<p>Severe tooth loss that generally happens in old age is now not just a dental issue but is linked to the higher risk of dying from stroke or other heart disease. Several studies have broadly defined the link between losing one or more teeth and an increased risk of cardiovascular and heart diseases.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Poor oral health is known as a risk factor for several heart diseases. It sounds like a strange connection, but it is possible that poor oral hygiene or tooth loss could let pesky pathogens penetrate the gums, causing infections that flow slowly into the circulation and cause inflammation, which may affect the heart. But there are many other factors like smoking, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure levels that play a vital role in the increased risk of heart diseases.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Therefore, it is difficult for researchers to establish a legitimate connection between tooth loss and cardiovascular diseases. According to some studies, there is no connection, the association between tooth loss and cardiovascular diseases disappeared when smoking was factored into a 2018 analysis, while other studies suggested there is a connection through evidence.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
There is an attempt to clear some of these contradictions through a new analysis focusing on severe tooth loss, collecting data from 12 already published studies that each tracked CVD and oral outcomes for the age between three and forty-nine years.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/nasa-issues-sudden-alert-as-massive-asteroid-rushes-to-come-too-close-to-earth-at-scary-speed-749113">NASA issues sudden alert as massive asteroid rushes to come too close to Earth at scary speed</a>|</strong></p>

<p>Anita Aminoshariae, a dental researcher and endodontist at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, says, “Our findings clearly show that tooth loss is not just a dental issue, but a significant predictor of cardiovascular disease mortality.”&nbsp;</p>

<p>The analysis found that people who had lost most or all of their teeth are at a 66% risk of getting severe heart-related issues and are at a high risk of dying through these diseases as compared to those who had not lost teeth or lost only a few.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This connection varied far from the five studies conducted on people who had fewer than ten teeth remaining, than the studies that looked at people with no teeth left at all. However, the higher risk of dying through cardiovascular disease for people who lost rough or more than 22 teeth remained evident.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also Read|<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/chinese-scientists-find-a-new-way-to-control-obesity-in-a-breakthrough-discovery-749144">Chinese scientists find a new way to control obesity in a breakthrough discovery</a>|</strong></p>

<p>All the 12 studies included in the analysis are adjusted for age and smoking status, and 10 out of them are found to have at least five surprising factors that are associated with CVD risk.&nbsp;On getting these factors tested to check whether they will affect their results, the risk continued, "confirming the impact of [severe] tooth loss on CVD mortality," Anita Aminoshariae and colleagues wrote in their published paper in the Journal of Endodontics. &nbsp;</p>

<p>This observational studies analysis only pointed towards the connections, and not direct causes, the analysis suggests that the risk of CVDs could partly be addressed by improving oral health. Aminoshariae and her colleagues conclude by saying, "Thus, saving teeth and keeping an optimal oral health cannot be underestimated.”<br />
<br />
The study has been published in the Journal of Endodontics.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


Severe tooth loss that generally happens in old age is now not just a dental issue but is linked to the higher risk of dying from stroke or other heart disease. Several studies have broadly defined the link between losing one or more teeth and an increased risk of cardiovascular and heart diseases.

Severe tooth loss that generally happens in old age is now not just a dental issue but is linked to the higher risk of dying from stroke or other heart disease. Several studies have broadly defined the link between losing one or more teeth and an increased risk of cardiovascular and heart diseases. Poor oral health is known as a risk factor for several heart diseases. It sounds like a strange connection, but it is possible that poor oral hygiene or tooth loss could let pesky pathogens penetrate the gums, causing infections that flow slowly into the circulation and cause inflammation, which may affect the heart. But there are many other factors like smoking, cholesterol levels, and blood pressure levels that play a vital role in the increased risk of heart diseases. Therefore, it is difficult for researchers to establish a legitimate connection between tooth loss and cardiovascular diseases. According to some studies, there is no connection, the association between tooth loss and cardiovascular diseases disappeared when smoking was factored into a 2018 analysis, while other studies suggested there is a connection through evidence. There is an attempt to clear some of these contradictions through a new analysis focusing on severe tooth loss, collecting data from 12 already published studies that each tracked CVD and oral outcomes for the age between three and forty-nine years. Also Read|NASA issues sudden alert as massive asteroid rushes to come too close to Earth at scary speed| Anita Aminoshariae, a dental researcher and endodontist at Case Western Reserve University in Ohio, says, “Our findings clearly show that tooth loss is not just a dental issue, but a significant predictor of cardiovascular disease mortality.” The analysis found that people who had lost most or all of their teeth are at a 66% risk of getting severe heart-related issues and are at a high risk of dying through these diseases as compared to those who had not lost teeth or lost only a few. This connection varied far from the five studies conducted on people who had fewer than ten teeth remaining, than the studies that looked at people with no teeth left at all. However, the higher risk of dying through cardiovascular disease for people who lost rough or more than 22 teeth remained evident. Also Read|Chinese scientists find a new way to control obesity in a breakthrough discovery| All the 12 studies included in the analysis are adjusted for age and smoking status, and 10 out of them are found to have at least five surprising factors that are associated with CVD risk. On getting these factors tested to check whether they will affect their results, the risk continued, "confirming the impact of [severe] tooth loss on CVD mortality," Anita Aminoshariae and colleagues wrote in their published paper in the Journal of Endodontics. This observational studies analysis only pointed towards the connections, and not direct causes, the analysis suggests that the risk of CVDs could partly be addressed by improving oral health. Aminoshariae and her colleagues conclude by saying, "Thus, saving teeth and keeping an optimal oral health cannot be underestimated.” The study has been published in the Journal of Endodontics. (With inputs from agencies)

Study finds severe tooth loss linked to increased risk of heart disease

<p>Marriages in China reached a historic low in 2022, amid its&nbsp;declining birth rate and population.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.mca.gov.cn/mzsj/xzqh/2022/202204tjsj.htm">The Ministry of Civil Affairs of China</a> reported that 6.8 million couples registered marriages in 2022, a 10.5 per cent&nbsp;decrease from 2021 when 7.63 million marriages were registered. This&nbsp;is the lowest figure since 1986,&nbsp;when the Chinese government started documenting these statistics.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As authorities struggle to deal with these demographic changes, fewer couples are getting married. This decline can be attributed to&nbsp;the Covid pandemic restrictions that kept tens of millions confined to their homes or compounds for weeks last year, but that isn't the sole reason.</p>

