<p>OpenAI and its powerful CEO Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT, have been making headlines for disrupting the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and bringing technological advances to a never-known pedestal.<br />
<br />
However, on November 17, the dysfunctional corporate relations of OpenAI's boardroom came into public view after Altman was fired by four of its members over a 'quick' call on Google Meet.<br />
<br />
The sudden dismissal of the man at the helm was followed by five turbulent days as nearly 770 employees of the company were rallied by Altman for his reinstatement and the resignation of the entire board.<br />
<br />
On Tuesday night (Nov 21), 38-year-old Altman made a shocking comeback to the company and replaced almost the entire board which once ousted him and cemented his position at the helm of OpenAI.</p>

<h2><strong>Who is Sam Altman – the poster boy of AI?</strong></h2>

<p>Sam Altman is one of the co-founders of OpenAI, which is the company that created the chatbot ChatGPT and is based in San Francisco. Altman came into the spotlight after the ChatGPT's explosion since it arrived a year ago and generative AI, which had the capability to produce passages of text, novel imagery and other media, saw its rapid commercialisation.<br />
<br />
In no time, Altman became the most sought-after voice of Silicon Valley on the potential dangers and benefits of this technology.&nbsp; OpenAI was transformed into a world-renowned startup by Altman.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chatgpt-makers-sam-altman-greg-brockman-fired-over-quick-call-on-google-meet-660056">ChatGPT makers Sam Altman, Greg Brockman fired over 'quick' call on Google Meet</a></p>

<p>Altman even received $1 billion from Microsoft in funding, as the Big Tech giant agreed to licence and commercialise some of the technology of OpenAI.<br />
<br />
Even after a for-profit subsidiary's establishment, OpenAI worked continuously towards its core mission: to control the development of artificial general intelligence to “benefit all humanity”.</p>

<h2><strong>Why Altman had a fallout with other board members?</strong></h2>

<p>The sudden success of ChatGPT was reported to have sparked tensions among the top leadership of OpenAI. As per the media reports, board members like one of the co-founders and AI researcher Ilya Sutskever grew increasingly worried about their technology posing potential dangers to society.<br />
<br />
The members also felt that Altman was not looking into these risks and was more concerned about growing the business of OpenAI.<br />
<br />
The rift in the boardroom culminated in a coup on November 18 as Altman was ousted. The board of directors of OpenAI had the power to decide the leadership of the company without any influence from its investors, which gave them the autonomy to kick out Altman.<br />
<br />
Sutskever along with other board members which included Adam D’Angelo (CEO of Q&amp;A forum Quora), Helen Toner (an AI safety researcher at Georgetown University), and Tasha McCauley (entrepreneur) sacked Altman, who was also a board member but lacked the majority needed for overturning the decision.<br />
<br />
President, co-founder of OpenAI and board member Greg Brockman, who was not a part of the decision-making process, also quit after Altman's dismissal.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/openais-board-which-sacked-sam-atlman-replaced-except-for-one-661953">OpenAI's board which sacked Sam Altman replaced, except for one</a></p>

<p>The board stated that after a review they found that Altman was “not consistently candid in his communications” with the board. “The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI,” the artificial intelligence company said in a statement.<br />
<br />
The statement further said that the behaviour of the CEO was “hindering” the ability of the board to exercise its responsibilities.</p>

<h2><strong>How did Sam Altman return to OpenAI within five days?</strong></h2>

<p>Soon after Altman was fired, more than 500 of 770 employees of OpenAI signed an open letter which called for the resignation of the board. The board was accused in the letter of being “incapable of overseeing OpenAI”.<br />
<br />
“We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgement and care for our mission and employees,” it added. The signatories threatened to resign and instead work for Altman and Microsoft's newly formed subsidiary.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella extended support to Altman after his firing. The board members of OpenAI rejected any pressure to reverse the decision from Microsoft and other investors.<br />
<br />
On November 20, Nadella announced that both Altman and Brockman will be heading a new advanced AI research team at Microsoft. “We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI and have confidence in our product roadmap, our ability to continue to innovate with everything we announced at Microsoft Ignite, and in continuing to support our customers and partners," announced Nadella.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Sam Altman to launch new AI firm?</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/sam-altman-to-launch-new-ai-firm-660337/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>Microsoft is the largest investor in OpenAI with a stake worth more than $10 billion. Former Twitch boss Emmett Shear was appointed as interim CEO of OpenAI on November 20.<br />
<br />
The OpenAI saga came to an end on November 22 after the announcement of the return of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. "We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo," said the company in a post on X.<br />
<br />
After the announcement, Nadella said that this is "a first essential step" to build a "more stable, well-informed, and effective governance" in OpenAI. A full stop was placed to the chaotic period with the dismissal of almost all the board members who participated in the coup.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


OpenAI and its powerful CEO Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT, have been making headlines for disrupting the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and bringing technological advances to a never-known pedestal.

OpenAI and its powerful CEO Sam Altman, the creator of ChatGPT, have been making headlines for disrupting the world of artificial intelligence (AI) and bringing technological advances to a never-known pedestal. However, on November 17, the dysfunctional corporate relations of OpenAI's boardroom came into public view after Altman was fired by four of its members over a 'quick' call on Google Meet. The sudden dismissal of the man at the helm was followed by five turbulent days as nearly 770 employees of the company were rallied by Altman for his reinstatement and the resignation of the entire board. On Tuesday night (Nov 21), 38-year-old Altman made a shocking comeback to the company and replaced almost the entire board which once ousted him and cemented his position at the helm of OpenAI. Who is Sam Altman – the poster boy of AI? Sam Altman is one of the co-founders of OpenAI, which is the company that created the chatbot ChatGPT and is based in San Francisco. Altman came into the spotlight after the ChatGPT's explosion since it arrived a year ago and generative AI, which had the capability to produce passages of text, novel imagery and other media, saw its rapid commercialisation. In no time, Altman became the most sought-after voice of Silicon Valley on the potential dangers and benefits of this technology. OpenAI was transformed into a world-renowned startup by Altman. Also read: ChatGPT makers Sam Altman, Greg Brockman fired over 'quick' call on Google Meet Altman even received $1 billion from Microsoft in funding, as the Big Tech giant agreed to licence and commercialise some of the technology of OpenAI. Even after a for-profit subsidiary's establishment, OpenAI worked continuously towards its core mission: to control the development of artificial general intelligence to “benefit all humanity”. Why Altman had a fallout with other board members? The sudden success of ChatGPT was reported to have sparked tensions among the top leadership of OpenAI. As per the media reports, board members like one of the co-founders and AI researcher Ilya Sutskever grew increasingly worried about their technology posing potential dangers to society. The members also felt that Altman was not looking into these risks and was more concerned about growing the business of OpenAI. The rift in the boardroom culminated in a coup on November 18 as Altman was ousted. The board of directors of OpenAI had the power to decide the leadership of the company without any influence from its investors, which gave them the autonomy to kick out Altman. Sutskever along with other board members which included Adam D’Angelo (CEO of Q&A forum Quora), Helen Toner (an AI safety researcher at Georgetown University), and Tasha McCauley (entrepreneur) sacked Altman, who was also a board member but lacked the majority needed for overturning the decision. President, co-founder of OpenAI and board member Greg Brockman, who was not a part of the decision-making process, also quit after Altman's dismissal. Also read: OpenAI's board which sacked Sam Altman replaced, except for one The board stated that after a review they found that Altman was “not consistently candid in his communications” with the board. “The board no longer has confidence in his ability to continue leading OpenAI,” the artificial intelligence company said in a statement. The statement further said that the behaviour of the CEO was “hindering” the ability of the board to exercise its responsibilities. How did Sam Altman return to OpenAI within five days? Soon after Altman was fired, more than 500 of 770 employees of OpenAI signed an open letter which called for the resignation of the board. The board was accused in the letter of being “incapable of overseeing OpenAI”. “We are unable to work for or with people that lack competence, judgement and care for our mission and employees,” it added. The signatories threatened to resign and instead work for Altman and Microsoft's newly formed subsidiary. Meanwhile, Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella extended support to Altman after his firing. The board members of OpenAI rejected any pressure to reverse the decision from Microsoft and other investors. On November 20, Nadella announced that both Altman and Brockman will be heading a new advanced AI research team at Microsoft. “We remain committed to our partnership with OpenAI and have confidence in our product roadmap, our ability to continue to innovate with everything we announced at Microsoft Ignite, and in continuing to support our customers and partners," announced Nadella. Watch: Sam Altman to launch new AI firm? Microsoft is the largest investor in OpenAI with a stake worth more than $10 billion. Former Twitch boss Emmett Shear was appointed as interim CEO of OpenAI on November 20. The OpenAI saga came to an end on November 22 after the announcement of the return of Sam Altman and Greg Brockman. "We have reached an agreement in principle for Sam to return to OpenAI as CEO with a new initial board of Bret Taylor (Chair), Larry Summers, and Adam D'Angelo," said the company in a post on X. After the announcement, Nadella said that this is "a first essential step" to build a "more stable, well-informed, and effective governance" in OpenAI. A full stop was placed to the chaotic period with the dismissal of almost all the board members who participated in the coup. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained: How OpenAI's boardroom coup was defeated by Sam Altman, AI world's disruptor-in-chief

<p>Israel approved a hostage deal with Palestinian militant-political group Hamas on Wednesday (Nov 22) that was reportedly brokered by Qatar and had been more than a month in the making.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per latest reports, Hamas would exchange 50 Israeli hostages&nbsp;with Israel for about 150 Palestinian prisoners currently held in custody. Earlier reports had put the number of Israeli hostages to be exchanged as high as 80.</p>

