagers should not have been sentenced to eight years in prison for conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm.

The young men were convicted after sending social media messages about revenge attacks three days after the death of a friend.

Lucy Powell, in a letter to the justice secretary, stated that they were being “punished for their hazy association with others.”

The Crown Prosecution Service responded that their “legal test was met” and that the charges were “right.”

The charges centred on the planning and execution of three attacks in the aftermath of John Soyoye’s murder on November 5, 2020.

The nine-week trial at Manchester Crown Court involved a total of ten defendants, all of whom were young black men. At the time of the offences, seven of them were 17 years old.

Six of them were found guilty of conspiracy to cause grievous bodily harm and sentenced to eight years in prison: Ademola Adedeji, Raymond Savi, Azim Okunola, Omolade Okoya, Martin Thomas, and Simon Thorne.

A group chat set up on the messaging app Telegram by seven of the boys three days after Mr Soyoye’s death was crucial evidence.

They talked about Mr. Soyoye’s death and plotting revenge attacks on those they believed were responsible. No one named as a possible target in their chat was ever harmed.

The majority of the messages were sent in the first 24 hours, and the chat went silent after less than a week.

Adedeji, Savi, Okunola, and Okoya were not involved in any further online discussions about the attacks and did not take part in any subsequent violence. They had no prior convictions and were all enrolled in or about to enrol in university.

Three of the boys convicted based on their participation in the Telegram chat have asked to have their sentences overturned.

Four of the ten defendants, Harry Oni, Jeffrey Ojo, Gideon Kalumda, and Brooklyn Jitobah, were found guilty of conspiracy to murder and sentenced to 20 to 21 years in prison.

The prosecution’s focus on the Telegram chat, according to the Manchester Central MP, meant that the boys were “being prosecuted based on messages sent while they were trying to navigate their grief.”

Adedeji had an unconditional offer to study law from Birmingham University and had previously written a book about empowering his community. He had posted 11 messages in the Telegram chat room.

In a letter to trial judge Mr Justice Goose, he apologised for the messages, saying they were sent after “emotions got the better of me… because someone I regarded as a younger brother had been ruthlessly taken away.”

“I didn’t mean a word I said,” he wrote, “and I feel like I ruined my life.”

Mr Justice Goose acknowledged in his sentencing remarks for Savi and Adedeji that their participation was brief, but that the Telegram chat was “an open discussion about obtaining weapons” and “targeting a number of victims.”

“What is regrettable in the Manchester case, for those who did nothing more than send messages in a social media group, is their positive and constructive backgrounds appear to have been ignored,” Garry Green, a criminal barrister with Doughty Street Chambers, told the BBC.

“The CPS charging test involves an evaluation of the evidence and the public interest.”

He went on to say that there was a “tendency to adultify young black people,” which he defined as “a failure to see or recognise the humanity of young black people, treating them much older than they are and, in this case, likely seeing criminality as a rite of passage that means their future prospects are ignored or simply not seen.”

Mr Soyoye, who performed drill music under the alias “MD,” had known many of the ten defendants since they were in elementary school. Drill music is a type of rap music that features violent imagery and language.

Ms Powell slammed the prosecution’s use of “gang narratives,” saying they were based on “racialized assumptions, loose associations, and outdated or inaccurate stereotypes of inner-city neighbourhoods like Moston and Moss Side.”

However, the CPS told the BBC that it is “aware of the complexities of prosecuting cases involving allegations of gang involvement, and prosecutors have clear legal guidance to inform their considerations.” It stated that the evidence for “each individual in respect of each charge” had been “carefully assessed.”

Mr Green, who has collaborated with the law reform charity Justice to address racial inequalities in the legal system, told the BBC that “there is a disproportionate reliance on drill music in cases where young black males are prosecuted.”

“Black culture, or black cultural heritage, is arguably criminalised in ways that other musical genres are not,” he said.

According to a BBC investigation, the use of drill music as criminal evidence in courtrooms is increasing, but its use as evidence has been criticised by some academics and legal professionals.

The CPS has stated that it is reviewing its guidance on the use of drill music in prosecutions. However, the CPS’s chief prosecutor, Max Hill QC, confirmed in June 2022 that if a defendant appears in a drill music video with co-defendants, “prosecutors would consider whether it was vital evidence of association that a jury should hear.”

To show support for the boys, a demonstration was held in Manchester’s St Peter’s Square, and the youth community organisation Kids of Colour gathered over 500 offers of tutoring, mentoring, and other opportunities from the public, which were presented to the judge before sentencing.

Roxy Legane, the head of Kids of Colour, who was present throughout the trial, told the BBC that the trial demonstrated that “all ten boys were failed” and emphasised the lack of support available to them in the aftermath of losing a friend.

“We can only begin to break cycles of violence and trauma with solutions that address root causes,” she said. “The tools for positive change are available, but they are being rejected in favour of punitive punishment, which will never ensure the safety of our communities.”

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Japan PM Kishida urges nuclear states to act ‘responsibly’ about non-proliferation

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  • Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urges all nuclear states to act “responsibly” in non-proliferation efforts.
  • Hiroshima was the first city in the world to be bombed with a nuclear device during World War II.
  • U.N. Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, will travel to Hiroshima for 70th anniversary next month.