<p>"Covid restrictions are not the main cause of decline in marriage rates or birth rates. In fact, this is a phenomenon&nbsp;evolving in China prior to the Covid pandemic,&nbsp;as the working age population in China started to decline way back in 2012,&nbsp;and by 2017 there was a phenomenon of 'labour shortage' in China," <strong>Dr Geeta Kochhar</strong>, Assistant Professor, Centre for Chinese and South&nbsp;Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University&nbsp;told WION.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Covid made the matter worse. Numerous additional factors were at play, including the empowerment of women, increasing cost-of-living, changes in the state welfare system, the nature of social relations altering, the high cost of raising children, and the high prevalence of urban unemployment. All of these elements have progressively changed the Chinese culture and the way that people see the institution of marriage and raising children, she adds.&nbsp;</p>

<p>For the first time in 60 years, <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/dont-meddle-in-taiwan-issue-chinese-foreign-minister-qin-tells-us-antony-blinken-604232">China's</a> population dwindled, prompting predictions that the nation would age before becoming rich.</p>

<p>It was in&nbsp;the year 1961, during Mao Zedong's era that China's&nbsp;population decreased year to year.&nbsp;Millions of people&nbsp;died as a result of his failed economic policies known as the Great Leap Forward, however this forced slowdown in population growth only lasted a short period.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe aria-label="Bar Chart" data-external="1" frameborder="0" height="575" id="datawrapper-chart-kOQl0" scrolling="no" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/kOQl0/1/" style="border: none;" title="Population growth in China from 2010-2022" width="600"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p>However, many analysts predict that the current decline in birth rates, which was exacerbated by the one-child policy, a state-led initiative to reduce population between 1980 and 2016, will be long-lasting and&nbsp;probably have irreversible ramifications.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"There is no denial that the one-child policy that began in the 1980s and&nbsp;continued for more than two decades has led to a complete chaos in social order and the structure of the Chinese society. It has in ways wiped out a whole generation of Chinese population, who could have formed the active young labour force," explains Kochhar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She also argues that the context and timing of when this regulation was implemented had its own rationale and need.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/the-great-wall-of-doubt-chinas-equity-market-battles-for-confidence-604366">Chinese economy</a> during the early 1980s was unable to bear the burden of rising population, but the mistakes were to impose forced sterilisation and strict fines. A moderate adjustment would have gone a long way for China to avert the present economic challenges.&nbsp;The Chinese state went way too far," she adds.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>China and Japan ageing the same way?</strong></h2>

<p>China joined a group of significant Asian economies dealing with the same tendency as its population plummeted last year. The nations that are ageing most quickly globally are Japan and South Korea, with South Korea having the lowest fertility rate.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe class="flourish-embed-iframe" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" scrolling="no" src="https://flo.uri.sh/visualisation/14135395/embed" style="width:100%;height:600px;" title="Interactive or visual content"></iframe>

<div style="width:100%!;margin-top:4px!important;text-align:right!important;"><a class="flourish-credit" href="https://public.flourish.studio/visualisation/14135395/?utm_source=embed&amp;utm_campaign=visualisation/14135395" style="text-decoration:none!important" target="_top"><img alt="Made with Flourish" src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/made_with_flourish.svg" style="width:105px!important;height:16px!important;border:none!important;margin:0!important;" /> </a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><em><strong>Note: This is an interactive chart. Please hover over the screen to get the figures.&nbsp;</strong></em></p>

<p>In the most fortunate nations, ageing occurs when the nation is still reasonably rich, allowing many of its senior citizens to live comfortably in retirement. For instance, Japan's median income peaked in the late 1980s, at a time when its "bubble economy" was coming to an end, well before the population started to plateau.&nbsp;China, however, faces this&nbsp;population issue in a totally different economic setting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"China is in the process of transitioning from a labour-intensive economy&nbsp;to a technology driven economy," says Kochhar.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"We need to see if China is able to make the transition to a high-tech&nbsp;economy rapidly or not? This will reduce the burden on the economy&nbsp;as it won't&nbsp;be dependent on the labour force alone.&nbsp;However, the burden on the social welfare system of China will multiply,&nbsp;which is already&nbsp;market&nbsp;driven and dependent on public participation. Yet, considering the nature of the Chinese state, it won't be surprising&nbsp;in case the government chooses&nbsp;excessive pressure to&nbsp;force&nbsp;women to produce more children.&nbsp;Actions&nbsp;and&nbsp;policy changes will all depend on the pragmatic changes in China and on the domestic researchers' output for the adjustments needed to boost the Chinese economy," she summed up.</p>

<p><br />
<br />
<strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong><br />
<br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></p>


Marriages in China reached a historic low in 2022, amid its declining birth rate and population. The Ministry of Civil Affairs of China reported that 6.8 million couples registered marriages in 2022, a 10.

Marriages in China reached a historic low in 2022, amid its declining birth rate and population. The Ministry of Civil Affairs of China reported that 6.8 million couples registered marriages in 2022, a 10.5 per cent decrease from 2021 when 7.63 million marriages were registered. This is the lowest figure since 1986, when the Chinese government started documenting these statistics. As authorities struggle to deal with these demographic changes, fewer couples are getting married. This decline can be attributed to the Covid pandemic restrictions that kept tens of millions confined to their homes or compounds for weeks last year, but that isn't the sole reason. "Covid restrictions are not the main cause of decline in marriage rates or birth rates. In fact, this is a phenomenon evolving in China prior to the Covid pandemic, as the working age population in China started to decline way back in 2012, and by 2017 there was a phenomenon of 'labour shortage' in China," Dr Geeta Kochhar, Assistant Professor, Centre for Chinese and South Asian Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University told WION. Covid made the matter worse. Numerous additional factors were at play, including the empowerment of women, increasing cost-of-living, changes in the state welfare system, the nature of social relations altering, the high cost of raising children, and the high prevalence of urban unemployment. All of these elements have progressively changed the Chinese culture and the way that people see the institution of marriage and raising children, she adds. For the first time in 60 years, China's population dwindled, prompting predictions that the nation would age before becoming rich. It was in the year 1961, during Mao Zedong's era that China's population decreased year to year. Millions of people died as a result of his failed economic policies known as the Great Leap Forward, however this forced slowdown in population growth only lasted a short period. × However, many analysts predict that the current decline in birth rates, which was exacerbated by the one-child policy, a state-led initiative to reduce population between 1980 and 2016, will be long-lasting and probably have irreversible ramifications. "There is no denial that the one-child policy that began in the 1980s and continued for more than two decades has led to a complete chaos in social order and the structure of the Chinese society. It has in ways wiped out a whole generation of Chinese population, who could have formed the active young labour force," explains Kochhar. She also argues that the context and timing of when this regulation was implemented had its own rationale and need. "The Chinese economy during the early 1980s was unable to bear the burden of rising population, but the mistakes were to impose forced sterilisation and strict fines. A moderate adjustment would have gone a long way for China to avert the present economic challenges. The Chinese state went way too far," she adds. China and Japan ageing the same way? China joined a group of significant Asian economies dealing with the same tendency as its population plummeted last year. The nations that are ageing most quickly globally are Japan and South Korea, with South Korea having the lowest fertility rate. × Note: This is an interactive chart. Please hover over the screen to get the figures. In the most fortunate nations, ageing occurs when the nation is still reasonably rich, allowing many of its senior citizens to live comfortably in retirement. For instance, Japan's median income peaked in the late 1980s, at a time when its "bubble economy" was coming to an end, well before the population started to plateau. China, however, faces this population issue in a totally different economic setting. "China is in the process of transitioning from a labour-intensive economy to a technology driven economy," says Kochhar. "We need to see if China is able to make the transition to a high-tech economy rapidly or not? This will reduce the burden on the economy as it won't be dependent on the labour force alone. However, the burden on the social welfare system of China will multiply, which is already market driven and dependent on public participation. Yet, considering the nature of the Chinese state, it won't be surprising in case the government chooses excessive pressure to force women to produce more children. Actions and policy changes will all depend on the pragmatic changes in China and on the domestic researchers' output for the adjustments needed to boost the Chinese economy," she summed up. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Data Lab | Chinese neither marrying nor having kids and it's Xi Jinping's new headache. Here's how

