In a major crossing of a milestone, India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has said that India has achieved its non-fossil fuel-based energy target, something that was to be completed by 2030

“At COP-21, as part of its NDCs, India had committed to achieving 40 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030. The country has achieved this target in November 2021 itself,” MNRE said in a statement released last month

The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with total non-fossil based installed energy capacity was 157.32 gigawatts (GW). This is 40.1 per cent of the total installed energy capacity of 392.01 GW

In the last 7.5 years, India has shown a tremendous rate of growth and has added maximum capacity for renewable energy among large economies.

As per REN21 Renewables 2020 Global Status Report, there was a total investment of USD 64.4 billion in India's renewable energy programmes and projects. USD 11.2 billion were invested in the year 2019 alone.

Government data shows that India's non-conventional energy sector received USD 7.27 billion through foreign direct investment from the year 2014-15 up to June 2021. Out of this, FDI of USD 797.21 million trickled in during 2020-21. 
&nbsp;

In a major crossing of a milestone, India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has said that India has achieved its non-fossil fuel-based energy target, something that was to be completed by 2030 “At COP-21, as part of its NDCs, India had committed to achieving 40 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030.

In a major crossing of a milestone, India's Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE) has said that India has achieved its non-fossil fuel-based energy target, something that was to be completed by 2030 “At COP-21, as part of its NDCs, India had committed to achieving 40 per cent of its installed electricity capacity from non-fossil energy sources by 2030. The country has achieved this target in November 2021 itself,” MNRE said in a statement released last month The Nationally Determined Contributions (NDCs) with total non-fossil based installed energy capacity was 157.32 gigawatts (GW). This is 40.1 per cent of the total installed energy capacity of 392.01 GW In the last 7.5 years, India has shown a tremendous rate of growth and has added maximum capacity for renewable energy among large economies. As per REN21 Renewables 2020 Global Status Report, there was a total investment of USD 64.4 billion in India's renewable energy programmes and projects. USD 11.2 billion were invested in the year 2019 alone. Government data shows that India's non-conventional energy sector received USD 7.27 billion through foreign direct investment from the year 2014-15 up to June 2021. Out of this, FDI of USD 797.21 million trickled in during 2020-21.

India reaches non-fossil fuel milestone much ahead of 2030 deadline

Most of us are content with the idea of becoming a millionaire. The ambitious aim for the billionaire club and perhaps only tech companies can dream of being in T-club.

But what if you become a 'quintilllionaire'? With 18 zeroes in your net worth, the Bezoses and Musks of the world wouldn't stand a chance against you.

All you have to do is go to space, travel to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and mine metals from an asteroid. It is estimated that the asteroid is made of metals worth 10 quintillions! The asteroid is literally biggest floating bank in our solar system!

If you think this is crazy, obtain info on an asteroid dubbed 16 Psyche. It is located in the main asteroid belt.

The asteroid, first discovered by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis in 1852 is made up of exposed metallic iron, nickel and even gold. Scientists think that the asteroid is part of remains of the core of a shattered planetesimal, that is, a clump of space rocks that was on the verge of becoming a planet but didn't.&nbsp;

From Earth, asteroid 16 Psych appears hazy but by analysing the light reflected off the surface of the asteroid, scientists have been able to conclude that it is very rich in metals.

Most of us are content with the idea of becoming a millionaire. The ambitious aim for the billionaire club and perhaps only tech companies can dream of being in T-club.

Most of us are content with the idea of becoming a millionaire. The ambitious aim for the billionaire club and perhaps only tech companies can dream of being in T-club. But what if you become a 'quintilllionaire'? With 18 zeroes in your net worth, the Bezoses and Musks of the world wouldn't stand a chance against you. All you have to do is go to space, travel to the asteroid belt between Mars and Jupiter, and mine metals from an asteroid. It is estimated that the asteroid is made of metals worth 10 quintillions! The asteroid is literally biggest floating bank in our solar system! If you think this is crazy, obtain info on an asteroid dubbed 16 Psyche. It is located in the main asteroid belt. The asteroid, first discovered by Italian astronomer Annibale de Gasparis in 1852 is made up of exposed metallic iron, nickel and even gold. Scientists think that the asteroid is part of remains of the core of a shattered planetesimal, that is, a clump of space rocks that was on the verge of becoming a planet but didn't. From Earth, asteroid 16 Psych appears hazy but by analysing the light reflected off the surface of the asteroid, scientists have been able to conclude that it is very rich in metals.

This asteroid can make you richer than a billionaire

Jammu and Kashmir Government for the first time ever will be taking action against the Policemen involved in anti-national, criminal and corruption activities. As part of the cleansing process of police and administration, a list of 168 policemen has been prepared who could be terminated from their services.

The list of 168 policemen includes 161 from the Kashmir region while 7 belong to the Jammu region. Police officials say many of the policemen named in the list could have links with terror groups.&nbsp;

"Please Intimate by return signal, the involvement/non involvement with regard to criminal/corruption cases as well as subversive activities in respect of following officers/officials who are residing within your respective jurisdictions within two days positively, As the same is required in connection with the review of their performances in pursuance to government." said that order. &nbsp;

The list includes 2 inspectors, 11 sub-inspectors and 49 assistant sub-inspectors. Rest are head constables, selection grade constables, constables and followers.

It's for the first time that such action would be taken against policemen in the union territory. The concerned station house officers have been asked to submit a report about these people as soon as possible.&nbsp;

The government plans to take action after these reports are submitted. Most of the officers could be terminated and those who have completed 22 years of service shall be prematurely retired.&nbsp;

The steps are being taken for the government's zero tolerance policy for any anti national activity, corruption or criminal activities.&nbsp;

Jammu and Kashmir Government for the first time ever will be taking action against the Policemen involved in anti-national, criminal and corruption activities. As part of the cleansing process of police and administration, a list of 168 policemen has been prepared who could be terminated from their services.