<p>Israel would now commence a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza with the first exchange of hostages likely to take place as early as Thursday (Nov 23), according to the US officials.</p>

<p>Israel would also stop drone overflights for six hours a day. After those days, the pause could be extended a day with each additional 10 hostages Hamas releases.</p>

<p>The Israeli side would also allow the passage to some 300 trucks of aid into Gaza during the days of pause.</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-capitals-between-killed-and-killers-dohas-vital-role-for-peace-in-west-asia-660534#google_vignette">The Capitals: Between killed and killers, Doha's vital role for peace in West Asia</a></strong></p>

<p>The United States acknowledged the role played by Doha as well as Cairo in finalising the hostage deal and the planned pause in fighting.&nbsp;</p>

<p>President Joe Biden wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "I thank Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar and President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt for their critical partnership in reaching this deal. And I appreciate Prime Minister Netanyahu's commitment in supporting an extended pause to ensure this deal can be fully carried out."</p>

<h2><strong>Israel-Hamas hostage deal: Why it took 45 days for a deal to be finalised</strong></h2>

<p>The negotiations for the deal began even before Israel began its ground operations in Gaza. The return of hostages was part of US State Secretary Antony Blinken's <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shuttle-diplomacy-blinken-meets-jordanian-king-palestinian-president-abbas-in-amman-646310">shuttle diplomacy's agenda</a> as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the explosion inside <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/at-least-500-killed-after-israeli-airstrikes-target-hospital-claims-gaza-health-ministry-648141">Ahli Baptist hospital</a> in Gaza&nbsp;on October 17&nbsp;— which according to initial reports killed hundreds (a claim later described as 'vastly exaggerated' by US intelligence) —&nbsp;emerged as the biggest initial impediment for the negotiations aimed at ensuring the return of hostages.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The same hospital explosion upended Biden's wartime visit&nbsp;to West Asia&nbsp;in addition to public antagonism across West Asian capitals against the US&nbsp;over Washington's expressed support for Israeli assault in Gaza.</p>

<p>In the aftermath of Gaza hospital explosion, the Jordanian kingdom cancelled a scheduled four-side summit between Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Egypt's President&nbsp;Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and the Palestinian Authority leader&nbsp;Mahmoud Abbas.</p>

<p>Thus, Biden could engage only with Israeli leaders during his wartime visit.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spotlight-on-washingtons-waning-political-capital-after-gaza-hospital-blast-sinks-bidens-jordan-summit-648187">Spotlight on Washington's waning political capital after Gaza hospital blast sinks Biden's Jordan summit</a></strong></p>

<p>The current deal, in its form and format, had been on table for about a month, according to the Guardian.</p>

<p>For weeks,&nbsp;Qatar, in coordination with the US was helping facilitate negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the deal that was finally announced on Wednesday.</p>

<p>Qatari capital Doha has been the hub&nbsp;of efforts to de-escalate the war in Gaza. Qatar occupies the position of a pivotal swing state in the West Asia.</p>

<p>The outline of a deal to free women and children held hostage by Hamas, has been&nbsp;put together during weeks of talks in Doha, according to the Washington Post.</p>

<h2><strong>Israel-Hamas hostage deal: What does it mean?</strong></h2>

<p>Bringing the hostages back has been one of the top priorities of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration despite an unprecedented assault in Gaza aimed at "eliminating Hamas".</p>

<p>But there is a catch.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Hamas is expected to exploit the pause in fighting as an opportunity to regroup. The reported quid pro quo, the extension of pause for the release of each additional 10 hostages, could give&nbsp;Hamas's purported regrouping efforts an edge. It can aggravate the military challenge for Israeli troops operating on ground in Gaza.</p>

<p>Besides, since Israel has famously vowed to eliminate Hamas after equating&nbsp;it with Islamic State terrorist group, the survival of the Palestinian group would not represent a victory for Israel.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Israel-Hamas hostage deal: End of&nbsp;war in Gaza?</strong></h2>

<p>The deal simply means a pause in fighting for a period of time to facilitate the agreed-upon exchange of hostages and prisoners from either side. It is not a conventional ceasefire. The Israeli forces are still on the ground in Gaza and the deal does not entail anything about them returning to Israel.</p>

<p>Israel has not yet gained full control of northern Gaza where it says Hamas has fostered a web of tunnels to support its militant activities.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Israel-Hamas war: Israel hostage swap for Palestinian prisoners | World News | WION</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-palestine-war-israel-hostage-swap-for-palestinian-prisoners-world-news-wion-661396/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p><a href="#" id="jqclosemark">×</a></p>

<p>Besides, the United States has said that it will not support a ground offensive in Gaza's south unless Israels ensure better safeguards against civilian casualties.</p>

<p>Notably, Prime Minister Netanyahu has asserted that Israel&nbsp;"will not stop after the ceasefire" and indicated that the fighting will continue after the agreed-upon terms for hostage deal are conclusively honoured by the two warring sides.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong><em>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</em></strong></p>


Israel approved a hostage deal with Palestinian militant-political group Hamas on Wednesday (Nov 22) that was reportedly brokered by Qatar and had been more than a month in the making.

Israel approved a hostage deal with Palestinian militant-political group Hamas on Wednesday (Nov 22) that was reportedly brokered by Qatar and had been more than a month in the making. As per latest reports, Hamas would exchange 50 Israeli hostages with Israel for about 150 Palestinian prisoners currently held in custody. Earlier reports had put the number of Israeli hostages to be exchanged as high as 80. Israel would now commence a four-day pause in fighting in Gaza with the first exchange of hostages likely to take place as early as Thursday (Nov 23), according to the US officials. Israel would also stop drone overflights for six hours a day. After those days, the pause could be extended a day with each additional 10 hostages Hamas releases. The Israeli side would also allow the passage to some 300 trucks of aid into Gaza during the days of pause. Also read | The Capitals: Between killed and killers, Doha's vital role for peace in West Asia The United States acknowledged the role played by Doha as well as Cairo in finalising the hostage deal and the planned pause in fighting. President Joe Biden wrote on X, formerly Twitter: "I thank Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani of Qatar and President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi of Egypt for their critical partnership in reaching this deal. And I appreciate Prime Minister Netanyahu's commitment in supporting an extended pause to ensure this deal can be fully carried out." Israel-Hamas hostage deal: Why it took 45 days for a deal to be finalised The negotiations for the deal began even before Israel began its ground operations in Gaza. The return of hostages was part of US State Secretary Antony Blinken's shuttle diplomacy's agenda as well. But the explosion inside Ahli Baptist hospital in Gaza on October 17 — which according to initial reports killed hundreds (a claim later described as 'vastly exaggerated' by US intelligence) — emerged as the biggest initial impediment for the negotiations aimed at ensuring the return of hostages. The same hospital explosion upended Biden's wartime visit to West Asia in addition to public antagonism across West Asian capitals against the US over Washington's expressed support for Israeli assault in Gaza. In the aftermath of Gaza hospital explosion, the Jordanian kingdom cancelled a scheduled four-side summit between Biden, Jordan's King Abdullah II, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, and the Palestinian Authority leader Mahmoud Abbas. Thus, Biden could engage only with Israeli leaders during his wartime visit. Also read | Spotlight on Washington's waning political capital after Gaza hospital blast sinks Biden's Jordan summit The current deal, in its form and format, had been on table for about a month, according to the Guardian. For weeks, Qatar, in coordination with the US was helping facilitate negotiations between Israel and Hamas over the deal that was finally announced on Wednesday. Qatari capital Doha has been the hub of efforts to de-escalate the war in Gaza. Qatar occupies the position of a pivotal swing state in the West Asia. The outline of a deal to free women and children held hostage by Hamas, has been put together during weeks of talks in Doha, according to the Washington Post. Israel-Hamas hostage deal: What does it mean? Bringing the hostages back has been one of the top priorities of Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's administration despite an unprecedented assault in Gaza aimed at "eliminating Hamas". But there is a catch. Hamas is expected to exploit the pause in fighting as an opportunity to regroup. The reported quid pro quo, the extension of pause for the release of each additional 10 hostages, could give Hamas's purported regrouping efforts an edge. It can aggravate the military challenge for Israeli troops operating on ground in Gaza. Besides, since Israel has famously vowed to eliminate Hamas after equating it with Islamic State terrorist group, the survival of the Palestinian group would not represent a victory for Israel. Israel-Hamas hostage deal: End of war in Gaza? The deal simply means a pause in fighting for a period of time to facilitate the agreed-upon exchange of hostages and prisoners from either side. It is not a conventional ceasefire. The Israeli forces are still on the ground in Gaza and the deal does not entail anything about them returning to Israel. Israel has not yet gained full control of northern Gaza where it says Hamas has fostered a web of tunnels to support its militant activities. Also watch | Israel-Hamas war: Israel hostage swap for Palestinian prisoners | World News | WION × Besides, the United States has said that it will not support a ground offensive in Gaza's south unless Israels ensure better safeguards against civilian casualties. Notably, Prime Minister Netanyahu has asserted that Israel "will not stop after the ceasefire" and indicated that the fighting will continue after the agreed-upon terms for hostage deal are conclusively honoured by the two warring sides. (With inputs from agencies) Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Explained: Delays, dilemmas and setbacks — A look inside Israel-Hamas hostage deal

<p>Last week, it was reported by Indian media that India and Taiwan were on the brink of signing an MoU that would enable about 100,000 Indian workers to work in the East Asian nation.</p>