<p dir="ltr">India ranked second in the world for the rate of deforestation after losing 6,68,400 hectares of forest cover between 2015 and 2020 and&nbsp;witnessing&nbsp;the highest rise in deforestation in the last 30 years,&nbsp;according to a <a href="https://www.utilitybidder.co.uk/compare-business-energy/deforestation-report/">survey</a> by a UK-based consulting firm called Utility Bidder.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The study employed data collected between 1990 to 2000 and from 2015 to 2020 by the online data repository, <em>Our World In Data</em>, to illustrate the advancement of deforestation in 98 nations.</p>

<p>Brazil and Indonesia came in first and third, with deforestation totalling 16,95,700 hectares in Brazil and 6,50,000 hectares in Indonesia, respectively.</p>

<p>With a difference of 2,84,400 hectares in forestry loss between 1990 and 2020, India also topped the list for the biggest increase in deforestation.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe aria-label="Bar Chart" data-external="1" frameborder="0" height="481" id="datawrapper-chart-Gguuj" scrolling="no" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/Gguuj/1/" style="border: none;" title="Average deforestation (in hectares) between 2015 and 2020" width="600"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<h2><strong>Making sense of these figures: What does a loss in&nbsp;forest cover really mean?</strong></h2>

<p>The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has been mapping India's forest cover since the early 1980s, even though it only started publishing its biennial State of Forest reports in 1987.</p>

<p>WION spoke to Dr Yogesh Gokhale, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Forest Management and Governance,&nbsp;The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), in New Delhi, in order to examine the previously mentioned data and understand its complexities.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Comparable data on India’s forest cover was made possible only in 2007, with the advent of wall-to -wall mapping by the interpretation of satellite data, says Dr Gokhale.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Based on FSI's 17th biennial assessment of India's forests, which covered the years from 2007 to the present, forests and tree cover constitute about 23-25 per cent of the nation's total land area. 18–19 per cent of which are designated as natural forests, 2–3 per cent as protected areas (wildlife sanctuaries), and the remainder as agro-forests (a collective name for land-use systems and technologies where woody perennials (trees, shrubs, palms, bamboos, etc.) are deliberately used on the same land-management units as agricultural crops and/or animals).</p>

<p dir="ltr">Indian forest cover is broadly classified into four classes by the FSI, namely very dense forest, moderately dense forest, open forest and mangrove. The classification of the cover into dense and open forests is based on internationally adopted norms of classification.</p>

<p><img alt="pic" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="1e6d3564-120e-43c7-96b9-d893414217ef" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/The%20battle%20for%20Kyiv-17.png" /></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr"><em><strong>Source: Forest Survey of India</strong></em></p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://pib.gov.in/PressReleasePage.aspx?PRID=1789635">Data provided by the Forest Survey of India</a> reveals that in the two years between 2019 and 2021, the overall area covered by forests increased by 1,540 square kilometres.</p>

<p>India also includes all plots having a tree canopy density of at least 10 per cent&nbsp; and a size of one hectare or greater, regardless of land use or ownership, in its calculation of forest cover.</p>

<p>"We also need to know the set classification of forests as per its canopy density," claims Dr Gokhale, "in order to understand the above mentioned loss of forest cover."</p>

<p dir="ltr">Most surveys, especially those that don't fall within the scope of FSI, solely include natural forests found in India as part of their analyses. A consistent decrease in numbers is observed exactly there. When the FSI generates data that shows an increase in forest area, they count both forests and tree cover within them. In general, other studies tend to discount tree cover (an estimated area comprising tree patches, which are less than one hectare and isolated trees outside the recorded forest).</p>

<p>“India is currently experiencing a trend where very dense forests are becoming moderately dense forests,” says Dr Gokhale.</p>

<p>“In the India context, we are gaining moderately dense forests, but losing very dense forest areas. Unfortunately, only the loss gets highlighted,” he adds. We must account for the significant portion of agroforestry tracks that are gaining ground outside of typical forest belts if we are to quantify growth holistically, he continues.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“More than 80 per cent&nbsp;of our domestic timber demand is satisfied by agroforestry plantation, and not from natural forest areas,” he says. Agroforestry plantations are expanding, yet this growth is not being counted.&nbsp;</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>How do we revive our naturally dense forests?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>Only 9.96 per cent of India was covered by dense forests under Recorded Forest Areas in 2021, despite substantial planting by the forest department since the 1990s. Since the FSI measured 10.88 per cent dense forest in 1987, there has been a tenth decline in that figure.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The centrepiece initiative for increasing India's forest cover has been its compensatory afforestation programme, which aims to ensure that forest lands being "diverted" for non-forest purposes, like industrial or infrastructure development, are required to be accompanied by afforestation efforts on at least an equal area of land.</p>