Jammu and Kashmir Government for the first time ever will be taking action against the Policemen involved in anti-national, criminal and corruption activities. As part of the cleansing process of police and administration, a list of 168 policemen has been prepared who could be terminated from their services. The list of 168 policemen includes 161 from the Kashmir region while 7 belong to the Jammu region. Police officials say many of the policemen named in the list could have links with terror groups. "Please Intimate by return signal, the involvement/non involvement with regard to criminal/corruption cases as well as subversive activities in respect of following officers/officials who are residing within your respective jurisdictions within two days positively, As the same is required in connection with the review of their performances in pursuance to government." said that order. The list includes 2 inspectors, 11 sub-inspectors and 49 assistant sub-inspectors. Rest are head constables, selection grade constables, constables and followers. It's for the first time that such action would be taken against policemen in the union territory. The concerned station house officers have been asked to submit a report about these people as soon as possible. The government plans to take action after these reports are submitted. Most of the officers could be terminated and those who have completed 22 years of service shall be prematurely retired. The steps are being taken for the government's zero tolerance policy for any anti national activity, corruption or criminal activities.

Jammu and Kashmir government to probe policemen's involvement in anti-national activities

French parliament on Wednesday suspended a debate that went on to discuss President Emmanuel Macron's comment in which he said he wanted to 'piss off' unvaccinated people. The French president had made the remark in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper on Tuesday.

Calling unvaccinated people 'irresponsible', Macron said that he planned to make their lives so complicated that they would end up having a vaccine.

The interview was published shortly before lawmakers were to resume a debate over the new legislation, which will make it mandatory for people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter a restaurant or cinema, or take the train.

Macron's comments quickly derailed action in the chamber after it resumed late Tuesday, again suspending examination of the bill and jeopardising the government's timetable for it to come into force.

The president of the session Marc Le Fur said the atmosphere in the National Assembly did not offer "conditions for a calm working environment". 
The head of the right-wing Republicans (LR) in the chamber, Damien Abad, slammed "unworthy, irresponsible and premeditated" remarks which showed "childish cynicism".

Meanwhile the party's leader Christian Jacob said the group "refused to endorse a text which aims to piss off the French".

The controversy has erupted amid an increasingly febrile pre-election atmosphere in France. Macron said in the interview he wants to stand for a second term in April's presidential vote but that declaring his intentions now would distract from managing the health crisis.

(With inputs from agencies) 
&nbsp;

French parliament on Wednesday suspended a debate that went on to discuss President Emmanuel Macron's comment in which he said he wanted to 'piss off' unvaccinated people.

French parliament on Wednesday suspended a debate that went on to discuss President Emmanuel Macron's comment in which he said he wanted to 'piss off' unvaccinated people. The French president had made the remark in an interview with Le Parisien newspaper on Tuesday. Calling unvaccinated people 'irresponsible', Macron said that he planned to make their lives so complicated that they would end up having a vaccine. The interview was published shortly before lawmakers were to resume a debate over the new legislation, which will make it mandatory for people to show proof of COVID-19 vaccination to enter a restaurant or cinema, or take the train. Macron's comments quickly derailed action in the chamber after it resumed late Tuesday, again suspending examination of the bill and jeopardising the government's timetable for it to come into force. The president of the session Marc Le Fur said the atmosphere in the National Assembly did not offer "conditions for a calm working environment". The head of the right-wing Republicans (LR) in the chamber, Damien Abad, slammed "unworthy, irresponsible and premeditated" remarks which showed "childish cynicism". Meanwhile the party's leader Christian Jacob said the group "refused to endorse a text which aims to piss off the French". The controversy has erupted amid an increasingly febrile pre-election atmosphere in France. Macron said in the interview he wants to stand for a second term in April's presidential vote but that declaring his intentions now would distract from managing the health crisis. (With inputs from agencies)

French parliament suspends debate on Macron's 'piss off' comment

Former US first lady Melania Trump said on Tuesday (January 4) that she would auction a famed white hat she wore in 2018, with accompanying physical and digitized NFT drawings.

The three "important one-of-a-kind signed items" commemorate an April 2018 state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Washington -- the first of the Trump presidency.

Bidding for this lot called the "Head of State Collection" will be held online between January 11 and 25, using the cryptocurrency Solana (SOL).

According to her website, where the auction was announced, bidding will begin at $250,000, currently equivalent to 1,416 SOL.

French-American designer Herve Pierre made the wide-brimmed hat at the request of Mrs Trump, who wore it as she accompanied French first lady Brigitte Macron around Washington.

The autographed collection also includes physical and digital paintings of Trump wearing the hat, both created by French artist Marc-Antoine Coulon.

The announcement states that a "portion" of the proceeds will go towards scholarships for children &nbsp;in foster care to learn computer skills.

Trump's office did not immediately respond to an email by AFP inquiring about the size of the portion that will be donated.&nbsp;

In her first public project since leaving the White House, Trump announced last month that she would be joining the crypto trend by launching her own platform to sell NFTs (non-fungible tokens).

"I am proud to announce my new NFT endeavor, which embodies my passion for the arts, and will support my ongoing commitment to children through my Be Best initiative," Trump said in a statement at the time.

"Through this new technology-based platform, we will provide children computer science skills, including programming and software development, to thrive after they age out of the foster community."

Using the blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies, NFTs transform anything from illustrations to memes into virtual collectors' items that cannot be duplicated.

NFTs rocketed into the mainstream last year and are now traded at major auction houses, generating several hundred million dollars in transactions every month.

(With inputs from agencies)

Former US first lady Melania Trump said on Tuesday (January 4) that she would auction a famed white hat she wore in 2018, with accompanying physical and digitized NFT drawings.