<p>The announcement was also made by the Taiwanese Ministry of Labour. But as soon as the news broke in Taiwan, netizens there were soon out in force displaying blatant racism towards Indian men.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Several posts were made accusing Indian men of being dirty, uneducated and even putting women’s safety at risk. Some even went a step ahead, terming&nbsp;Indian men ‘rapists’ and called for a march early next month&nbsp;in a bid to press the authorities to reverse the decision.</p>

<p>The stereotype about Indian men was also hyped by China-backed media, which often pushes&nbsp;the narrative of the lack of safety of women in India.</p>

<p>Facing the mounting pressure, Taiwanese Labour Minister Hsu Ming-chun clarified earlier this week that the news about the arrival of Indian workers was ‘inaccurate’. However, he agreed that the talks were going on with the Indian side.</p>

<h2><strong>Puncturing the stereotype</strong></h2>

<p>Indian workers, including both blue-collar and white-collar, are present worldwide. According to a World Bank report from December last year, remittances from Indian labourers abroad were poised to reach a record USD 100 billion for the year, reflecting a 7.5 per cent growth in 2021 compared to the previous year. This shows the acceptance of Indian workers globally has only been increasing.</p>

<p>While sexual crimes exist in India and globally, the stereotypes associated with Indian labourers hinder potential co-operation between India and Taiwan.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking of sexual crimes, even Taiwan’s own record is dented. Statistics indicate that, on average, a case of abuse occurs every five minutes in Taiwan, with 322 cases reported daily. The numerous crimes against women and children underscore Taiwan's issues with misogyny.</p>

<p>The unfortunate reality is that women globally often lack equal status, leading to crimes, unequal pay, workplace harassment, and unfair work burdens. This predicament is not unique to India, Taiwan, or China. However, associating these crimes with certain nationalities and exhibiting racism is not the&nbsp;solution to achieving&nbsp;global gender justice.</p>

<h2><strong>India-Taiwan co-operation: A win-win for both sides</strong></h2>

<p>Taiwan is expected to become a “super-aged” society by 2025. It means that elderly people will account for more than 20 per cent of its population by that year.</p>

<p>India is well-suited to fill this labour gap in the East Asian economy, with a plentiful young and talented workforce employable worldwide.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Taiwan’s ageing problem is a crisis-in-making, and to ward off its impacts on its strong economy, Indian workers might play a huge role.</p>

<p>So, any such arrangement will only help both sides. It will help India rein in the rising domestic unemployment levels, while also ramping up the potential of increased foreign remittances. For Taiwan, Indian workers can prove to be crucial to help it shore up its $790 billion economy.</p>

<p>This is in line with Taiwan’s Southbound Policy, which has pushed the country’s firms to develop relations with India&nbsp;in order to find alternative markets for China.</p>

<h2><strong>Taiwan’s lack of focus on India</strong></h2>

<p>According to Sana Hashmi, a vocal supporter of strong India-Taiwan ties, Taiwan’s lack of focus on India is still a major hurdle in the economic co-operation between the two nations.</p>

<p>India has not been a historic source of economic growth, trade and funding for Taiwan. So, the country’s media and scholars often remain largely focused on Europe and the US.</p>

<p>As a result, India doesn’t receive the attention it deserves as both an economic and strategic partner.</p>

<h2><strong>Taiwan’s racism problem</strong></h2>

<p>Despite being a technological powerhouse, Taiwan on several occasions has garnered attention for displaying blatant racism towards Indians and Southeast Asians.</p>

<p>In 2021, when Taiwan was reeling under a massive COVID-19 outbreak, it came under fire for imposing discriminatory policies on Southeast Asian workers that restricted their freedom of movement. The same restrictions didn’t apply to their Taiwanese counterparts.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/india-and-taiwan-set-to-sign-mobility-pact-in-october-enhancing-people-to-people-engagement-626648"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;India and Taiwan set to sign mobility pact in October, enhancing people-to-people engagement</strong></a></p>

<p>Taiwan has a long history of racist policies governing its Southeast Asian foreign workers, whose lives are largely controlled by employers and third-party labour brokers notorious for exploitative practices that sometimes cross into the realm of forced labour.</p>

<h2><strong>Taiwan’s reputation in danger</strong></h2>

<p>Given Taiwan’s democratic credentials and its enchanting spirit to ward off China’s&nbsp;constant warmongering, the island nation enjoys a good reputation among Indians.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;WION Fineprint: India, Taiwan strengthen economic co-operation</strong></p>

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<p>This has even bolstered New Delhi to explore deeper economic and strategic ties with Taiwan, even if they come at the cost of risking China’s retaliation.</p>

<p>India’s support for Taiwan boosts the island country’s international image and hurts China’s campaign to ostracise it internationally.</p>

<p>The Taiwanese government needs to urgently take drastic measures to fight off racism and discrimination and create a friendly environment. Otherwise, the strategic and economic investment that both nations have put into building the bedrock of solid ties will go down the drain.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Last week, it was reported by Indian media that India and Taiwan were on the brink of signing an MoU that would enable about 100,000 Indian workers to work in the East Asian nation.

Last week, it was reported by Indian media that India and Taiwan were on the brink of signing an MoU that would enable about 100,000 Indian workers to work in the East Asian nation. The announcement was also made by the Taiwanese Ministry of Labour. But as soon as the news broke in Taiwan, netizens there were soon out in force displaying blatant racism towards Indian men. Several posts were made accusing Indian men of being dirty, uneducated and even putting women’s safety at risk. Some even went a step ahead, terming Indian men ‘rapists’ and called for a march early next month in a bid to press the authorities to reverse the decision. The stereotype about Indian men was also hyped by China-backed media, which often pushes the narrative of the lack of safety of women in India. Facing the mounting pressure, Taiwanese Labour Minister Hsu Ming-chun clarified earlier this week that the news about the arrival of Indian workers was ‘inaccurate’. However, he agreed that the talks were going on with the Indian side. Puncturing the stereotype Indian workers, including both blue-collar and white-collar, are present worldwide. According to a World Bank report from December last year, remittances from Indian labourers abroad were poised to reach a record USD 100 billion for the year, reflecting a 7.5 per cent growth in 2021 compared to the previous year. This shows the acceptance of Indian workers globally has only been increasing. While sexual crimes exist in India and globally, the stereotypes associated with Indian labourers hinder potential co-operation between India and Taiwan. Speaking of sexual crimes, even Taiwan’s own record is dented. Statistics indicate that, on average, a case of abuse occurs every five minutes in Taiwan, with 322 cases reported daily. The numerous crimes against women and children underscore Taiwan's issues with misogyny. The unfortunate reality is that women globally often lack equal status, leading to crimes, unequal pay, workplace harassment, and unfair work burdens. This predicament is not unique to India, Taiwan, or China. However, associating these crimes with certain nationalities and exhibiting racism is not the solution to achieving global gender justice. India-Taiwan co-operation: A win-win for both sides Taiwan is expected to become a “super-aged” society by 2025. It means that elderly people will account for more than 20 per cent of its population by that year. India is well-suited to fill this labour gap in the East Asian economy, with a plentiful young and talented workforce employable worldwide. Taiwan’s ageing problem is a crisis-in-making, and to ward off its impacts on its strong economy, Indian workers might play a huge role. So, any such arrangement will only help both sides. It will help India rein in the rising domestic unemployment levels, while also ramping up the potential of increased foreign remittances. For Taiwan, Indian workers can prove to be crucial to help it shore up its $790 billion economy. This is in line with Taiwan’s Southbound Policy, which has pushed the country’s firms to develop relations with India in order to find alternative markets for China. Taiwan’s lack of focus on India According to Sana Hashmi, a vocal supporter of strong India-Taiwan ties, Taiwan’s lack of focus on India is still a major hurdle in the economic co-operation between the two nations. India has not been a historic source of economic growth, trade and funding for Taiwan. So, the country’s media and scholars often remain largely focused on Europe and the US. As a result, India doesn’t receive the attention it deserves as both an economic and strategic partner. Taiwan’s racism problem Despite being a technological powerhouse, Taiwan on several occasions has garnered attention for displaying blatant racism towards Indians and Southeast Asians. In 2021, when Taiwan was reeling under a massive COVID-19 outbreak, it came under fire for imposing discriminatory policies on Southeast Asian workers that restricted their freedom of movement. The same restrictions didn’t apply to their Taiwanese counterparts. Also read: India and Taiwan set to sign mobility pact in October, enhancing people-to-people engagement Taiwan has a long history of racist policies governing its Southeast Asian foreign workers, whose lives are largely controlled by employers and third-party labour brokers notorious for exploitative practices that sometimes cross into the realm of forced labour. Taiwan’s reputation in danger Given Taiwan’s democratic credentials and its enchanting spirit to ward off China’s constant warmongering, the island nation enjoys a good reputation among Indians. Watch: WION Fineprint: India, Taiwan strengthen economic co-operation × This has even bolstered New Delhi to explore deeper economic and strategic ties with Taiwan, even if they come at the cost of risking China’s retaliation. India’s support for Taiwan boosts the island country’s international image and hurts China’s campaign to ostracise it internationally. The Taiwanese government needs to urgently take drastic measures to fight off racism and discrimination and create a friendly environment. Otherwise, the strategic and economic investment that both nations have put into building the bedrock of solid ties will go down the drain. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | How racism overshadowed India-Taiwan co-operation

<p>In Kolkata's historic Eden Gardens, as Australia played against South Africa in the second semifinal of ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, the geopolitical playground of Ahmedabad for the quadrennial event's final had its permutations and combinations ready.</p>