<p dir="ltr">“We have already reached an alarming rate of deforestation which requires human intervention to restore the delicate balance of the environment,” says Dr Neha Sharma, Assistant professor of Environment sciences at Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi University.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">To restore biodiversity and ecological balance, the creation of artificial forests has become a necessity in the present world, she adds.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">Additionally, as part of its international climate change commitments, India has promised to increase its forest and tree cover to ensure that they are able to absorb an additional amount of 2.5 billion to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030.</p>

<h2 dir="ltr"><strong>Questionable compensatory afforestation? A relook at India’s contentious proposal of bringing down a forest on the Great Nicobar Island and compensating for the loss with a jungle safari in Haryana</strong></h2>

<p dir="ltr">India's forest conservation law requires that trees be planted over an equal amount of non-forest land to make up for any ecological loss when a forest is cut down for industrial or development purposes. The organisation responsible for deforestation has to send funds to an administrative body, which then directs them to the organisation responsible for planting trees. Compensatory afforestation is the term used to describe this procedure.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">A particularly problematic idea under this compensatory act is the plan to use funds obtained for compensatory afforestation in Nicobar to build a jungle safari in Haryana.</p>

<p dir="ltr">To begin with, the two territories are located 2,400 kilometres apart in climatically distinct regions. Experts point out that the geographical isolation of the Nicobar Islands has endowed them with unique biodiversity; of the 2,200 varieties of plants recorded there, 200 are rare native species, and 1,300 do not occur in mainland India.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">"Recreating a forest like the one in the Great Nicobar in Haryana is practically impossible,” says Dr Gokhale.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Despite the fact that there is no legal prohibition against compensatory afforestation funds raised in one state being used in another, experts point out that this is not the case with the Nicobar Islands.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Environmentalists claim it is a prime example of how India's compensatory afforestation programmes are diverging from their intended purpose of addressing ecological demands and allowing governments to exploit forests for financial gain.</p>

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></p>


India ranked second in the world for the rate of deforestation after losing 6,68,400 hectares of forest cover between 2015 and 2020 and witnessing the highest rise in deforestation in the last 30 years, according to a survey by a UK-based consulting firm called Utility Bidder.

India ranked second in the world for the rate of deforestation after losing 6,68,400 hectares of forest cover between 2015 and 2020 and witnessing the highest rise in deforestation in the last 30 years, according to a survey by a UK-based consulting firm called Utility Bidder. The study employed data collected between 1990 to 2000 and from 2015 to 2020 by the online data repository, Our World In Data, to illustrate the advancement of deforestation in 98 nations. Brazil and Indonesia came in first and third, with deforestation totalling 16,95,700 hectares in Brazil and 6,50,000 hectares in Indonesia, respectively. With a difference of 2,84,400 hectares in forestry loss between 1990 and 2020, India also topped the list for the biggest increase in deforestation. × Making sense of these figures: What does a loss in forest cover really mean? The Forest Survey of India (FSI) has been mapping India's forest cover since the early 1980s, even though it only started publishing its biennial State of Forest reports in 1987. WION spoke to Dr Yogesh Gokhale, Senior Fellow at the Centre for Forest Management and Governance, The Energy and Resources Institute (TERI), in New Delhi, in order to examine the previously mentioned data and understand its complexities. Comparable data on India’s forest cover was made possible only in 2007, with the advent of wall-to -wall mapping by the interpretation of satellite data, says Dr Gokhale. Based on FSI's 17th biennial assessment of India's forests, which covered the years from 2007 to the present, forests and tree cover constitute about 23-25 per cent of the nation's total land area. 18–19 per cent of which are designated as natural forests, 2–3 per cent as protected areas (wildlife sanctuaries), and the remainder as agro-forests (a collective name for land-use systems and technologies where woody perennials (trees, shrubs, palms, bamboos, etc.) are deliberately used on the same land-management units as agricultural crops and/or animals). Indian forest cover is broadly classified into four classes by the FSI, namely very dense forest, moderately dense forest, open forest and mangrove. The classification of the cover into dense and open forests is based on internationally adopted norms of classification. Source: Forest Survey of India Data provided by the Forest Survey of India reveals that in the two years between 2019 and 2021, the overall area covered by forests increased by 1,540 square kilometres. India also includes all plots having a tree canopy density of at least 10 per cent and a size of one hectare or greater, regardless of land use or ownership, in its calculation of forest cover. "We also need to know the set classification of forests as per its canopy density," claims Dr Gokhale, "in order to understand the above mentioned loss of forest cover." Most surveys, especially those that don't fall within the scope of FSI, solely include natural forests found in India as part of their analyses. A consistent decrease in numbers is observed exactly there. When the FSI generates data that shows an increase in forest area, they count both forests and tree cover within them. In general, other studies tend to discount tree cover (an estimated area comprising tree patches, which are less than one hectare and isolated trees outside the recorded forest). “India is currently experiencing a trend where very dense forests are becoming moderately dense forests,” says Dr Gokhale. “In the India context, we are gaining moderately dense forests, but losing very dense forest areas. Unfortunately, only the loss gets highlighted,” he adds. We must account for the significant portion of agroforestry tracks that are gaining ground outside of typical forest belts if we are to quantify growth holistically, he continues. “More than 80 per cent of our domestic timber demand is satisfied by agroforestry plantation, and not from natural forest areas,” he says. Agroforestry plantations are expanding, yet this growth is not being counted. How do we revive our naturally dense forests? Only 9.96 per cent of India was covered by dense forests under Recorded Forest Areas in 2021, despite substantial planting by the forest department since the 1990s. Since the FSI measured 10.88 per cent dense forest in 1987, there has been a tenth decline in that figure. The centrepiece initiative for increasing India's forest cover has been its compensatory afforestation programme, which aims to ensure that forest lands being "diverted" for non-forest purposes, like industrial or infrastructure development, are required to be accompanied by afforestation efforts on at least an equal area of land. “We have already reached an alarming rate of deforestation which requires human intervention to restore the delicate balance of the environment,” says Dr Neha Sharma, Assistant professor of Environment sciences at Lady Shri Ram College for Women, Delhi University. To restore biodiversity and ecological balance, the creation of artificial forests has become a necessity in the present world, she adds. Additionally, as part of its international climate change commitments, India has promised to increase its forest and tree cover to ensure that they are able to absorb an additional amount of 2.5 billion to 3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent by 2030. Questionable compensatory afforestation? A relook at India’s contentious proposal of bringing down a forest on the Great Nicobar Island and compensating for the loss with a jungle safari in Haryana India's forest conservation law requires that trees be planted over an equal amount of non-forest land to make up for any ecological loss when a forest is cut down for industrial or development purposes. The organisation responsible for deforestation has to send funds to an administrative body, which then directs them to the organisation responsible for planting trees. Compensatory afforestation is the term used to describe this procedure. A particularly problematic idea under this compensatory act is the plan to use funds obtained for compensatory afforestation in Nicobar to build a jungle safari in Haryana. To begin with, the two territories are located 2,400 kilometres apart in climatically distinct regions. Experts point out that the geographical isolation of the Nicobar Islands has endowed them with unique biodiversity; of the 2,200 varieties of plants recorded there, 200 are rare native species, and 1,300 do not occur in mainland India. "Recreating a forest like the one in the Great Nicobar in Haryana is practically impossible,” says Dr Gokhale. Despite the fact that there is no legal prohibition against compensatory afforestation funds raised in one state being used in another, experts point out that this is not the case with the Nicobar Islands. Environmentalists claim it is a prime example of how India's compensatory afforestation programmes are diverging from their intended purpose of addressing ecological demands and allowing governments to exploit forests for financial gain. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Data Lab: Making sense of India's forest cover change, both gains and losses