Former US first lady Melania Trump said on Tuesday (January 4) that she would auction a famed white hat she wore in 2018, with accompanying physical and digitized NFT drawings. The three "important one-of-a-kind signed items" commemorate an April 2018 state visit by French President Emmanuel Macron to Washington -- the first of the Trump presidency. Bidding for this lot called the "Head of State Collection" will be held online between January 11 and 25, using the cryptocurrency Solana (SOL). According to her website, where the auction was announced, bidding will begin at $250,000, currently equivalent to 1,416 SOL. French-American designer Herve Pierre made the wide-brimmed hat at the request of Mrs Trump, who wore it as she accompanied French first lady Brigitte Macron around Washington. The autographed collection also includes physical and digital paintings of Trump wearing the hat, both created by French artist Marc-Antoine Coulon. The announcement states that a "portion" of the proceeds will go towards scholarships for children in foster care to learn computer skills. Trump's office did not immediately respond to an email by AFP inquiring about the size of the portion that will be donated. In her first public project since leaving the White House, Trump announced last month that she would be joining the crypto trend by launching her own platform to sell NFTs (non-fungible tokens). "I am proud to announce my new NFT endeavor, which embodies my passion for the arts, and will support my ongoing commitment to children through my Be Best initiative," Trump said in a statement at the time. "Through this new technology-based platform, we will provide children computer science skills, including programming and software development, to thrive after they age out of the foster community." Using the blockchain technology behind cryptocurrencies, NFTs transform anything from illustrations to memes into virtual collectors' items that cannot be duplicated. NFTs rocketed into the mainstream last year and are now traded at major auction houses, generating several hundred million dollars in transactions every month. (With inputs from agencies)

Melania Trump set to auction hat, NFT from Macron visit

Josh Wardle, a software engineer in Brooklyn, knew his partner loved word games, so he created a guessing game for just the two of them. As a play on his last name, he named it Wordle.

But after the couple played for months, and after it rapidly became an obsession in his family’s WhatsApp group once he introduced it to relatives, Wardle thought he might be on to something and released it to the rest of the world in October.

On Nov. 1, 90 people played.

On Sunday, just over two months later, more than 300,000 people played.

It’s been a meteoric rise for the once-a-day game, which invites players to guess a five-letter word in a similar manner as the guess-the-color game Mastermind. After guessing a five-letter word, the game tells you whether any of your letters are in the secret word and whether they are in the correct place. You have six tries to get it right.

Few such popular corners of the internet are as low-frills as the website, which Wardle built himself as a side project. There are no ads or flashing banners; no windows pop up or ask for money. There is merely the game on a black background.

“I think people kind of appreciate that there’s this thing online that’s just fun,” Wardle said in an interview on Monday. “It’s not trying to do anything shady with your data or your eyeballs. It’s just a game that’s fun.”

This is not Wardle’s first brush with suddenly capturing widespread attention. Formerly a software engineer for Reddit, he created two collaborative social experiments on the site, called The Button and Place, that each were phenomena in their moment.

But Wordle was built without a team of engineers. It was just him and his partner, Palak Shah, killing time during a pandemic.

Wardle said he first created a similar prototype in 2013, but his friends were unimpressed and he scrapped the idea. In 2020, he and Shah “got really into” the New York Times Spelling Bee and the daily crossword, “so I wanted to come up with a game that she would enjoy,” he said.

The breakthrough, he said, was limiting players to one game per day. That enforced a sense of scarcity, which he said was partially inspired by the Spelling Bee, which leaves people wanting more, he said.

Word games have proved immensely popular for The Times and other companies in recent years, and many such as the Spelling Bee have developed devoted fan followings.

But since Wordle was built originally for just Wardle and Shah, the initial design ignored a lot of the growth-hacking features that are virtually expected of games in the current era. While other games send notifications to your phone hoping you’ll come back throughout the day, Wordle doesn’t want an intense relationship.

“It’s something that encourages you to spend three minutes a day,” Wardle said. “And that’s it. Like, it doesn’t want any more of your time than that.”

Wordle lacked the ability to share results until mid-December. Wardle noticed players sharing their results by typing out a grid of green, yellow and black emojis, so he built an automated way for players to brag about their successes in a spoiler-free way.

If he were optimizing the game to gain as many players as possible, he would have included a link at the end of the tweet that the tool generates, he said. But after looking into it, he said it would have looked “trashy” and not as visually compelling, and he liked the grid’s mysterious air, which he felt piqued people’s interest.

While Shah was the lucky recipient of the first game, she has played a key role in getting it ready for the public, Wardle said. An initial list of all of the five-letter words in the English language — about 12,000 — contained a lot of obscure words that would have been near impossible to guess.

So he created another game for Shah: This time, she would sort through those 12,000 or so words, designating whether or not she knew them. That narrowed down the list of Wordle words to about 2,500, which should last for a few years. (Already, a few words have riled up the fans: Some were upset by REBUS and TAPIR, saying they were not familiar enough.)

Shah says she wakes up every day with a new routine: She warms up with the Spelling Bee, which gets her mind right for Wordle. She also loves the New York Times Crossword and cryptic crosswords.

Though Wordle is now shared with the world, she said she appreciated that Wardle originally created it for her.

“It’s really sweet,” she said. “This is definitely how Josh shows his love.”

Josh Wardle, a software engineer in Brooklyn, knew his partner loved word games, so he created a guessing game for just the two of them. As a play on his last name, he named it Wordle.