<p>Despite spectators at Eden Gardens' firmly on South African side that day, it was a contest between India's fellow member of BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — and New Delhi's Quad partner Australia. The latter prevailed over South Africa. &nbsp;</p>

<p>As the South African side lived up to their 'choker' reputation, with yet another failure in a big game at the ICC World Cup, New Delhi dispatched a message of invitation to Canberra.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It was this exact stadium where India's Prime Minister Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese&nbsp;in March had marked '75 years of India-Australia friendship through cricket' as they handed caps showing with national emblems to rival captains Steve Smith and Rohit Sharma.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Cricket, a common passion in India and Australia! Glad to be in Ahmedabad with my good friend, PM <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@AlboMP</a> to witness parts of the India-Australia Test Match. I am sure it will be an exciting game! 🇮🇳 🇦🇺 <a href="https://t.co/XvwU0XCbJf">https://t.co/XvwU0XCbJf</a> <a href="https://t.co/JwJecwUkHi">pic.twitter.com/JwJecwUkHi</a></p>
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) <a href="https://twitter.com/narendramodi/status/1633700732858945536?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The photographic symbolism of that Test match held significance as a boost to India’s already strong diplomatic ties with Australia. Both are part of the Commonwealth of Nations and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or Quad) and share economic, political, security, lingual and sporting ties. In 1996, India and Australia started playing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a test series named after two legendary players from India and Australia: Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border.</p>

<p>For the final, Albanese deputed Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Ahmedabad. Albanese's deputation of Marles for the final match could be seen in context of his recent visit to China, a first by an Australian Prime Minister in seven years and a move from Canberra to normalise its ties with Beijing that went sour in recent years.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Australia and China have come a long way in the 50 years since Gough Whitlam made his historic visit.<br />
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This is a relationship that matters to Australia and to the stability of our region. <a href="https://t.co/Ff0pJKIkvw">pic.twitter.com/Ff0pJKIkvw</a></p>
— Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) <a href="https://twitter.com/AlboMP/status/1721823815611929049?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>In Ahmedabad on Nov 20, the invincible India lost to a resurgent Australia in the summit clash. Over a billion heartbreaks later, India's Prime Minister Modi handed over the World Cup trophy to Australian captain Pat Cummins.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The India-Australia summit clash also coincided with the second edition of the "2+2" ministerial dialogue between Australian defence minister Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong and their Indian counterparts Rajnath Singh and Dr S. Jaishankar in New Delhi.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Richard Marles - EAM Jaishankar meet in Delhi <a href="https://t.co/YpcJNgCfBW">pic.twitter.com/YpcJNgCfBW</a></p>
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidhant/status/1726567662606827564?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>In Delhi, Marles also played Gully Cricket, a term for the way cricket is played by children and teenagers in the streets and alleys. In an <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/exclusive-australias-deputy-pm-richard-marles-points-to-increased-defence-ties-with-india-660704">interview</a> with WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, he described the India-Australia clashes as 'pinnacle of the game'.&nbsp;</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Global cricket has become centred on India.. Australia, India matches are becoming really the pinnacle of the game", Australian Deputy PM &amp; DM <a href="https://twitter.com/RichardMarlesMP?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@RichardMarlesMP</a> tells <a href="https://twitter.com/WIONews?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@WIONews</a>; Points how Indians and Australians have passion for it. <a href="https://t.co/ylc0IE8L6s">pic.twitter.com/ylc0IE8L6s</a></p>
— Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) <a href="https://twitter.com/sidhant/status/1726583356572533227?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">November 20, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Launched in 2018, the 2+2 dialogue is a format of meeting of the foreign and defence ministers of India with the countries it shares close ties with, on strategic and security issues.</p>

<p>Besides Australia, India holds 2+2 dialogues with three other key strategic partners, namely, the United States, Japan, and Russia. With all these countries, India's strategic ties are significant. Apart from Russia, New Delhi's other 2+2 dialogue counterparts are also its partners&nbsp;in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) or Quad.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Cricket, Quad and World Cup: How do they add up?</strong></h2>

<p>The Quad is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States aimed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. The terms inclusive and resilient are often described as diplomatic euphemisms directed against <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/india-vietnam-malaysia-philippines-and-taiwan-reject-chinas-new-controversial-map-release-statements-631063">China's maritime belligerence in the Indo-Pacific</a>.</p>

<p>The dialogue is also paralleled by joint military exercises of an unprecedented scale, titled Exercise Malabar. The diplomatic and military arrangement is widely viewed as a response to increased Chinese economic and military power in the region, especially in South China Sea where Beijing has expanded its maritime claims in the recent years near the Japanese and Filipino waters.</p>

<p>In recent years, Australia and China have accused each other over human rights violations and have described national security threats from individuals linked with each other's capitals.</p>

<p>Add cricket into Quad, and a security equation with a complementary people-to-people element emerges as the top focus of an expansive bilateral equation.</p>

<p>In recent years, India has emerged as a key partner for Australia and Canberra seeks to diversify its strategic partnerships beyond its traditional reliance on China. The addition of a sporting warmth into the equation often reflects in the close-door talks between the leaders and their summation which is published in the joint statements.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In May 2023, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Australia, an official readout from PM Modi referred to his sixth visit to Australia as a sign of "the depth in our comprehensive relations, the convergence in our views and the maturity of our ties."&nbsp;</p>

<p>"If I may say in the language of cricket, our ties have entered the T-20 mode," Modi said while referring to the quickest format of the game, implying the way India-Australia ties appear to have surpassed "this depends on time" diplomatic catchphrase.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The two countries will now also hold India-Australia summit annually, the first of which was held in March earlier this year.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em>(Note: This story has been updated to reflect the results of the summit clash of ICC ODI World Cup 2023 between India and Australia.)</em></p>


In Kolkata's historic Eden Gardens, as Australia played against South Africa in the second semifinal of ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, the geopolitical playground of Ahmedabad for the quadrennial event's final had its permutations and combinations ready.

In Kolkata's historic Eden Gardens, as Australia played against South Africa in the second semifinal of ICC Men's Cricket World Cup 2023, the geopolitical playground of Ahmedabad for the quadrennial event's final had its permutations and combinations ready. Despite spectators at Eden Gardens' firmly on South African side that day, it was a contest between India's fellow member of BRICS — Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa — and New Delhi's Quad partner Australia. The latter prevailed over South Africa. As the South African side lived up to their 'choker' reputation, with yet another failure in a big game at the ICC World Cup, New Delhi dispatched a message of invitation to Canberra. It was this exact stadium where India's Prime Minister Modi and Australian PM Anthony Albanese in March had marked '75 years of India-Australia friendship through cricket' as they handed caps showing with national emblems to rival captains Steve Smith and Rohit Sharma. Cricket, a common passion in India and Australia! Glad to be in Ahmedabad with my good friend, PM @AlboMP to witness parts of the India-Australia Test Match. I am sure it will be an exciting game! 🇮🇳 🇦🇺 https://t.co/XvwU0XCbJf pic.twitter.com/JwJecwUkHi — Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) March 9, 2023 × The photographic symbolism of that Test match held significance as a boost to India’s already strong diplomatic ties with Australia. Both are part of the Commonwealth of Nations and Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (or Quad) and share economic, political, security, lingual and sporting ties. In 1996, India and Australia started playing the Border-Gavaskar Trophy, a test series named after two legendary players from India and Australia: Sunil Gavaskar and Allan Border. For the final, Albanese deputed Australian Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles in Ahmedabad. Albanese's deputation of Marles for the final match could be seen in context of his recent visit to China, a first by an Australian Prime Minister in seven years and a move from Canberra to normalise its ties with Beijing that went sour in recent years. Australia and China have come a long way in the 50 years since Gough Whitlam made his historic visit. This is a relationship that matters to Australia and to the stability of our region. pic.twitter.com/Ff0pJKIkvw — Anthony Albanese (@AlboMP) November 7, 2023 × In Ahmedabad on Nov 20, the invincible India lost to a resurgent Australia in the summit clash. Over a billion heartbreaks later, India's Prime Minister Modi handed over the World Cup trophy to Australian captain Pat Cummins. The India-Australia summit clash also coincided with the second edition of the "2+2" ministerial dialogue between Australian defence minister Marles and Foreign Minister Penny Wong and their Indian counterparts Rajnath Singh and Dr S. Jaishankar in New Delhi. Richard Marles - EAM Jaishankar meet in Delhi pic.twitter.com/YpcJNgCfBW — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) November 20, 2023 × In Delhi, Marles also played Gully Cricket, a term for the way cricket is played by children and teenagers in the streets and alleys. In an interview with WION's diplomatic correspondent Sidhant Sibal, he described the India-Australia clashes as 'pinnacle of the game'. "Global cricket has become centred on India.. Australia, India matches are becoming really the pinnacle of the game", Australian Deputy PM & DM @RichardMarlesMP tells @WIONews; Points how Indians and Australians have passion for it. pic.twitter.com/ylc0IE8L6s — Sidhant Sibal (@sidhant) November 20, 2023 × Launched in 2018, the 2+2 dialogue is a format of meeting of the foreign and defence ministers of India with the countries it shares close ties with, on strategic and security issues. Besides Australia, India holds 2+2 dialogues with three other key strategic partners, namely, the United States, Japan, and Russia. With all these countries, India's strategic ties are significant. Apart from Russia, New Delhi's other 2+2 dialogue counterparts are also its partners in the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue (QSD) or Quad. Cricket, Quad and World Cup: How do they add up? The Quad is a diplomatic partnership between Australia, India, Japan, and the United States aimed to supporting an open, stable and prosperous Indo-Pacific that is inclusive and resilient. The terms inclusive and resilient are often described as diplomatic euphemisms directed against China's maritime belligerence in the Indo-Pacific. The dialogue is also paralleled by joint military exercises of an unprecedented scale, titled Exercise Malabar. The diplomatic and military arrangement is widely viewed as a response to increased Chinese economic and military power in the region, especially in South China Sea where Beijing has expanded its maritime claims in the recent years near the Japanese and Filipino waters. In recent years, Australia and China have accused each other over human rights violations and have described national security threats from individuals linked with each other's capitals. Add cricket into Quad, and a security equation with a complementary people-to-people element emerges as the top focus of an expansive bilateral equation. In recent years, India has emerged as a key partner for Australia and Canberra seeks to diversify its strategic partnerships beyond its traditional reliance on China. The addition of a sporting warmth into the equation often reflects in the close-door talks between the leaders and their summation which is published in the joint statements. In May 2023, when Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi visited Australia, an official readout from PM Modi referred to his sixth visit to Australia as a sign of "the depth in our comprehensive relations, the convergence in our views and the maturity of our ties." "If I may say in the language of cricket, our ties have entered the T-20 mode," Modi said while referring to the quickest format of the game, implying the way India-Australia ties appear to have surpassed "this depends on time" diplomatic catchphrase. The two countries will now also hold India-Australia summit annually, the first of which was held in March earlier this year. (Note: This story has been updated to reflect the results of the summit clash of ICC ODI World Cup 2023 between India and Australia.)