<p>The 118th Congress has the largest proportion of members in American history who identify as being a race or ethnicity other than white. As of 3 January, 2023, 133 members of Congress—or one-fourth of the 534 voting members—identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian American, American Indian, or Alaska Native.</p>

<p>This is backed up by a recent <a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2023/01/09/u-s-congress-continues-to-grow-in-racial-ethnic-diversity/">Pew Research Center analysis</a> that used data from the Congressional Research Service. The results are in line with earlier studies that showed how racially and ethnically diverse Congress is becoming. The diversity record of the previous Congress was surpassed by each of the last seven Congresses.</p>

<p>In the current (118th) Congress, there are 60 Black members, 54 Hispanics, 18 Asian Americans, and 5 American Indians or Alaska Natives.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe class="flourish-embed-iframe" frameborder="0" sandbox="allow-same-origin allow-forms allow-scripts allow-downloads allow-popups allow-popups-to-escape-sandbox allow-top-navigation-by-user-activation" scrolling="no" src="https://flo.uri.sh/story/1797506/embed" style="width:100%;height:600px;" title="Interactive or visual content"></iframe>

<div style="width:100%!;margin-top:4px!important;text-align:right!important;"><a class="flourish-credit" href="https://public.flourish.studio/story/1797506/?utm_source=embed&amp;utm_campaign=story/1797506" style="text-decoration:none!important" target="_top"><img alt="Made with Flourish" src="https://public.flourish.studio/resources/made_with_flourish.svg" style="width:105px!important;height:16px!important;border:none!important;margin:0!important;" /> </a></div>
</div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><em><strong>*Click on the slabs for data*</strong></em></p>

<p>Comparatively, the 107th Congress, which was inaugurated in 2001, had 36 members who identified as Black, 19 Hispanics, seven Asian Americans, and just one American Indian or Alaska Native.</p>

<p>Currently, Democrats make up 80 per cent&nbsp;of the racial and ethnic minority members of Congress. According to experts, the party split is comparable to the last Congress, in which MPs who identified as being from racial and ethnic minorities were more likely to be Democrats (83 per cent), as opposed to Republicans (17 per cent).</p>

<p>The current Congress, however, has more freshmen legislators who identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian Americans, American Indians, or Alaska Native than the previous Congress did.</p>

<p><em><strong>*NOTE: In the Chart, the four members who have more than one racial or ethnic identity for the above groups are counted only once, as multiracial.&nbsp;This data does not include non-voting delegates or commissioners*</strong></em></p>

<p><img alt="picture" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="b66a993b-d01f-4b5a-8a38-b4e47fdbfd6c" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/10_45.jpg" /></p>

<p><img alt="picture" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="8aabce9c-0b0e-4d5a-8d16-20118a79a134" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/11_53.jpg" /></p>

<p>In the 118th Congress, women held a record 28 per cent of all seats, according to further statistics from the Center.</p>

<p>Researchers point out that white legislators are overrepresented relative to the US&nbsp;population, despite the fact that the newest Congress has more racial and ethnic diversity.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Compared to 59 per cent of the overall population, 75 per cent&nbsp;of parliamentarians identify as white, according to the Census data.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/data-lab-numbers-speak-volumes-americas-unique-struggle-with-gun-violence-548886">Data lab | Numbers speak volumes: America's unique struggle with gun violence</a></p>

<p>Additionally, the representation difference is comparable to that observed 40 years ago, when 94 per cent of Congress was made up of white people and 80 per cent of the country's population identified as white.</p>

<p>While certain racial and ethnic groups continue to have poor representation, others have proportionate representation to their percentage of the US&nbsp;population. As per Pew research, 13 per cent&nbsp;of House members identify as Black, which is a figure that is similar to the US&nbsp;population overall.</p>

<p>While 19 per cent of Americans identify as Hispanic, only 11 per cent&nbsp;of House members do, and just four&nbsp;per cent&nbsp;of House members identify as Asian American, compared to six per cent&nbsp;of the population.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></p>


The 118th Congress has the largest proportion of members in American history who identify as being a race or ethnicity other than white. As of 3 January, 2023, 133 members of Congress—or one-fourth of the 534 voting members—identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian American, American Indian, or Alaska Native.

The 118th Congress has the largest proportion of members in American history who identify as being a race or ethnicity other than white. As of 3 January, 2023, 133 members of Congress—or one-fourth of the 534 voting members—identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian American, American Indian, or Alaska Native. This is backed up by a recent Pew Research Center analysis that used data from the Congressional Research Service. The results are in line with earlier studies that showed how racially and ethnically diverse Congress is becoming. The diversity record of the previous Congress was surpassed by each of the last seven Congresses. In the current (118th) Congress, there are 60 Black members, 54 Hispanics, 18 Asian Americans, and 5 American Indians or Alaska Natives. × *Click on the slabs for data* Comparatively, the 107th Congress, which was inaugurated in 2001, had 36 members who identified as Black, 19 Hispanics, seven Asian Americans, and just one American Indian or Alaska Native. Currently, Democrats make up 80 per cent of the racial and ethnic minority members of Congress. According to experts, the party split is comparable to the last Congress, in which MPs who identified as being from racial and ethnic minorities were more likely to be Democrats (83 per cent), as opposed to Republicans (17 per cent). The current Congress, however, has more freshmen legislators who identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian Americans, American Indians, or Alaska Native than the previous Congress did. *NOTE: In the Chart, the four members who have more than one racial or ethnic identity for the above groups are counted only once, as multiracial. This data does not include non-voting delegates or commissioners* In the 118th Congress, women held a record 28 per cent of all seats, according to further statistics from the Center. Researchers point out that white legislators are overrepresented relative to the US population, despite the fact that the newest Congress has more racial and ethnic diversity. Compared to 59 per cent of the overall population, 75 per cent of parliamentarians identify as white, according to the Census data. Also read | Data lab | Numbers speak volumes: America's unique struggle with gun violence Additionally, the representation difference is comparable to that observed 40 years ago, when 94 per cent of Congress was made up of white people and 80 per cent of the country's population identified as white. While certain racial and ethnic groups continue to have poor representation, others have proportionate representation to their percentage of the US population. As per Pew research, 13 per cent of House members identify as Black, which is a figure that is similar to the US population overall. While 19 per cent of Americans identify as Hispanic, only 11 per cent of House members do, and just four per cent of House members identify as Asian American, compared to six per cent of the population. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Data lab | Racial representation at its best: The 118th US Congress is the most diverse so far