Josh Wardle, a software engineer in Brooklyn, knew his partner loved word games, so he created a guessing game for just the two of them. As a play on his last name, he named it Wordle. But after the couple played for months, and after it rapidly became an obsession in his family’s WhatsApp group once he introduced it to relatives, Wardle thought he might be on to something and released it to the rest of the world in October. On Nov. 1, 90 people played. On Sunday, just over two months later, more than 300,000 people played. It’s been a meteoric rise for the once-a-day game, which invites players to guess a five-letter word in a similar manner as the guess-the-color game Mastermind. After guessing a five-letter word, the game tells you whether any of your letters are in the secret word and whether they are in the correct place. You have six tries to get it right. Few such popular corners of the internet are as low-frills as the website, which Wardle built himself as a side project. There are no ads or flashing banners; no windows pop up or ask for money. There is merely the game on a black background. “I think people kind of appreciate that there’s this thing online that’s just fun,” Wardle said in an interview on Monday. “It’s not trying to do anything shady with your data or your eyeballs. It’s just a game that’s fun.” This is not Wardle’s first brush with suddenly capturing widespread attention. Formerly a software engineer for Reddit, he created two collaborative social experiments on the site, called The Button and Place, that each were phenomena in their moment. But Wordle was built without a team of engineers. It was just him and his partner, Palak Shah, killing time during a pandemic. Wardle said he first created a similar prototype in 2013, but his friends were unimpressed and he scrapped the idea. In 2020, he and Shah “got really into” the New York Times Spelling Bee and the daily crossword, “so I wanted to come up with a game that she would enjoy,” he said. The breakthrough, he said, was limiting players to one game per day. That enforced a sense of scarcity, which he said was partially inspired by the Spelling Bee, which leaves people wanting more, he said. Word games have proved immensely popular for The Times and other companies in recent years, and many such as the Spelling Bee have developed devoted fan followings. But since Wordle was built originally for just Wardle and Shah, the initial design ignored a lot of the growth-hacking features that are virtually expected of games in the current era. While other games send notifications to your phone hoping you’ll come back throughout the day, Wordle doesn’t want an intense relationship. “It’s something that encourages you to spend three minutes a day,” Wardle said. “And that’s it. Like, it doesn’t want any more of your time than that.” Wordle lacked the ability to share results until mid-December. Wardle noticed players sharing their results by typing out a grid of green, yellow and black emojis, so he built an automated way for players to brag about their successes in a spoiler-free way. If he were optimizing the game to gain as many players as possible, he would have included a link at the end of the tweet that the tool generates, he said. But after looking into it, he said it would have looked “trashy” and not as visually compelling, and he liked the grid’s mysterious air, which he felt piqued people’s interest. While Shah was the lucky recipient of the first game, she has played a key role in getting it ready for the public, Wardle said. An initial list of all of the five-letter words in the English language — about 12,000 — contained a lot of obscure words that would have been near impossible to guess. So he created another game for Shah: This time, she would sort through those 12,000 or so words, designating whether or not she knew them. That narrowed down the list of Wordle words to about 2,500, which should last for a few years. (Already, a few words have riled up the fans: Some were upset by REBUS and TAPIR, saying they were not familiar enough.) Shah says she wakes up every day with a new routine: She warms up with the Spelling Bee, which gets her mind right for Wordle. She also loves the New York Times Crossword and cryptic crosswords. Though Wordle is now shared with the world, she said she appreciated that Wardle originally created it for her. “It’s really sweet,” she said. “This is definitely how Josh shows his love.”

He made Wordle for his partner. Now it’s an online hit

Worries of food shortages have led to some residents of Xian, the Chinese city under Covid lockdown resorting to barter to secure essential supplies, as per BBC.

Images on social media are showing residents swapping supplies and even tech gadgets in exchange for food, the report said.

The city has seen a COVID-19 resurgence and about 13 million citizens have been forced to stay indoors sinche December 23, 2021

In recent days many have taken to social media with numerous complaints.

Authorities have been providing free food to households, but some have said their supplies are running low or that they had yet to receive aid.

Videos and photos on social media site Weibo showed people exchanging cigarettes for cabbage, dishwashing liquid for apples, and sanitary pads for a small pile of vegetables, the report said.

One video showed a resident appearing to trade his Nintendo Switch console for a packet of instant noodles and two steamed buns.

"Helpless citizens have arrived at the era of bartering - potatoes are exchanged for cotton swabs," one Weibo user said, while another described it as a "return to primitive society".

Xi'an is at the epicentre of China's current Covid outbreak, and local authorities have enacted drastic measures which have attracted significant criticism online.

On Tuesday, authorities moved to put a second city into full lockdown after the detection of three asymptomatic cases.

Around 1.1 million residents in Yuzhou, a city located 500 km away from Xi'an, will now have to stay in their homes.

(With inputs from agencies)

Worries of food shortages have led to some residents of Xian, the Chinese city under Covid lockdown resorting to barter to secure essential supplies, as per BBC.

Worries of food shortages have led to some residents of Xian, the Chinese city under Covid lockdown resorting to barter to secure essential supplies, as per BBC. Images on social media are showing residents swapping supplies and even tech gadgets in exchange for food, the report said. The city has seen a COVID-19 resurgence and about 13 million citizens have been forced to stay indoors sinche December 23, 2021 In recent days many have taken to social media with numerous complaints. Authorities have been providing free food to households, but some have said their supplies are running low or that they had yet to receive aid. Videos and photos on social media site Weibo showed people exchanging cigarettes for cabbage, dishwashing liquid for apples, and sanitary pads for a small pile of vegetables, the report said. One video showed a resident appearing to trade his Nintendo Switch console for a packet of instant noodles and two steamed buns. "Helpless citizens have arrived at the era of bartering - potatoes are exchanged for cotton swabs," one Weibo user said, while another described it as a "return to primitive society". Xi'an is at the epicentre of China's current Covid outbreak, and local authorities have enacted drastic measures which have attracted significant criticism online. On Tuesday, authorities moved to put a second city into full lockdown after the detection of three asymptomatic cases. Around 1.1 million residents in Yuzhou, a city located 500 km away from Xi'an, will now have to stay in their homes. (With inputs from agencies)

Residents in Chinese city under Covid lockdown resort to barter to secure food

China on Tuesday said that it will continue to 'modernise' its nuclear arsenal but has asked United States and Russia to reduce their stockpiles. The latest Chinese stance has come just a day after it pledged along with other global powers to prevent spread of nuclear weapons.