Explained | Cricket, Quad and World Cup—geopolitics of gentleman's game

<p>The war between Israel and Hamas since the sudden cross-border attack launched by the terrorists on October 7 has led to a large civilian death toll.<br />
<br />
The war and the humanitarian losses come under a complex international system of justice which has emerged since World War II. The system is mainly aimed at protecting civilians.<br />
<br />
Even if the states claim that they are taking steps in self-defence, international rules related to armed conflict remain applicable to all participating nations in a war.</p>

<h2><strong>What laws apply to armed conflict?</strong></h2>

<p>In the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the internationally accepted laws of armed conflict were laid down which were ratified by all member states of the United Nations and supplemented by rulings delivered by international war crimes&nbsp;tribunals.<br />
<br />
Treaties govern the treatment of soldiers, civilians and prisoners of war in a system which is known as the "Law of Armed Conflict" or "International Humanitarian Law". It is applicable to the government forces as well as organised, non-state armed groups, including Hamas.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-historical-conflict-between-israel-palestine-amid-unprovoked-escalation-by-hamas-644471">Explained: Revisiting Israel-Palestine historical conflict amid new escalation by Hamas</a></p>

<h2><strong>Can a hospital be made a military target in a war?</strong></h2>

<p>The medical facilities in Gaza, especially the Al Shifa Hospital, have been a centre of the Israel-Hamas war. Isareli intelligence and IDF have accused Hamas of using medical facilities as covers to evade attacks as well as air strikes and establishing command and control centres beneath them, a charge Hamas denies.<br />
<br />
Canadian lawyer Carolyn Edgerton, who had dealt with several cases at the International Criminal Tribunal, stated that although they did not look into the hospital attacks specifically, the jurisprudence emphasised the need to balance the principles of humanity and military necessity.<br />
<br />
"Attacking hospitals and other medical units is prohibited under the first Geneva Convention, and that protection extends to the wounded and the sick, the staff of those establishments and ambulances. And that protection doesn't end unless those establishments are used by a party to the conflict to commit an act ... harmful to the enemy," she stated, reported Reuters.</p>

<h2><strong>What kind of acts can violate war crimes law?</strong></h2>

<p>The deliberate targeting of civilians and taking of civilians as hostages by Hamas terrorists, indiscriminate firing of rockets and counter-strikes in Gaza have been cited by Human Rights Watch as possible war crimes.<br />
<br />
Under the Geneva Conventions, torture, murder and hostage-taking have been explicitly banned, while the response of Israel can also be investigated for war crimes.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;US: Blinken asks Israel for urgent action against settler violence in West Bank&nbsp;</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/us-blinken-asks-israel-for-urgent-action-against-settler-violence-in-west-bank-world-news-wion-659555/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>What does the Geneva Conventions advocate?</strong></h2>

<p>The overarching goal of the Geneva Conventions is to protect civilians in wartime. Under the armed conflict's laws, combatants include military and volunteer forces, non-state armed groups and members of state armed forces.<br />
<br />
It is forbidden to directly target civilians or civilian objects. It is considered a separate war crime to intentionally attack material and personnel involved in humanitarian assistance as long as those carrying the humanitarian aid are civilians.<br />
<br />
A siege can also be seen as a war crime if the civilians are targeted. International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan stated that the Israeli army needs to show that "any attack that impacts innocent civilians or protected objects" such as schools, churches, hospitals or mosques must be carried out in accordance with the armed conflict's laws, reported Reuters.<br />
<br />
As per these laws, civilian objects can be considered legitimate military targets if they are effectively contributing to military action. "The burden of proving that the protective status is lost rests with those who fire the gun, the missile or the rocket in question," Khan stated.<br />
<br />
According to the laws, if a legitimate military target is attacked by a combatant, a proportional assault must be carried out and it must be ensured that there is no excessive loss of civilian life or that civilian objects do not suffer much damage.<br />
<br />
The Geneva Conventions as well as international tribunals' subsequent rulings have explained that proportionality is not a numbers game where one can compare one side's death toll with the other side, rather the death casualties need to be proportionate to the direct military advantage which is likely to be the outcome of that specific attack.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-gaza-strip-and-the-struggle-for-survival-for-millions-of-its-residents-645290">Explained: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents</a></p>

<h2><strong>Which global institutions try war crimes?</strong></h2>

<p>The local jurisdictions are the first in line to try alleged war crimes. In the case of the Israel-Hamas war, it is the case courts in Israel and the Palestinian Territories.<br />
<br />
The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague is the only legal organisation on the global level to bring charges.<br />
<br />
The ICC's founding Rome Statute has given it the legal authority to carry out an investigation of alleged crimes which take place on the territory of its member states or are carried out by their nationals if the domestic authorities are "unwilling or unable" to try.</p>

<h2><strong>What international law speaks about human shields?</strong></h2>

<p>Hamas has been blamed by Israel for civilian deaths in Gaza as Tel Aviv claims it is using Palestinians as human shields in Gaza and hiding arms and command centres in the residential areas and hospitals.<br />
<br />
International humanitarian law has forbidden the use of human shields in war and such cases are seen as a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions.<br />
<br />
The human shields' alleged presence does not mean automatically that the warring nation cannot consider the site as a legitimate military target.<br />
<br />
However, any attack which is launched on such a site needs to be weighed&nbsp;against the principle of proportionality, and the number of civilian casualties needs to be compared to the estimated military advantage.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


The war between Israel and Hamas since the sudden cross-border attack launched by the terrorists on October 7 has led to a large civilian death toll. The war and the humanitarian losses come under a complex international system of justice which has emerged since World War II.

The war between Israel and Hamas since the sudden cross-border attack launched by the terrorists on October 7 has led to a large civilian death toll. The war and the humanitarian losses come under a complex international system of justice which has emerged since World War II. The system is mainly aimed at protecting civilians. Even if the states claim that they are taking steps in self-defence, international rules related to armed conflict remain applicable to all participating nations in a war. What laws apply to armed conflict? In the 1949 Geneva Conventions, the internationally accepted laws of armed conflict were laid down which were ratified by all member states of the United Nations and supplemented by rulings delivered by international war crimes tribunals. Treaties govern the treatment of soldiers, civilians and prisoners of war in a system which is known as the "Law of Armed Conflict" or "International Humanitarian Law". It is applicable to the government forces as well as organised, non-state armed groups, including Hamas. Also read: Explained: Revisiting Israel-Palestine historical conflict amid new escalation by Hamas Can a hospital be made a military target in a war? The medical facilities in Gaza, especially the Al Shifa Hospital, have been a centre of the Israel-Hamas war. Isareli intelligence and IDF have accused Hamas of using medical facilities as covers to evade attacks as well as air strikes and establishing command and control centres beneath them, a charge Hamas denies. Canadian lawyer Carolyn Edgerton, who had dealt with several cases at the International Criminal Tribunal, stated that although they did not look into the hospital attacks specifically, the jurisprudence emphasised the need to balance the principles of humanity and military necessity. "Attacking hospitals and other medical units is prohibited under the first Geneva Convention, and that protection extends to the wounded and the sick, the staff of those establishments and ambulances. And that protection doesn't end unless those establishments are used by a party to the conflict to commit an act ... harmful to the enemy," she stated, reported Reuters. What kind of acts can violate war crimes law? The deliberate targeting of civilians and taking of civilians as hostages by Hamas terrorists, indiscriminate firing of rockets and counter-strikes in Gaza have been cited by Human Rights Watch as possible war crimes. Under the Geneva Conventions, torture, murder and hostage-taking have been explicitly banned, while the response of Israel can also be investigated for war crimes. Watch: US: Blinken asks Israel for urgent action against settler violence in West Bank What does the Geneva Conventions advocate? The overarching goal of the Geneva Conventions is to protect civilians in wartime. Under the armed conflict's laws, combatants include military and volunteer forces, non-state armed groups and members of state armed forces. It is forbidden to directly target civilians or civilian objects. It is considered a separate war crime to intentionally attack material and personnel involved in humanitarian assistance as long as those carrying the humanitarian aid are civilians. A siege can also be seen as a war crime if the civilians are targeted. International Criminal Court prosecutor Karim Khan stated that the Israeli army needs to show that "any attack that impacts innocent civilians or protected objects" such as schools, churches, hospitals or mosques must be carried out in accordance with the armed conflict's laws, reported Reuters. As per these laws, civilian objects can be considered legitimate military targets if they are effectively contributing to military action. "The burden of proving that the protective status is lost rests with those who fire the gun, the missile or the rocket in question," Khan stated. According to the laws, if a legitimate military target is attacked by a combatant, a proportional assault must be carried out and it must be ensured that there is no excessive loss of civilian life or that civilian objects do not suffer much damage. The Geneva Conventions as well as international tribunals' subsequent rulings have explained that proportionality is not a numbers game where one can compare one side's death toll with the other side, rather the death casualties need to be proportionate to the direct military advantage which is likely to be the outcome of that specific attack. Also read: Explained: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents Which global institutions try war crimes? The local jurisdictions are the first in line to try alleged war crimes. In the case of the Israel-Hamas war, it is the case courts in Israel and the Palestinian Territories. The International Criminal Court (ICC) in The Hague is the only legal organisation on the global level to bring charges. The ICC's founding Rome Statute has given it the legal authority to carry out an investigation of alleged crimes which take place on the territory of its member states or are carried out by their nationals if the domestic authorities are "unwilling or unable" to try. What international law speaks about human shields? Hamas has been blamed by Israel for civilian deaths in Gaza as Tel Aviv claims it is using Palestinians as human shields in Gaza and hiding arms and command centres in the residential areas and hospitals. International humanitarian law has forbidden the use of human shields in war and such cases are seen as a grave breach of the Geneva Conventions. The human shields' alleged presence does not mean automatically that the warring nation cannot consider the site as a legitimate military target. However, any attack which is launched on such a site needs to be weighed against the principle of proportionality, and the number of civilian casualties needs to be compared to the estimated military advantage. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | What kind of war crime laws apply to the Israel-Hamas conflict?