<p>Mifepristone, a medication used for abortions, can now be purchased from US pharmacies owing to a decision of the Joe Biden administration.&nbsp;The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised retail&nbsp;pharmacies to dispense mifepristone as long as a licensed medical professional writes the prescription and the pharmacy complies with specified criteria. In light of the US Supreme Court's decision to overrule <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/roe-vs-wade-reversed-us-supreme-court-ends-constitutional-right-to-abortion-491416"><em>Roe v. Wade</em></a> and a woman's long-established&nbsp;right to decide who controls her body, this new&nbsp;development is of much&nbsp;pertinence.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is mifepristone? Why is it important?</strong></h2>

<p>Pharmacies can now sell the abortion drug mifepristone, according to a decision by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).</p>

<p>As reported by the&nbsp;BBC, mifepristone is frequently used in combination with another medicine called misoprostol to induce a medical abortion. Mifepristone inhibits progesterone, a hormone required for a pregnancy to proceed. It is used to stop pregnancies up to 10 weeks’ gestation when combined with&nbsp;misoprostol (70 days or less since the first day of the last menstrual period).&nbsp;</p>

<p>It is crucial to note&nbsp;that women will require a prescription in order to buy mifepristone.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/wasnt-my-fault-donald-trump-on-the-midterm-loss-blames-abortion-548875">'Wasn’t my fault..': Donald Trump on the midterm loss, blames 'abortion'</a></p>

<p>Many pregnant women living in places where abortion is now prohibited as a result of the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade are likely to turn to medication abortion, by using the abortion pill. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA began allowing the pills to be sent via mail.</p>

<p>There are two safe methods of terminating a pregnancy: an in-person procedure and the abortion pill. According to the <a href="https://www.guttmacher.org/article/2022/02/medication-abortion-now-accounts-more-half-all-us-abortions"><em>Guttmacher Institute</em></a>, a research organisation that specialises in sexual and reproductive health, medication abortions presently account for half of all abortions performed in the United States.</p>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe aria-label="Interactive area chart" data-external="1" frameborder="0" height="564" id="datawrapper-chart-aErEp" scrolling="no" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/aErEp/1/" style="border: none;" title="As of 2020, medication abortions account for the majority of all US abortions" width="undefined"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong><em>*Hover over the visualisation/click on it for the figures*</em></strong></p>

<p>The abortion pill is anticipated to become an even more significant choice now that in-clinic abortion services are prohibited or threatened in more than half of the US states.</p>

<h2 data-editable="headlineText"><strong>Maternal and infant death rates are higher in states that ban or restrict abortion, report says</strong></h2>

<p>US states that now ban or restrict abortions have far higher rates of maternal and newborn mortality than those that maintain access to abortion care, whether it be during pregnancy, at birth, or after delivery.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;US&nbsp;FDA allows the sale of abortion pills at retail pharmacies</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-fda-allows-the-sale-of-abortion-pills-at-retail-pharmacies-549341/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Following this summer's <em>Roe v. Wade</em> ruling by the Supreme Court, the researchers compared rates depending on states' existing abortion access rules as of November utilising the most recent data available, from 2020 and earlier, on deaths and other health effects.</p>

<p>Maternal mortality rates were 62% higher in states with restricted access to abortion services in 2020 than in ones with unrestricted access. States with new abortion restrictions had a double-digit rise in maternal mortality between 2018 and 2020,&nbsp;according to the report released Wednesday by <em><a href="https://www.commonwealthfund.org/publications/issue-briefs/2022/dec/us-maternal-health-divide-limited-services-worse-outcomes">the research foundation Commonwealth Fund</a></em>.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How many clinics offer abortions in the United States, and how has that number varied over time?</strong></h2>

<div class="ui-state-default" contenteditable="false">
<div class="twitter-block" draggable="false"><iframe aria-label="Stacked Bars" data-external="1" frameborder="0" height="541" id="datawrapper-chart-aJ5U4" scrolling="no" src="https://datawrapper.dwcdn.net/aJ5U4/2/" style="border: none;" title="Total number of abortion providers down since 1982 in the US" width="600"></iframe></div>
<a class="close-mark close-div" href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></div>

<p><strong><em>*Hover over the visualisation/click on it for the figures*</em></strong></p>

<p>Since the 1980s, the overall number of abortion providers has sharply declined. There were 2,908 facilities in the US that performed abortions in 1982, including 789 clinics, 1,405 hospitals, and 714 doctor's offices, according to Guttmacher. The figures stand at 261 doctor's offices, 518 hospitals, and 808 clinics now.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Mifepristone and&nbsp;abortion rights activists</strong></h2>

<p>Abortion rights activists and doctors’ groups have welcomed the move.&nbsp;“Today’s news is a step in the right direction for health equity,” Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson said in a statement.</p>

<p>“Being able to access your prescribed medication abortion through the mail or to pick it up in person from a pharmacy like any other prescription is a game changer for people trying to access basic health care,” Johnson added.</p>

<p>The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists were quoted by the BBC as saying,&nbsp;“Although the FDA’s announcement today will not solve access issues for every person seeking abortion care, it will allow more patients who need mifepristone for medication abortion additional options to secure this vital drug.”</p>

<p>In contrast,&nbsp;Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of the anti-abortion organisation SBA Pro-Life America, asserted that the most recent FDA action puts women's safety and the lives of unborn children in danger.</p>

<p>“State lawmakers and Congress must stand as a bulwark against the Biden administration’s pro-abortion extremism,” she said in a statement.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE:</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></p>


Mifepristone, a medication used for abortions, can now be purchased from US pharmacies owing to a decision of the Joe Biden administration. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised retail pharmacies to dispense mifepristone as long as a licensed medical professional writes the prescription and the pharmacy complies with specified criteria.