"The US and Russia still possess 90 percent of the nuclear warheads on Earth," Fu Cong, director general of the department of arms control at the Chinese foreign ministry, told reporters.&nbsp;

"They must reduce their nuclear arsenal in an irreversible and legally binding manner."

Fu dismissed US claims that China was vastly increasing its nuclear capabilities.

"China has always adopted the no first use policy and we maintain our nuclear capabilities at the minimal level required for our national security," he said.&nbsp;

But he said Beijing would "continue to modernise its nuclear arsenal for reliability and safety issues".

In a rare joint statement setting aside rising West-East tensions, the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France on Monday reaffirmed their goal of creating a world free of atomic weapons and avoiding a nuclear conflict.

The nuclear weapons have only been used when the bombs were dropped by the US on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending the Second World War.

On Monday, the five nuclear powers committed to full future disarmament from atomic weapons. China's latest stand is sure to raise questions about how realistic the goal of full disarmament is.

Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/five-most-powerful-countries-of-the-world-vow-to-avoid-nuke-war-442087">Five most powerful countries of the world vow to avoid nuke war</a>

The United States has also said China is expanding its nuclear arsenal with as many as 700 warheads by 2027 and possibly 1,000 by 2030.

Ties between Beijing and Washington have been strained over a series of issues including China's intentions to take Taiwan, which it claims as part of its territory, by force if necessary.

Beijing's sabre-rattling towards Taiwan has reached new heights under President Xi Jinping, China's most authoritarian leader in a generation.&nbsp; 
Fu dismissed speculation over the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons near the Taiwan Strait.

"Nuclear weapons are the ultimate deterrent, they are not for war or fighting," he said.

While the United States and Russia have had a formal strategic stability dialogue since the days of the Cold War, producing several disarmament agreements, that is not the case between Washington and Beijing.

(With inputs from agencies)

China on Tuesday said that it will continue to 'modernise' its nuclear arsenal but has asked United States and Russia to reduce their stockpiles. The latest Chinese stance has come just a day after it pledged along with other global powers to prevent spread of nuclear weapons.

China on Tuesday said that it will continue to 'modernise' its nuclear arsenal but has asked United States and Russia to reduce their stockpiles. The latest Chinese stance has come just a day after it pledged along with other global powers to prevent spread of nuclear weapons. "The US and Russia still possess 90 percent of the nuclear warheads on Earth," Fu Cong, director general of the department of arms control at the Chinese foreign ministry, told reporters. "They must reduce their nuclear arsenal in an irreversible and legally binding manner." Fu dismissed US claims that China was vastly increasing its nuclear capabilities. "China has always adopted the no first use policy and we maintain our nuclear capabilities at the minimal level required for our national security," he said. But he said Beijing would "continue to modernise its nuclear arsenal for reliability and safety issues". In a rare joint statement setting aside rising West-East tensions, the United States, China, Russia, Britain and France on Monday reaffirmed their goal of creating a world free of atomic weapons and avoiding a nuclear conflict. The nuclear weapons have only been used when the bombs were dropped by the US on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, ending the Second World War. On Monday, the five nuclear powers committed to full future disarmament from atomic weapons. China's latest stand is sure to raise questions about how realistic the goal of full disarmament is. Also Read | Five most powerful countries of the world vow to avoid nuke war The United States has also said China is expanding its nuclear arsenal with as many as 700 warheads by 2027 and possibly 1,000 by 2030. Ties between Beijing and Washington have been strained over a series of issues including China's intentions to take Taiwan, which it claims as part of its territory, by force if necessary. Beijing's sabre-rattling towards Taiwan has reached new heights under President Xi Jinping, China's most authoritarian leader in a generation. Fu dismissed speculation over the possibility of deploying nuclear weapons near the Taiwan Strait. "Nuclear weapons are the ultimate deterrent, they are not for war or fighting," he said. While the United States and Russia have had a formal strategic stability dialogue since the days of the Cold War, producing several disarmament agreements, that is not the case between Washington and Beijing. (With inputs from agencies)

China to 'modernise' its nukes, but asks US and Russia to reduce stockpile

Fire at South Africa's parliament, was contained on Tuesday (January 4) after intense efforts of two days. The fire devastated the complex and brought down roof of the National Assembly.

The blaze began before sunrise on Sunday and was initially declared under control on Monday until strong winds reignited flames, leaving dozens of firefighters once again battling late into the night.

A 49-year-old man was remanded into custody until January 11 during a brief court appearance on Tuesday. He was arrested on Sunday inside the parliament and has been charged by police with "housebreaking, arson" and damaging state property.

"Firefighters managed to contain the fire just before 12:00 last night," spokesman Jermaine Carelse told AFP.

There were fresh flames again early Tuesday, he added, which firefighters extinguished.&nbsp;

"We currently have four fire engines on scene with approximately 20 staff members that will monitor the situation throughout the day."

No casualties have been reported in the fire, but the damage to the nation's parliament has shocked the country.

The blaze tore through the wooden room where MPs normally sit. Carelse said such was the devastation that a parliamentary session would not be held there for a long time.

Parliament spokesman Moloto Mothapo said "the entire chamber where the members sit... has burned down."&nbsp;

The fire started at around 5:00 am (0300 GMT) Sunday in the wood-panelled older part of the complex -- a section that once housed South Africa's first parliament.

(With inputs from agencies)

Fire at South Africa's parliament, was contained on Tuesday (January 4) after intense efforts of two days. The fire devastated the complex and brought down roof of the National Assembly.