<p>United Kingdom's former prime minister David Cameron's shocking comeback to the country's frontline politics as foreign secretary has refreshed the memories of the Greensill lobbying scandal which still continues to overshadow his political career.<br />
<br />
Seven years earlier, Cameron had lost the Brexit referendum and stepped down as the country's prime minister immediately. The leader, who had also resigned as a Tory MP in September 2016, was in a sudden turn of events given life peerage on Monday (Nov 13) because of which he has taken up the role in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet.<br />
<br />
After remaining out of the spotlight for seven years, the dramatic cabinet reshuffle saw Cameron at the centre of media gaze making more headlines than at any point since the Greensill lobbying scandal came into light in 2021.<br />
<br />
This surprise comeback of Cameron as the foreign secretary happened just two years after he was found to have a “significant lack of judgment” in a parliamentary inquiry over a bank's lobbying campaign in which his personal economic interests were vested.</p>

<h2><strong>How did Cameron lobby for Greensill Capital?</strong></h2>

<p>Greensill Capital, which was established by Australian financier Lex Greensill and specialised in supply chain finance, started seeking government work at a time when Cameron was prime minister.<br />
<br />
In 2016, after Cameron left office, he became an adviser to Greensill Capital and received share options which were worth tens of millions of pounds, as reported.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/britains-david-cameron-meets-volodymyr-zelensky-in-kyiv-on-first-working-trip-abroad-as-foreign-minister-659220">Britain's David Cameron meets Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on first working trip abroad as foreign minister</a></p>

<p>After joining the firm, the former prime minister started sending intensive rounds of text messages to high-ranking civil servants and ministers on behalf of Greensill Capital at a time when the pandemic was at its height. The following year saw the collapse of Greensill Capital.<br />
<br />
In July 2021, the Treasury select committee stated that it was inappropriate of Cameron, who had once held the position of prime minister, to send 62 messages to ministers and high-ranking officials pleasing them to extend their help to the controversial bank.<br />
<br />
In the text messages sent to ministers, Cameron allegedly appealed to them to provide Greensill access to the coronavirus loan support scheme of the government.<br />
<br />
The former minister sent nine WhatsApp messages to the then chancellor Rishi Sunak, 12 texts to Sir Tom Scholar, the then permanent secretary to the Treasury, two WhatsApp messages to Richard Sharp, then adviser to Sunak and multiple texts, emails, phone calls to the ministers Michael Gove, Matt Hancock, Nadhim Zahawi, John Glen and Jesse Norman.<br />
<br />
In the messages, Cameron often signed off as “Love Dc” or typed a simple thumbs-up emoji. In a text message sent on 6 March 2020 to Scholar, Cameron said: “I am riding to the rescue with supply chain finance with my new friend Lex Greensill.” At this time, the financial markets were in freefall because of the start of the pandemic.<br />
<br />
He further questioned the response of the Bank of England to the mounting crisis and said that he “never quite understood how [interest] rate cuts help a pandemic”. He stated that he hoped to “see you with Rishi’s for an elbow bump or foot tap. Love Dc.”</p>

<h2><strong>What is Greensill Capital?</strong></h2>

<p>Greensill Capital was founded by an Australian banker from farming stock Lex Greensill. It specialises in supply chain finance in which money is borrowed by the businesses to pay their suppliers.<br />
<br />
The efforts made by Cameron were wasted as the firm failed to receive any money from the coronavirus scheme and hence, collapsed in March 2021. It was estimated that the bank's failure in 2021 is likely to have cost UK taxpayers up to £5 billion ($6.21 billion).</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;David Cameron return: Greensill lobbying scandal overshadows Cameron's return</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/uk-david-cameron-return-greensill-lobbying-scandal-overshadows-camerons-return-659251/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>The company got involved in controversy because of its links to the steel and commodities trader Sanjeev Gupta, for giving huge sums to his steel and energy empire. Since 2021, the Gupta Family Group Alliance, which is a collection of companies led by Gupta, has remained under investigation being carried out by the Serious Fraud Office.<br />
<br />
In the investigation of the Treasury committee, it was found that Cameron used a private jet of Greensill for various flights to Newquay airport in Cornwall. While working with Greensill, Cameron lobbied for the chancellor and went camping in the desert with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman.</p>

<h2><strong>What did Treasury Committee’s report find?</strong></h2>

<p>In the report prepared by the Treasury committee it was found that no lobbying rules were broken by Cameron, but said “that reflects on the insufficient strength of the rules”. It stated that the behaviour of Cameron in the saga highlighted a “strong case for strengthening [the rules]” for preventing the country's former prime ministers from lobbying serving ministers for any kind of personal economic gain.<br />
<br />
“Cameron’s use of less formal means to lobby government showed a significant lack of judgment, especially given that his ability to use an informal approach was aided by his previous position of prime minister,” the report stated. “Cameron appears to accept that, at least to some degree, his judgment was lacking,” it added.<br />
<br />
Reacting to the committee's report, Cameron stated, “While I am pleased that the report confirms I broke no rules, I very much take on board its wider points. I always acted in good faith, and had no idea until the end of last year that Greensill Capital was in danger of failure.”<br />
<br />
Now, as Lex Greensill is being banned as a director of UK companies, Foreign Secretary David Cameron has once again come under scrutiny.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)&nbsp;</em></p>


United Kingdom's former prime minister David Cameron's shocking comeback to the country's frontline politics as foreign secretary has refreshed the memories of the Greensill lobbying scandal which still continues to overshadow his political career.