Mifepristone, a medication used for abortions, can now be purchased from US pharmacies owing to a decision of the Joe Biden administration. The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has authorised retail pharmacies to dispense mifepristone as long as a licensed medical professional writes the prescription and the pharmacy complies with specified criteria. In light of the US Supreme Court's decision to overrule Roe v. Wade and a woman's long-established right to decide who controls her body, this new development is of much pertinence. What is mifepristone? Why is it important? Pharmacies can now sell the abortion drug mifepristone, according to a decision by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). As reported by the BBC, mifepristone is frequently used in combination with another medicine called misoprostol to induce a medical abortion. Mifepristone inhibits progesterone, a hormone required for a pregnancy to proceed. It is used to stop pregnancies up to 10 weeks’ gestation when combined with misoprostol (70 days or less since the first day of the last menstrual period). It is crucial to note that women will require a prescription in order to buy mifepristone. Also read | 'Wasn’t my fault..': Donald Trump on the midterm loss, blames 'abortion' Many pregnant women living in places where abortion is now prohibited as a result of the US Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade are likely to turn to medication abortion, by using the abortion pill. During the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, the FDA began allowing the pills to be sent via mail. There are two safe methods of terminating a pregnancy: an in-person procedure and the abortion pill. According to the Guttmacher Institute, a research organisation that specialises in sexual and reproductive health, medication abortions presently account for half of all abortions performed in the United States. × *Hover over the visualisation/click on it for the figures* The abortion pill is anticipated to become an even more significant choice now that in-clinic abortion services are prohibited or threatened in more than half of the US states. Maternal and infant death rates are higher in states that ban or restrict abortion, report says US states that now ban or restrict abortions have far higher rates of maternal and newborn mortality than those that maintain access to abortion care, whether it be during pregnancy, at birth, or after delivery. Also watch | US FDA allows the sale of abortion pills at retail pharmacies Following this summer's Roe v. Wade ruling by the Supreme Court, the researchers compared rates depending on states' existing abortion access rules as of November utilising the most recent data available, from 2020 and earlier, on deaths and other health effects. Maternal mortality rates were 62% higher in states with restricted access to abortion services in 2020 than in ones with unrestricted access. States with new abortion restrictions had a double-digit rise in maternal mortality between 2018 and 2020, according to the report released Wednesday by the research foundation Commonwealth Fund. How many clinics offer abortions in the United States, and how has that number varied over time? × *Hover over the visualisation/click on it for the figures* Since the 1980s, the overall number of abortion providers has sharply declined. There were 2,908 facilities in the US that performed abortions in 1982, including 789 clinics, 1,405 hospitals, and 714 doctor's offices, according to Guttmacher. The figures stand at 261 doctor's offices, 518 hospitals, and 808 clinics now. Mifepristone and abortion rights activists Abortion rights activists and doctors’ groups have welcomed the move. “Today’s news is a step in the right direction for health equity,” Planned Parenthood president Alexis McGill Johnson said in a statement. “Being able to access your prescribed medication abortion through the mail or to pick it up in person from a pharmacy like any other prescription is a game changer for people trying to access basic health care,” Johnson added. The American College of Obstetricians and Gynaecologists were quoted by the BBC as saying, “Although the FDA’s announcement today will not solve access issues for every person seeking abortion care, it will allow more patients who need mifepristone for medication abortion additional options to secure this vital drug.” In contrast, Marjorie Dannenfelser, head of the anti-abortion organisation SBA Pro-Life America, asserted that the most recent FDA action puts women's safety and the lives of unborn children in danger. “State lawmakers and Congress must stand as a bulwark against the Biden administration’s pro-abortion extremism,” she said in a statement. WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Data lab: US allows abortion pill sale at pharmacies; its significance amid shifting abortion landscape

<p>&nbsp;</p>

<p><meta charset="utf-8" /></p>

<p dir="ltr">In the year 1991, a relatively new Congresswoman from California, Nancy Pelosi stunned the Chinese authorities when she spread out a banner in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square dedicated to the pro-democracy student activists massacred there. A saga that started in 1991, continues to date.&nbsp;</p>
<img alt="A television image of Nancy Pelosi, center, holding a banner with other congressional members in Beijing in Sept. 1991. A television image of Nancy Pelosi, center, holding a banner with other congressional members in Beijing in Sept. 1991." data-align="center" data-caption="&lt;br /&gt;
A television image of Nancy Pelosi, center, holding a banner with other congressional members in Beijing in Sept. 1991" data-entity-type="file" data-entity-uuid="fe75b9ce-7d29-45d7-aac5-af787c396e12" src="//cdn.wionews.com/sites/default/files/inline-images/1200x-1_2.jpg" />
<p>Now the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, is poised to travel to Taiwan during a tour of Asia nations this week, once again defying Beijing at a moment of extraordinary friction between the US and China – but also creating a host of problems for Joe Biden.</p>

<p>Pelosi has declined to confirm a visit, citing security concerns. But a stop in Taipei is now widely expected – probably on Tuesday – and has been confirmed to media outlets by officials in the US and Taiwan. ​</p>

<p dir="ltr">A visit by the House speaker, second in the presidential line of succession, would make Pelosi the highest-ranking US official to visit the self-governing island in a quarter-century.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">China, which claims Taiwan as its own province, has threatened unspecified consequences for the U.S. if&nbsp; Pelosi makes the trip. In other words, Pelosi’s anticipated visit keeps both China and the U.S. on the edge.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">This trip has both serious ramifications. The sharp warnings from Beijing, implying that the visit could provoke a military response from China, have Washington on high alert. The US military has made preparations to protect Pelosi during the visit, while officials scramble to interpret Beijing’s intimidation.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">On a domestic level, this could mar the chance of a November re-election for Biden as the current issue would shift focus from his economic agenda.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Pelosi has a long history of discord with China. She has been one of the most outspoken critics of China. She opposed China’s bid to host the summer Olympics in 2008 and has pushed the U.S. to leverage its economic power to improve human rights and labour protections in China. Her advocacy helped ensure oversight of China when it joined the World Trade Organisation</p>

<p dir="ltr">During a visit to China in 2009, Pelosi hand-delivered a letter to the then president, Hu Jintao, demanding the release of political prisoners.</p>