Fire at South Africa's parliament, was contained on Tuesday (January 4) after intense efforts of two days. The fire devastated the complex and brought down roof of the National Assembly. The blaze began before sunrise on Sunday and was initially declared under control on Monday until strong winds reignited flames, leaving dozens of firefighters once again battling late into the night. A 49-year-old man was remanded into custody until January 11 during a brief court appearance on Tuesday. He was arrested on Sunday inside the parliament and has been charged by police with "housebreaking, arson" and damaging state property. "Firefighters managed to contain the fire just before 12:00 last night," spokesman Jermaine Carelse told AFP. There were fresh flames again early Tuesday, he added, which firefighters extinguished. "We currently have four fire engines on scene with approximately 20 staff members that will monitor the situation throughout the day." No casualties have been reported in the fire, but the damage to the nation's parliament has shocked the country. The blaze tore through the wooden room where MPs normally sit. Carelse said such was the devastation that a parliamentary session would not be held there for a long time. Parliament spokesman Moloto Mothapo said "the entire chamber where the members sit... has burned down." The fire started at around 5:00 am (0300 GMT) Sunday in the wood-panelled older part of the complex -- a section that once housed South Africa's first parliament. (With inputs from agencies)

Fire at South African parliament contained after two days

A man in his 50s was arrested by police in connection with South African parliament fire. It appears that the water sprinkler system designed to combat fire was tampered with as a result of which it did not work.

The fire started early on Sunday (January 2) morning (local time) and firefighters were still trying to contain the blaze by afternoon. The suspect was arrested from inside the parliament complex.

Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia De Lille told reporters that CCTV footage had revealed that someone was inside the parliament complex since morning.

The cause of the blaze was not yet known but De Lille said that according to a report that she received, a standard maintenance fire drill had been conducted just before parliament closed for the Christmas and New Year holidays and everything including the sprinklers was working.

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"What was discovered this morning is that somebody has closed one of the valves and so then there was no water to trigger that automatic sprinkler system coming on," De Lille said

She said that investigation had been handed to an elite police unit called the Hawks.

"It's the role of the Hawks to investigate any attack on political institutions," De Lille said.

President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters after visiting the site that parliament's work would continue despite the blaze. He also praised firefighters for saving a "very important national asset of our government".

PARTLY CONTAINED

The parliamentary complex, some of which dates back to 1884, consists of a cluster of buildings. The National Assembly, or lower House of Parliament, is situated in what is known as the New Wing.

The upper house, or National Council of Provinces (NCOP), is located in what is called the Old Wing or Old Assembly, which is also used for committee meetings.

"The fire has been contained in the Old Wing. Firefighters are currently trying to control the fire in the New Wing, where the fire has affected the National Assembly Chamber," parliament said in a statement.

Jean-Pierre Smith, a Cape Town mayoral committee member responsible for safety and security, said the roof of the old building had collapsed, and added the fire had gutted the third floor of the building, including office space and the gymnasium.

He also told reporters that the parliament's fire alarm only rang when firefighters were already on site.

By afternoon smoke had partially subsided after billowing for hours from the roof and entrance of the National Assembly. But City of Cape Town fire services chief Jermaine Carelse said the fire was still active, and was now concentrated on the first and third floor.

The fire, which started just before 6 a.m., was the second at the parliament in less than a year. In March there was a blaze caused by an electrical fault.

"It is egregious that such a thing happened in the first place, there must be no question about it. Whether it was a result of security breaches, which may be apparent to some people, we don't know," Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Lechesa Tsenoli said.

National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told reporters that Ramaphosa's state of the nation address to a joint session of parliament would go ahead as planned on Feb.10 but an alternative venue would have to be used.

(With inputs from agencies)

A man in his 50s was arrested by police in connection with South African parliament fire. It appears that the water sprinkler system designed to combat fire was tampered with as a result of which it did not work.

A man in his 50s was arrested by police in connection with South African parliament fire. It appears that the water sprinkler system designed to combat fire was tampered with as a result of which it did not work. The fire started early on Sunday (January 2) morning (local time) and firefighters were still trying to contain the blaze by afternoon. The suspect was arrested from inside the parliament complex. Public Works and Infrastructure Minister Patricia De Lille told reporters that CCTV footage had revealed that someone was inside the parliament complex since morning. The cause of the blaze was not yet known but De Lille said that according to a report that she received, a standard maintenance fire drill had been conducted just before parliament closed for the Christmas and New Year holidays and everything including the sprinklers was working. × "What was discovered this morning is that somebody has closed one of the valves and so then there was no water to trigger that automatic sprinkler system coming on," De Lille said She said that investigation had been handed to an elite police unit called the Hawks. "It's the role of the Hawks to investigate any attack on political institutions," De Lille said. President Cyril Ramaphosa told reporters after visiting the site that parliament's work would continue despite the blaze. He also praised firefighters for saving a "very important national asset of our government". PARTLY CONTAINED The parliamentary complex, some of which dates back to 1884, consists of a cluster of buildings. The National Assembly, or lower House of Parliament, is situated in what is known as the New Wing. The upper house, or National Council of Provinces (NCOP), is located in what is called the Old Wing or Old Assembly, which is also used for committee meetings. "The fire has been contained in the Old Wing. Firefighters are currently trying to control the fire in the New Wing, where the fire has affected the National Assembly Chamber," parliament said in a statement. Jean-Pierre Smith, a Cape Town mayoral committee member responsible for safety and security, said the roof of the old building had collapsed, and added the fire had gutted the third floor of the building, including office space and the gymnasium. He also told reporters that the parliament's fire alarm only rang when firefighters were already on site. By afternoon smoke had partially subsided after billowing for hours from the roof and entrance of the National Assembly. But City of Cape Town fire services chief Jermaine Carelse said the fire was still active, and was now concentrated on the first and third floor. The fire, which started just before 6 a.m., was the second at the parliament in less than a year. In March there was a blaze caused by an electrical fault. "It is egregious that such a thing happened in the first place, there must be no question about it. Whether it was a result of security breaches, which may be apparent to some people, we don't know," Deputy Speaker of the National Assembly Lechesa Tsenoli said. National Assembly Speaker Nosiviwe Mapisa-Nqakula told reporters that Ramaphosa's state of the nation address to a joint session of parliament would go ahead as planned on Feb.10 but an alternative venue would have to be used. (With inputs from agencies)

Police arrest man suspected to be behind South African parliament fire

Wife of Qazi Faez Isa, senior judge of Pakistan Supreme Court wrote a letter to Sindh and federal governments saying she was harassed by some people who barged into her house on December 29. As reported by The News, Serena Isa said that abuses were hurled at her.