United Kingdom's former prime minister David Cameron's shocking comeback to the country's frontline politics as foreign secretary has refreshed the memories of the Greensill lobbying scandal which still continues to overshadow his political career. Seven years earlier, Cameron had lost the Brexit referendum and stepped down as the country's prime minister immediately. The leader, who had also resigned as a Tory MP in September 2016, was in a sudden turn of events given life peerage on Monday (Nov 13) because of which he has taken up the role in Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s Cabinet. After remaining out of the spotlight for seven years, the dramatic cabinet reshuffle saw Cameron at the centre of media gaze making more headlines than at any point since the Greensill lobbying scandal came into light in 2021. This surprise comeback of Cameron as the foreign secretary happened just two years after he was found to have a “significant lack of judgment” in a parliamentary inquiry over a bank's lobbying campaign in which his personal economic interests were vested. How did Cameron lobby for Greensill Capital? Greensill Capital, which was established by Australian financier Lex Greensill and specialised in supply chain finance, started seeking government work at a time when Cameron was prime minister. In 2016, after Cameron left office, he became an adviser to Greensill Capital and received share options which were worth tens of millions of pounds, as reported. Also read: Britain's David Cameron meets Volodymyr Zelensky in Kyiv on first working trip abroad as foreign minister After joining the firm, the former prime minister started sending intensive rounds of text messages to high-ranking civil servants and ministers on behalf of Greensill Capital at a time when the pandemic was at its height. The following year saw the collapse of Greensill Capital. In July 2021, the Treasury select committee stated that it was inappropriate of Cameron, who had once held the position of prime minister, to send 62 messages to ministers and high-ranking officials pleasing them to extend their help to the controversial bank. In the text messages sent to ministers, Cameron allegedly appealed to them to provide Greensill access to the coronavirus loan support scheme of the government. The former minister sent nine WhatsApp messages to the then chancellor Rishi Sunak, 12 texts to Sir Tom Scholar, the then permanent secretary to the Treasury, two WhatsApp messages to Richard Sharp, then adviser to Sunak and multiple texts, emails, phone calls to the ministers Michael Gove, Matt Hancock, Nadhim Zahawi, John Glen and Jesse Norman. In the messages, Cameron often signed off as “Love Dc” or typed a simple thumbs-up emoji. In a text message sent on 6 March 2020 to Scholar, Cameron said: “I am riding to the rescue with supply chain finance with my new friend Lex Greensill.” At this time, the financial markets were in freefall because of the start of the pandemic. He further questioned the response of the Bank of England to the mounting crisis and said that he “never quite understood how [interest] rate cuts help a pandemic”. He stated that he hoped to “see you with Rishi’s for an elbow bump or foot tap. Love Dc.” What is Greensill Capital? Greensill Capital was founded by an Australian banker from farming stock Lex Greensill. It specialises in supply chain finance in which money is borrowed by the businesses to pay their suppliers. The efforts made by Cameron were wasted as the firm failed to receive any money from the coronavirus scheme and hence, collapsed in March 2021. It was estimated that the bank's failure in 2021 is likely to have cost UK taxpayers up to £5 billion ($6.21 billion). Watch: David Cameron return: Greensill lobbying scandal overshadows Cameron's return The company got involved in controversy because of its links to the steel and commodities trader Sanjeev Gupta, for giving huge sums to his steel and energy empire. Since 2021, the Gupta Family Group Alliance, which is a collection of companies led by Gupta, has remained under investigation being carried out by the Serious Fraud Office. In the investigation of the Treasury committee, it was found that Cameron used a private jet of Greensill for various flights to Newquay airport in Cornwall. While working with Greensill, Cameron lobbied for the chancellor and went camping in the desert with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. What did Treasury Committee’s report find? In the report prepared by the Treasury committee it was found that no lobbying rules were broken by Cameron, but said “that reflects on the insufficient strength of the rules”. It stated that the behaviour of Cameron in the saga highlighted a “strong case for strengthening [the rules]” for preventing the country's former prime ministers from lobbying serving ministers for any kind of personal economic gain. “Cameron’s use of less formal means to lobby government showed a significant lack of judgment, especially given that his ability to use an informal approach was aided by his previous position of prime minister,” the report stated. “Cameron appears to accept that, at least to some degree, his judgment was lacking,” it added. Reacting to the committee's report, Cameron stated, “While I am pleased that the report confirms I broke no rules, I very much take on board its wider points. I always acted in good faith, and had no idea until the end of last year that Greensill Capital was in danger of failure.” Now, as Lex Greensill is being banned as a director of UK companies, Foreign Secretary David Cameron has once again come under scrutiny. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained: What is Greensill lobbying scandal which overshadows David Cameron's political career?

<p>The attention of the world has been drawn to the meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum in San Francisco amid efforts by Washington and Beijing to deescalate the geo-economic tensions between them.<br />
<br />
This was the second in-person dialogue of Biden with Xi since the US president assumed office in 2021. India's Union Minister Piyush Goyal will also be attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation meeting in the United States.<br />
<br />
Other leaders who are attending the summit are Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin has not participated in any major international summits and here also he is being represented by Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, against whom no sanctions have been issued by the US.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-and-china-pledge-cooperation-to-tackle-climate-crisis-after-talks-in-california-658769">APEC summit: Ahead of Biden-Xi meet, US and China pledge cooperation on climate crisis</a></p>

<h2><strong>When was APEC formed and who are its members?</strong></h2>

<p>The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) is a regional economic forum and was formed in 1989. It has 21 members in its groups, however, India is not one of them.<br />
<br />
The grouping stated that its aim was to “leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific and create greater prosperity for the people of the region through regional economic integration”.<br />
<br />
The grouping's current members are Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong (which the APEC website refers to as Hong Kong, China), New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan).<br />
<br />
The focus of APEC has been on trade and economic issues and hence, it terms the countries as “economies”. Taiwan and Hong Kong, which China has continued to claim as its own, take part separately in the grouping.<br />
<br />
As per a report published by Reuters, APEC accounts for nearly 62 per cent of global GDP and nearly half of global trade. It has been operating on the basis of non-binding commitments with decisions taken through commitments and consensus undertaken on a voluntary basis.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;APEC Summit: What is APEC? What to expect from the summit</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/apec-summit-what-is-apec-what-to-expect-from-the-summit-658955/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>Why is India not a part of the APEC grouping?</strong></h2>

<p>In 1991, India made a request to become a part of the grouping. It was the same year when liberalisation was introduced in the Indian economy which changed its trajectory in entirety.<br />
<br />
Although many members have been in favour of the inclusion of India, some even opposed the idea citing the economic reforms which took place in the country and claiming that it has 'protectionist instincts'.<br />
<br />
Another reason for not making India part of the grouping was a membership freeze which came into force in 1997 but was not extended in 2012.</p>

<h2><strong>What role has APEC played so far?</strong></h2>

<p>Since its formation, the grouping championed the lowering of trade tariffs, free trade, and economic liberalisation. As per the US State Department, “During its first five years of operation, APEC established its core objectives. In the 1991 Seoul Declaration, APEC member economies proclaimed the creation of a liberalised free trade area around the Pacific Rim as the principle objective of the organisation.”<br />
<br />
The experts at the think tank Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in an article, stated, “The dynamic growth attributable to APEC initiatives contributed significantly to the development of a growing middle class in the developing Asia-Pacific region. APEC economies’ 2.9 billion citizens make up roughly 60 per cent of global GDP. As of 2018, they represented 48 per cent of global trade.”</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/us-china-finance-chiefs-open-talks-with-eye-on-curbing-tensions-657091">US, China finance chiefs open talks with eye on curbing tensions</a></p>

<h2><strong>What is the aim of the APEC summit this year?</strong></h2>

<p>The APEC Economic Leaders' Week is being held this year in San Francisco. According to a report by Reuters, the United States has chosen the theme "Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All" for APEC 2023.<br />
<br />
It stated that the summit aims for an "interconnected, innovative, and inclusive" region and "to advance a free, fair, and open economic policy agenda that benefits US workers, businesses, and families."<br />
<br />
Till 2021, APEC members have been seven of the top 10 overall trading partners of the United States and Washington is likely to increase the relative strength of its economy in tough times.<br />
<br />
While speaking about what he aims to achieve in his dialogue with Jinping ahead of the meeting, Biden had said he wanted "to get back on a normal course of corresponding; being able to pick up the phone and talk to one another if there's a crisis; being able to make sure our (militaries) still have contact with one another."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The attention of the world has been drawn to the meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum in San Francisco amid efforts by Washington and Beijing to deescalate the geo-economic tensions between them.

The attention of the world has been drawn to the meeting between US President Joe Biden and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during the Asia Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) forum in San Francisco amid efforts by Washington and Beijing to deescalate the geo-economic tensions between them. This was the second in-person dialogue of Biden with Xi since the US president assumed office in 2021. India's Union Minister Piyush Goyal will also be attending the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation meeting in the United States. Other leaders who are attending the summit are Japan’s Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, Canada’s Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, and Indonesia’s President Joko Widodo. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, President Vladimir Putin has not participated in any major international summits and here also he is being represented by Deputy Prime Minister Alexei Overchuk, against whom no sanctions have been issued by the US. ALSO READ | APEC summit: Ahead of Biden-Xi meet, US and China pledge cooperation on climate crisis When was APEC formed and who are its members? The Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation (APEC) is a regional economic forum and was formed in 1989. It has 21 members in its groups, however, India is not one of them. The grouping stated that its aim was to “leverage the growing interdependence of the Asia-Pacific and create greater prosperity for the people of the region through regional economic integration”. The grouping's current members are Australia, Brunei, Hong Kong (which the APEC website refers to as Hong Kong, China), New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, the Philippines, Indonesia, China, Japan, South Korea, Russia, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Peru, Chile, Malaysia, Vietnam, Singapore, Thailand and Chinese Taipei (Taiwan). The focus of APEC has been on trade and economic issues and hence, it terms the countries as “economies”. Taiwan and Hong Kong, which China has continued to claim as its own, take part separately in the grouping. As per a report published by Reuters, APEC accounts for nearly 62 per cent of global GDP and nearly half of global trade. It has been operating on the basis of non-binding commitments with decisions taken through commitments and consensus undertaken on a voluntary basis. WATCH | APEC Summit: What is APEC? What to expect from the summit Why is India not a part of the APEC grouping? In 1991, India made a request to become a part of the grouping. It was the same year when liberalisation was introduced in the Indian economy which changed its trajectory in entirety. Although many members have been in favour of the inclusion of India, some even opposed the idea citing the economic reforms which took place in the country and claiming that it has 'protectionist instincts'. Another reason for not making India part of the grouping was a membership freeze which came into force in 1997 but was not extended in 2012. What role has APEC played so far? Since its formation, the grouping championed the lowering of trade tariffs, free trade, and economic liberalisation. As per the US State Department, “During its first five years of operation, APEC established its core objectives. In the 1991 Seoul Declaration, APEC member economies proclaimed the creation of a liberalised free trade area around the Pacific Rim as the principle objective of the organisation.” The experts at the think tank Centre for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS), in an article, stated, “The dynamic growth attributable to APEC initiatives contributed significantly to the development of a growing middle class in the developing Asia-Pacific region. APEC economies’ 2.9 billion citizens make up roughly 60 per cent of global GDP. As of 2018, they represented 48 per cent of global trade.” ALSO READ | US, China finance chiefs open talks with eye on curbing tensions What is the aim of the APEC summit this year? The APEC Economic Leaders' Week is being held this year in San Francisco. According to a report by Reuters, the United States has chosen the theme "Creating a Resilient and Sustainable Future for All" for APEC 2023. It stated that the summit aims for an "interconnected, innovative, and inclusive" region and "to advance a free, fair, and open economic policy agenda that benefits US workers, businesses, and families." Till 2021, APEC members have been seven of the top 10 overall trading partners of the United States and Washington is likely to increase the relative strength of its economy in tough times. While speaking about what he aims to achieve in his dialogue with Jinping ahead of the meeting, Biden had said he wanted "to get back on a normal course of corresponding; being able to pick up the phone and talk to one another if there's a crisis; being able to make sure our (militaries) still have contact with one another." (With inputs from agencies)