<p dir="ltr">“She’s not viewing Taiwan through the lens of what’s happening right now,” said Daniel Silverberg, a former foreign policy adviser to House Democratic leadership. “She’s viewing it through the lens of a 30-year history of activism.”</p>

<p dir="ltr">Her diplomacy took on an even greater prominence during Donald Trump’s years as a counterweight to the former President’s isolationist policies.&nbsp;</p>

<p dir="ltr">Political observers feel that Pelosi’s&nbsp; early decades of advocacy have&nbsp; colored her view of US foreign policy.&nbsp; “If we don’t speak out against human rights violations in China for commercial reasons,” Pelosi has said, “we lose all moral authority to speak out for human rights anywhere.”</p>

<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b7646b08-7fff-5a79-9e76-9a38c52a9166">&nbsp;</b></p>

<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b7646b08-7fff-5a79-9e76-9a38c52a9166">&nbsp;</b></p>

<p dir="ltr"><b id="docs-internal-guid-b7646b08-7fff-5a79-9e76-9a38c52a9166">&nbsp;</b></p>


In the year 1991, a relatively new Congresswoman from California, Nancy Pelosi stunned the Chinese authorities when she spread out a banner in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square dedicated to the pro-democracy student activists massacred there.

In the year 1991, a relatively new Congresswoman from California, Nancy Pelosi stunned the Chinese authorities when she spread out a banner in Beijing’s Tiananmen Square dedicated to the pro-democracy student activists massacred there. A saga that started in 1991, continues to date. Now the House Speaker, Nancy Pelosi, is poised to travel to Taiwan during a tour of Asia nations this week, once again defying Beijing at a moment of extraordinary friction between the US and China – but also creating a host of problems for Joe Biden. Pelosi has declined to confirm a visit, citing security concerns. But a stop in Taipei is now widely expected – probably on Tuesday – and has been confirmed to media outlets by officials in the US and Taiwan. A visit by the House speaker, second in the presidential line of succession, would make Pelosi the highest-ranking US official to visit the self-governing island in a quarter-century. China, which claims Taiwan as its own province, has threatened unspecified consequences for the U.S. if Pelosi makes the trip. In other words, Pelosi’s anticipated visit keeps both China and the U.S. on the edge. This trip has both serious ramifications. The sharp warnings from Beijing, implying that the visit could provoke a military response from China, have Washington on high alert. The US military has made preparations to protect Pelosi during the visit, while officials scramble to interpret Beijing’s intimidation. On a domestic level, this could mar the chance of a November re-election for Biden as the current issue would shift focus from his economic agenda. Pelosi has a long history of discord with China. She has been one of the most outspoken critics of China. She opposed China’s bid to host the summer Olympics in 2008 and has pushed the U.S. to leverage its economic power to improve human rights and labour protections in China. Her advocacy helped ensure oversight of China when it joined the World Trade Organisation During a visit to China in 2009, Pelosi hand-delivered a letter to the then president, Hu Jintao, demanding the release of political prisoners. “She’s not viewing Taiwan through the lens of what’s happening right now,” said Daniel Silverberg, a former foreign policy adviser to House Democratic leadership. “She’s viewing it through the lens of a 30-year history of activism.” Her diplomacy took on an even greater prominence during Donald Trump’s years as a counterweight to the former President’s isolationist policies. Political observers feel that Pelosi’s early decades of advocacy have colored her view of US foreign policy. “If we don’t speak out against human rights violations in China for commercial reasons,” Pelosi has said, “we lose all moral authority to speak out for human rights anywhere.”

Nancy Pelosi’s expected Taiwan trip and her ‘hate-hate’ relationship with Beijing

Finance Minister of India, Nirmala Sitharaman today slashed the personal income tax rate for individuals for the fiscal year 2020-21. Under the new regime, taxpayers will pay 10%, 15%, 20% and 25% for incomes between Rs 5-7.5 lakh, Rs 7.5-10 lakh, Rs 10-12.5 lakh and Rs 12.5-15 lakh.

Watch In-depth Analysis of Budget 2020

<p>The Confederation of British Industry's gauge of manufacturing output over the three months to December fell to -16 from -9 in November, its <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/brexit-weak-global-demand-to-hurt-uk-in-2020-industry-warns-265700">weakest</a> reading since September 2009.</p>

<p>Inflows of new work also deteriorated as the CBI's monthly order book balance fell to -28 from -26.</p>

<p>The survey of 289 manufacturers covered Nov. 22 to Dec. 11, just before Johnson chalked up a comprehensive victory in last Thursday's election.</p>

<p>Other surveys have also shown Britain's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-economy-risks-severe-damage-without-orderly-brexit-cbi-181812">manufacturers</a> have struggled in recent months against a global drop in demand, as well as uncertainty surrounding Brexit and the election.</p>

<p>"With manufacturers reporting that output is declining at a pace not seen since the financial crisis, alongside another month of softer order books, it is crucially important to rebuild business confidence in this sector," CBI deputy chief economist Anna Leach said.</p>

<p>"After three years of gridlock, the Prime Minister now has a clear mandate to govern. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/uk-business-seeks-brexit-assurances-after-johnson-win-268132">Businesses</a> across the UK will want him to break the cycle of uncertainty," she added.</p>

<p>The survey showed export orders declined at one of the fastest rates since the financial crisis.</p>


The Confederation of British Industry's gauge of manufacturing output over the three months to December fell to -16 from -9 in November, its weakest reading since September 2009.

The Confederation of British Industry's gauge of manufacturing output over the three months to December fell to -16 from -9 in November, its weakest reading since September 2009. Inflows of new work also deteriorated as the CBI's monthly order book balance fell to -28 from -26. The survey of 289 manufacturers covered Nov. 22 to Dec. 11, just before Johnson chalked up a comprehensive victory in last Thursday's election. Other surveys have also shown Britain's manufacturers have struggled in recent months against a global drop in demand, as well as uncertainty surrounding Brexit and the election. "With manufacturers reporting that output is declining at a pace not seen since the financial crisis, alongside another month of softer order books, it is crucially important to rebuild business confidence in this sector," CBI deputy chief economist Anna Leach said. "After three years of gridlock, the Prime Minister now has a clear mandate to govern. Businesses across the UK will want him to break the cycle of uncertainty," she added. The survey showed export orders declined at one of the fastest rates since the financial crisis.

UK factory output slides in three months to December at fastest rate since 2009: CBI

analysis

Analysis, News on Analysis, stories on Analysis, articles on Analysis, Analysis stories at Wion, Analysis news, Analysis latest news