Sarina Isa stated that she was looking after the white-wash process at her Defence residence in Karachi along with her daughter when two unidentified persons entered their house, harassed her, hurled threats and sought personal and family information from her.

She said that after some time, two more such persons came there and threatened them. After they left the place, two more persons entered her residence and asked various questions in a threatening tone.

She said all those people said they were government department’s personnel. In her three-page letter, she demanded the government hold an inquiry into the incident, the report said.

As per Dawn, the letter has been addressed to Sindh inspector general of police, defence ministry secretary, interior ministry secretary and Sindh home department secretary.

In her letter, Sarina Isa said that the men claimed to be from military intelligence. But when she asked for their ID cards, they refused to provide. As per Sarina, the men did not have any written authorisation that permitted them to enter the house.

(With inputs from agencies)

Wife of Qazi Faez Isa, senior judge of Pakistan Supreme Court wrote a letter to Sindh and federal governments saying she was harassed by some people who barged into her house on December 29.

Wife of Qazi Faez Isa, senior judge of Pakistan Supreme Court wrote a letter to Sindh and federal governments saying she was harassed by some people who barged into her house on December 29. As reported by The News, Serena Isa said that abuses were hurled at her. Sarina Isa stated that she was looking after the white-wash process at her Defence residence in Karachi along with her daughter when two unidentified persons entered their house, harassed her, hurled threats and sought personal and family information from her. She said that after some time, two more such persons came there and threatened them. After they left the place, two more persons entered her residence and asked various questions in a threatening tone. She said all those people said they were government department’s personnel. In her three-page letter, she demanded the government hold an inquiry into the incident, the report said. As per Dawn, the letter has been addressed to Sindh inspector general of police, defence ministry secretary, interior ministry secretary and Sindh home department secretary. In her letter, Sarina Isa said that the men claimed to be from military intelligence. But when she asked for their ID cards, they refused to provide. As per Sarina, the men did not have any written authorisation that permitted them to enter the house. (With inputs from agencies)

Wife of Pakistan Supreme Court judge complains of harassment by unknown men

Amid a drop in public confidence in the Supreme Court and calls for increasing its membership, Chief Justice John Roberts devoted his annual year-end report on the federal judiciary Friday to a plea for judicial independence.

“The judiciary’s power to manage its internal affairs insulates courts from inappropriate political influence and is crucial to preserving public trust in its work as a separate and coequal branch of government,” he wrote.

The report comes less than a month after a bipartisan commission appointed by President Joe Biden finished its work studying changes to the federal judiciary. While that panel analyzed proposals like imposing 18-year term limits on justices and expanding, or “packing,” the court with additional justices, much of Roberts' report was focused on thwarting less contentious efforts by Congress to address financial conflicts and workplace misconduct in the judicial system. Both issues are the subject of proposed legislation that has drawn bipartisan support.

Gabe Roth, executive director of Fix the Court, a nonprofit group that has called for stricter ethics rules for the Supreme Court, said Roberts faced an uphill battle.

“Chief Justice Roberts is taking a page from his old playbook: acknowledging institutional challenges in the judiciary but telling the public that only we judges can fix them,” Roth said. “Yet the problems of overlooked financial conflicts and sexual harassment are serious and endemic, and there’s no indication they’re going away. So Congress has every right to step in and, via legislation, hold the third branch to account, which I expect to happen in 2022.”

Roberts addressed at some length a recent series of articles in The Wall Street Journal that found that 131 federal judges had violated a federal law by hearing 685 lawsuits between 2010 and 2018 that involved companies in which they or their families owned shares of stock.

“Let me be crystal clear: The judiciary takes this matter seriously,” Roberts wrote. “We expect judges to adhere to the highest standards, and those judges violated an ethics rule. But I do want to put these lapses in context.”

In the scheme of things, he wrote, the number of violations was vanishingly small.

“According to The Wall Street Journal’s own data,” he wrote, “the 685 instances identified amount to a very small fraction — less than three-hundredths of 1% — of the 2.5 million civil cases filed in the district courts in the nine years included in the study. That’s a 99.97% compliance rate.”

“Still,” he wrote, “this context is not excuse. We are duty-bound to strive for 100% compliance because public trust is essential, not incidental, to our function.”

Although Roberts did not mention it, the Supreme Court has not been immune from similar lapses. In 2017, for instance, after participating in the oral arguments in a patent case, the Supreme Court announced that Roberts “has concluded that he should not continue to participate in this case.”

He had discovered, the court said, that he owned 1,212 shares of the parent company of one of the parties in the case. The shares were worth more than $100,000, according to a financial disclosure report.

“The ordinary conflict check conducted in the chief justice’s chambers inadvertently failed to find this potential conflict,” a letter from a court official to lawyers in the patent case said.

In the report issued on Friday, Roberts called for more rigorous ethics training and better systems of conflict checks. He did not address a solution urged by many ethics experts: barring judges from investing in individual stocks.

Roberts also touched on what he called “the continuing concern over inappropriate behavior in the judicial workplace.”

The issue had been a topic in several of the chief justice’s reports since 2017, when Judge Alex Kozinski, who had served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit for more than three decades, announced his retirement after The Washington Post reported that some 15 women had accused him of sexual harassment.

The women, many of whom had served as his law clerks, said Kozinski had touched them inappropriately, made unwanted sexual comments and made them watch sexual materials on his computer.