TOKYO, August 1 – On Monday, Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida urged all nuclear states to act “responsibly” in non-proliferation efforts, saying the road to a world free of nuclear weapons had become much more difficult.

Kishida, the leader of the only nation to have suffered nuclear attacks during wartime, warned that global divisions were widening, particularly since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, with Russian President Vladimir Putin obliquely raising the possibility of a nuclear strike at the start of the conflict.

North Korea, which has conducted a number of missile tests this year, is also thought to be planning a nuclear test.

“The world is concerned that the threat of nuclear weapons-related catastrophe has reappeared,” he said in a speech.

“It must be said that the path to a nuclear-free world has suddenly become even more difficult.”

Kishida was the first Japanese leader to speak at the Review Conference of the Parties to the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) at the United Nations in New York City.

Kishida, a native of Hiroshima, which was the first city in the world to be bombed with a nuclear device during the final days of World War II, has made nuclear non-proliferation a cause.

Three days later, the second nuclear bombing of Nagasaki occurred.

Kishida was foreign minister when US President Barack Obama visited Hiroshima in 2016, the first sitting US president to do so, and has chosen Hiroshima as the site for the Group of Seven nations summit next year.

The United Nations Secretary-General, Antonio Guterres, announced on Monday that he will travel to Hiroshima for the anniversary on August 6.

“We call on all nuclear states to conduct themselves responsibly,” Kishida said of non-proliferation efforts.

“From this vantage point, we support arms control and nuclear reduction talks between the US and Russia, and we encourage similar talks between the US and China.”

Other efforts should include increasing transparency about nuclear weapons, strengthening non-proliferation treaties, and establishing a $10 million fund to educate young leaders about the dangers of nuclear weapons.

“Nagasaki must be the last city bombed,” Kishida said.

He also stated that peaceful uses of nuclear energy should be encouraged while maintaining its safety, citing the 2011 Fukushima nuclear disaster.

Following a spike in fuel prices and a June heat wave in which Japan avoided a power outage, Kishima has pushed for nine reactors to be operational by the end of the year, up from the current five.

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Russia bars entry to 39 British politicians, businessmen, journalists

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  • Russia announces sanctions against 39 UK officials, business people and journalists.
  • They are barring them from entering Russia for supporting the “demonisation” of Russia.
  • The list includes opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer and former PM David Cameron. Russian foreign ministry says work on expanding the stop-list will continue.

MOSCOW, Aug 1- Russia’s president, Vladimir Putin, has resigned. Russia’s foreign ministry announced sanctions against 39 British officials, businesspeople, and journalists on Monday, barring them from entering Russia for supporting Russia’s “demonization” and international isolation.

Former Prime Minister David Cameron and opposition Labour Party leader Keir Starmer are among those on the list.

“Given London’s destructive drive to spin the sanctions flywheel on fanciful and absurd pretexts,” the foreign ministry said in a statement.

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Bank of England probes the persistence of UK’s inflation surge

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United Kingdom
  • Inflation expectations and company prices have slowed, but core pay has increased. Rate-setters may believe that they should raise interest rates by 50 basis points. The Bank of England may take solace from a recent drop in how much consumers expect prices to rise.
  • Salary growth has accelerated, but much of the increase is due to one-time bonuses. Pay, including bonuses, increased by 6.2 percent in the three months to May.
  • However, employment expectations for the next 12 months have dropped to their lowest level in over a year.

LONDON, August 1 – The Bank of England says it will act forcefully if necessary to prevent the inflationary surge from becoming a long-term problem, which means it could deliver a rare half-percentage point interest rate rise as soon as this week.

Here are some of the factors Governor Andrew Bailey and his colleagues will consider as they assess the persistence of inflationary pressures ahead of their next scheduled monetary policy announcement on Thursday at 1100 GMT.

Inflation expectations and company prices have recently slowed, but core pay has increased.

Rate-setters at the Bank of England may believe that they should raise interest rates by 50 basis points after other central banks raised borrowing costs sharply in recent weeks, despite the risk of an economic slowdown or recession.

EXPECTATIONS FOR INFLATION
In June, Britain’s main inflation measure reached a 40-year high of 9.4 percent, prompting some economists to raise their forecast for the peak of inflation to 12 percent. However, central banks are frequently concerned about future inflation expectations.

The Bank of England may take solace from a recent drop in how much consumers expect prices to rise in the coming years.

A survey released on Monday by Citi and pollsters YouGov found that public expectations for inflation in the next five to ten years – the most important measure for the Bank of England – fell in July for the third time in four months, though it remained high by historical standards at 3.8 percent. more info

Another Bank of America survey, released on July 12, found that five-year inflation expectations had dropped to their lowest level in nearly a year. more info

A measure of financial market expectations for inflation in the next five to ten years fell to its lowest level since April 2020 last week, but has since risen.

If high inflation expectations become entrenched, they may lead to higher pay demands, which may fuel additional inflation in the future.

Salary growth has accelerated, but much of the increase is due to one-time bonuses to attract or retain employees as employers struggle to find candidates to fill open positions.

Pay, including bonuses, increased by 6.2 percent in the three months to May, up from around 3 percent just before the COVID-19 pandemic, but lower than the previous two monthly readings and lagging inflation.

Regular pay growth increased to 4.3 percent, exceeding its immediate pre-pandemic levels of 3-4 percent.

According to the Bank of England’s own survey of employers, expectations for pay growth in the next 12 months increased to 5.1 percent in June from 4.8 percent in May. However, the survey also revealed that employment expectations for the next 12 months have dropped to their lowest level in over a year.

In addition to pay, high inflation could become embedded in the economy if companies continue to raise their prices in response to rising costs.

In April, increases in firm prices charged, as measured by the S&P Global/CIPS Purchasing Managers Index, were the highest since records began in 1999. However, while still rapid by historical standards, the pace slowed slightly in May and June and cooled significantly in July.

Separate data from the Office for National Statistics show a drop in the proportion of businesses expecting to raise their prices in early July.

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Meghan Markle’s ‘spin job’ of the century’ blasted

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meghan

Meghan Markle has been accused of orchestrating a “classic spin job”. Buckingham Palace never stated that she had been cleared. With all of the negative press, Meghan Markle has been accused of orchestrating a “classic spin job.” During their interview, a Page Six source revealed this information. “Meghan will have you believe what Meghan will … Read more

Texas man shoots woman in neck but bullet exits, kills him, police say

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  • A 26-year-old man accidentally shot himself after a bullet exited a woman’s neck and struck him in the leg.
  • Byron Redmon later died in the hospital from his injuries.
  • The identity of the woman has not been revealed. An investigation is currently underway.

According to police, a Texas man accidentally killed himself after a bullet he fired from a gun exited a woman’s neck and struck him in the leg.

Around 11:30 a.m. Saturday, Dallas police responded to a shooting at an apartment complex near Bengal Street in the Medical District.

Officers observed a large amount of blood and a blood trail in front of an apartment, but no one was inside.

Officers were called to a hospital after a man and a woman were discovered with gunshot wounds in a vehicle nearby.

Byron Redmon, 26, was identified as the suspect by police. The identity of the woman has not been revealed.

According to investigators, Redmon shot the woman, and the bullet exited and struck him in the leg. He later died in the hospital from his injuries.

No additional information was provided. An investigation is currently underway.

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Bankrupt Sri Lanka seeks urgent help to feed children

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Sri Lanka
  • Ministry of Women and Child Affairs seeking private donations to feed potentially hundreds of thousands of children who have gone hungry.
  • Nine out of ten people reliant on government handouts.
  • Sri Lanka’s inflation rate is second only to Zimbabwe’s – official 60.8 percent.

COLOMBO: Sri Lanka issued an urgent appeal on Monday to combat rapidly spreading child malnutrition as the country’s economic crisis leaves nine out of ten people reliant on government handouts.

According to the Ministry of Women and Child Affairs, they are seeking private donations to feed potentially hundreds of thousands of children who have gone hungry due to a lack of food.

The bankrupt state was unable to sustain welfare in the face of Sri Lanka’s worst economic crisis since independence.

“The problem was bad when the Covid pandemic was at its peak, but now, with the economic crisis, the situation is far worse,” secretary Neil Bandara Hapuhinne told reporters in Colombo.

The president of Sri Lanka wants a unity government to save the country’s economy.

He estimated that the numbers had multiplied several times since then due to the full impact of rampant inflation and dire shortages of food and other necessities.

He claims that the number of people receiving direct state handouts has nearly doubled in the last year, with more than 90% of the population now relying on the government for financial assistance.

According to Hapuhinne, this included approximately 1.6 million government employees.

Officially, Sri Lanka’s inflation rate was 60.8 percent in July, but private economists believe it is much higher, ranking second only to Zimbabwe.

UNICEF has also issued a funding appeal, claiming that the severe economic crisis has disproportionately impacted children in Sri Lanka.

Late last year, the country ran out of foreign exchange to finance even basic imports, and Colombo defaulted on its $51 billion foreign debt in mid-April.

The government is now in bailout talks with the International Monetary Fund under embattled new President Ranil Wickremesinghe.

In a country that once had the best social indicators in South Asia, the country’s 22 million people face lengthy daily power outages, long lines for fuel, and shortages of staple food and medicines.

President Gotabaya Rajapaksa fled the country and resigned last month after thousands of protesters enraged by the economic crisis stormed his official residence.

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Indigenous Australian senator calls the Queen a ‘coloniser’ as she’s sworn in

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Queen Elizabeth
  • An Indigenous Australian senator referred to the Queen as a “coloniser” while being sworn into parliament.
  • The Senate president stopped the Greens senator for Victoria and asked her to redo the oath of allegiance.
  • She was taking the oath alone after being absent when others were sworn in last week.

Lidia Thorpe, an indigenous Australian senator, referred to the Queen as a “coloniser” during her inauguration into Australia’s parliament.

The Senate president interrupted the Greens senator from Victoria and asked her to recite the oath of allegiance.

She was taking the oath alone because she was not present when the others were sworn in last week.

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