Roberts wrote Friday that the federal judiciary had taken many steps to make its workplaces safe, including revising its procedures to “provide robust mechanisms for reporting and addressing instances of misconduct.”

As is his custom, the chief justice began his report with a historical sketch. This year, it was of William H. Taft, who was appointed to be chief justice a century ago, after having served as president. Taft, a large man, was an energetic administrator.

“Taft sought to supplant the prevailing culture of isolation in which each judge was — in his words — left to ‘paddle his own canoe,’” Roberts wrote.

“Once you get past the image of ‘Big Bill’ paddling a canoe, consider that he knew well how to navigate the halls of Congress,” Roberts wrote, adding, “He threw his considerable political heft into creating the mechanisms of self-governance for federal courts across the country.”

Although Roberts did not address proposals to increase the size of his court or to impose terms limits on its members, he described with approval Taft’s efforts to preserve judicial independence.

“He understood that criticism of the courts is inevitable,” Roberts wrote, “and he lived through an era when federal courts faced strident calls for reform, some warranted and some not.”

The proper response, Roberts said Taft once observed, was “to remove, as far as possible, grounds for just criticism of our judicial system.”

Amid a drop in public confidence in the Supreme Court and calls for increasing its membership, Chief Justice John Roberts devoted his annual year-end report on the federal judiciary Friday to a plea for judicial independence.

Amid a drop in public confidence in the Supreme Court and calls for increasing its membership, Chief Justice John Roberts devoted his annual year-end report on the federal judiciary Friday to a plea for judicial independence. “The judiciary’s power to manage its internal affairs insulates courts from inappropriate political influence and is crucial to preserving public trust in its work as a separate and coequal branch of government,” he wrote. The report comes less than a month after a bipartisan commission appointed by President Joe Biden finished its work studying changes to the federal judiciary. While that panel analyzed proposals like imposing 18-year term limits on justices and expanding, or “packing,” the court with additional justices, much of Roberts' report was focused on thwarting less contentious efforts by Congress to address financial conflicts and workplace misconduct in the judicial system. Both issues are the subject of proposed legislation that has drawn bipartisan support. Gabe Roth, executive director of Fix the Court, a nonprofit group that has called for stricter ethics rules for the Supreme Court, said Roberts faced an uphill battle. “Chief Justice Roberts is taking a page from his old playbook: acknowledging institutional challenges in the judiciary but telling the public that only we judges can fix them,” Roth said. “Yet the problems of overlooked financial conflicts and sexual harassment are serious and endemic, and there’s no indication they’re going away. So Congress has every right to step in and, via legislation, hold the third branch to account, which I expect to happen in 2022.” Roberts addressed at some length a recent series of articles in The Wall Street Journal that found that 131 federal judges had violated a federal law by hearing 685 lawsuits between 2010 and 2018 that involved companies in which they or their families owned shares of stock. “Let me be crystal clear: The judiciary takes this matter seriously,” Roberts wrote. “We expect judges to adhere to the highest standards, and those judges violated an ethics rule. But I do want to put these lapses in context.” In the scheme of things, he wrote, the number of violations was vanishingly small. “According to The Wall Street Journal’s own data,” he wrote, “the 685 instances identified amount to a very small fraction — less than three-hundredths of 1% — of the 2.5 million civil cases filed in the district courts in the nine years included in the study. That’s a 99.97% compliance rate.” “Still,” he wrote, “this context is not excuse. We are duty-bound to strive for 100% compliance because public trust is essential, not incidental, to our function.” Although Roberts did not mention it, the Supreme Court has not been immune from similar lapses. In 2017, for instance, after participating in the oral arguments in a patent case, the Supreme Court announced that Roberts “has concluded that he should not continue to participate in this case.” He had discovered, the court said, that he owned 1,212 shares of the parent company of one of the parties in the case. The shares were worth more than $100,000, according to a financial disclosure report. “The ordinary conflict check conducted in the chief justice’s chambers inadvertently failed to find this potential conflict,” a letter from a court official to lawyers in the patent case said. In the report issued on Friday, Roberts called for more rigorous ethics training and better systems of conflict checks. He did not address a solution urged by many ethics experts: barring judges from investing in individual stocks. Roberts also touched on what he called “the continuing concern over inappropriate behavior in the judicial workplace.” The issue had been a topic in several of the chief justice’s reports since 2017, when Judge Alex Kozinski, who had served on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the 9th Circuit for more than three decades, announced his retirement after The Washington Post reported that some 15 women had accused him of sexual harassment. The women, many of whom had served as his law clerks, said Kozinski had touched them inappropriately, made unwanted sexual comments and made them watch sexual materials on his computer. Roberts wrote Friday that the federal judiciary had taken many steps to make its workplaces safe, including revising its procedures to “provide robust mechanisms for reporting and addressing instances of misconduct.” As is his custom, the chief justice began his report with a historical sketch. This year, it was of William H. Taft, who was appointed to be chief justice a century ago, after having served as president. Taft, a large man, was an energetic administrator. “Taft sought to supplant the prevailing culture of isolation in which each judge was — in his words — left to ‘paddle his own canoe,’” Roberts wrote. “Once you get past the image of ‘Big Bill’ paddling a canoe, consider that he knew well how to navigate the halls of Congress,” Roberts wrote, adding, “He threw his considerable political heft into creating the mechanisms of self-governance for federal courts across the country.” Although Roberts did not address proposals to increase the size of his court or to impose terms limits on its members, he described with approval Taft’s efforts to preserve judicial independence. “He understood that criticism of the courts is inevitable,” Roberts wrote, “and he lived through an era when federal courts faced strident calls for reform, some warranted and some not.” The proper response, Roberts said Taft once observed, was “to remove, as far as possible, grounds for just criticism of our judicial system.”

Chief Justice Roberts reflects on conflicts, harassment and judicial independence

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