Explained: What is APEC group and why is India not a member

<p>Space is harsh. Space is unforgiving. Space is not for everyone. So, when you are nearing the final stages of building the most-sophisticated satellite to study the earth, you better get it right. Because you have only one shot. That's what the teams from the Indian Space agency ISRO and America's NASA have been doing in Bengaluru, the city known as India's IT and Aerospace hub.&nbsp;</p>

<p>They have been putting their jointly-built satellite NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), through a series of tests, in order to see how well it can withstand the harsh conditions of sitting atop a spacefaring rocket and the brutal conditions of circling the earth at around 28,000 kmph, at an altitude of 747 km above the earth's surface.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Just like how smartphones and other gadgets are tested in factories, for their ability to withstand impact, wear-and-tear, water resistance and heavy usage, satellites are put through tests that simulate the conditions that they would encounter in space.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/indian-rocket-firm-skyroot-to-launch-french-satellites-from-2024-645783">Indian rocket firm Skyroot to launch French satellites from 2024</a></strong></p>

<p>Satellites comprise a plethora of sophisticated electronic, electrical and optical systems and all of them are rated to work in the harsh environs of space - where temperatures can swing wildly, there's a risk of collision with millimetre-sized space debris, where the pressure is barely a fraction of that at sea-level etc.</p>

<p>The testing processes are meant to validate the functioning of these systems and sub-systems. Remember, once the satellite lifts-off on a rocket, there's no coming back for service and repairs. Therefore, all hardware and related software must be tested as much as possible.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The SUV-sized NISAR comprises two radar imaging systems - an S-band radar that was built at the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad, India and the L-band radar built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Both of them have been fixed to form a barrel-like structure.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Indian space agency successfully launches next-gen satellite</strong></p>

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<p>The satellite's main body, or bus, includes components and systems developed by both ISRO and JPL. The bus will provide power, navigation, pointing control, and communications aspect of the mission.</p>

<p>While NASA is providing the radar reflector antenna, the deployable boom, a high-rate communication subsystem for science data, GPS receivers, a solid-state recorder, and payload data subsystem, ISRO is providing the spacecraft bus, the S-band SAR electronics, the launch vehicle, and associated launch services and satellite mission operations.</p>

<p>According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this week, the NISAR satellite passed a major milestone, as it emerged successfully from a 21-day test. These tests were aimed at evaluating the satellite's ability to function in the extreme temperatures and the vacuum of space. NISAR is the first space hardware collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation, or ISRO, on an Earth-observing mission.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2024, the satellite will scan nearly all the planet’s land and ice twice every 12 days, monitoring the motion of those surfaces down to fractions of an inch. It will be able to observe movements from earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic activity and track dynamic changes in forests, wetlands, and agricultural lands.</p>

<p>Integrated at ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, the satellite underwent tests at ISRO's Satellite Integration and Test Establishment. It’s one of a battery of tests the satellite will face leading to launch. Other tests will ensure it can withstand the shaking, vibration, and jostling that it will encounter during launch.</p>

<p>"NISAR, partially covered in gold-hued thermal blanketing, entered the vacuum chamber on October 19th. Over the following week, engineers and technicians lowered the pressure to an infinitesimal fraction of the normal pressure at sea level. They also subjected the satellite to an 80-hour 'cold soak' at 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 degrees Celsius), followed by an equally lengthy 'hot soak' at up to 122ºF (50 C)."</p>

<p>"This simulates the temperature swings the spacecraft will experience as it is exposed to sunlight and darkness in orbit," said NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. During the three-week test period, ISRO and JPL teams worked around the clock, testing the performance of the satellite’s thermal systems and its two primary science instrument systems – the L-band and S-band radars – under the most extreme temperature conditions they will experience in space.</p>

<p>According to JPL, this latest round of testing followed 20 days of testing in September in which engineers used ISRO’s compact antenna test facility to evaluate whether the radio signals from the two radar systems’ antennas passed requirements. In the antenna test facility, a lining of foam spikes are placed on the walls, floor and ceiling, in order to prevent radio waves from bouncing around the room and interfering with measurement.</p>

<p>With thermal vacuum and compact antenna tests successfully done, NISAR will soon be fitted with its solar panels and its nearly 40-foot (12-metre) radar antenna reflector, which resembles a snare drum and will unfold in space at the end of a 30-foot (9-metre) boom extending from the spacecraft.</p>

<p>After more tests, the satellite would finally be wheeled away to the Indian Spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Satellites are always transported in specialised containers where temperature, moisture, vibration etc are within very controlled limits. For safety and security purposes, these specialized containers always travel in a convoy that clears the path for them. The road journey from Bengaluru to Sriharikota is around 350 kms.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Once at the spaceport, the satellite would be taken to a clean room to undergo its final health checks, fuel-filling and integration within the rocket's nose cone. Owing to the sensitive electronics and space-grade components on-board, the satellite is always placed in a clean room and transported in such conditions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>A clean room is a specialised facility where the pressure, temperature and humidity are kept constant regardless of the weather outside. Clean rooms also have negligible amounts of dust particles per cubic metre of air.</p>

<p>Finally, it would be mounted atop the rocket. In this case, it would be the Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle(GSLV) rocket, formerly known as the GSLV Mk2.&nbsp;</p>


Space is harsh. Space is unforgiving. Space is not for everyone. So, when you are nearing the final stages of building the most-sophisticated satellite to study the earth, you better get it right.

Space is harsh. Space is unforgiving. Space is not for everyone. So, when you are nearing the final stages of building the most-sophisticated satellite to study the earth, you better get it right. Because you have only one shot. That's what the teams from the Indian Space agency ISRO and America's NASA have been doing in Bengaluru, the city known as India's IT and Aerospace hub. They have been putting their jointly-built satellite NISAR (NASA-ISRO Synthetic Aperture Radar), through a series of tests, in order to see how well it can withstand the harsh conditions of sitting atop a spacefaring rocket and the brutal conditions of circling the earth at around 28,000 kmph, at an altitude of 747 km above the earth's surface. Just like how smartphones and other gadgets are tested in factories, for their ability to withstand impact, wear-and-tear, water resistance and heavy usage, satellites are put through tests that simulate the conditions that they would encounter in space. Also read | Indian rocket firm Skyroot to launch French satellites from 2024 Satellites comprise a plethora of sophisticated electronic, electrical and optical systems and all of them are rated to work in the harsh environs of space - where temperatures can swing wildly, there's a risk of collision with millimetre-sized space debris, where the pressure is barely a fraction of that at sea-level etc. The testing processes are meant to validate the functioning of these systems and sub-systems. Remember, once the satellite lifts-off on a rocket, there's no coming back for service and repairs. Therefore, all hardware and related software must be tested as much as possible. The SUV-sized NISAR comprises two radar imaging systems - an S-band radar that was built at the Space Applications Centre in Ahmedabad, India and the L-band radar built at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory in California. Both of them have been fixed to form a barrel-like structure. Also watch | Indian space agency successfully launches next-gen satellite × The satellite's main body, or bus, includes components and systems developed by both ISRO and JPL. The bus will provide power, navigation, pointing control, and communications aspect of the mission. While NASA is providing the radar reflector antenna, the deployable boom, a high-rate communication subsystem for science data, GPS receivers, a solid-state recorder, and payload data subsystem, ISRO is providing the spacecraft bus, the S-band SAR electronics, the launch vehicle, and associated launch services and satellite mission operations. According to NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, this week, the NISAR satellite passed a major milestone, as it emerged successfully from a 21-day test. These tests were aimed at evaluating the satellite's ability to function in the extreme temperatures and the vacuum of space. NISAR is the first space hardware collaboration between NASA and the Indian Space Research Organisation, or ISRO, on an Earth-observing mission. Scheduled to launch in the first quarter of 2024, the satellite will scan nearly all the planet’s land and ice twice every 12 days, monitoring the motion of those surfaces down to fractions of an inch. It will be able to observe movements from earthquakes, landslides, and volcanic activity and track dynamic changes in forests, wetlands, and agricultural lands. Integrated at ISRO's UR Rao Satellite Centre in Bengaluru, the satellite underwent tests at ISRO's Satellite Integration and Test Establishment. It’s one of a battery of tests the satellite will face leading to launch. Other tests will ensure it can withstand the shaking, vibration, and jostling that it will encounter during launch. "NISAR, partially covered in gold-hued thermal blanketing, entered the vacuum chamber on October 19th. Over the following week, engineers and technicians lowered the pressure to an infinitesimal fraction of the normal pressure at sea level. They also subjected the satellite to an 80-hour 'cold soak' at 14 degrees Fahrenheit (minus 10 degrees Celsius), followed by an equally lengthy 'hot soak' at up to 122ºF (50 C)." "This simulates the temperature swings the spacecraft will experience as it is exposed to sunlight and darkness in orbit," said NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. During the three-week test period, ISRO and JPL teams worked around the clock, testing the performance of the satellite’s thermal systems and its two primary science instrument systems – the L-band and S-band radars – under the most extreme temperature conditions they will experience in space. According to JPL, this latest round of testing followed 20 days of testing in September in which engineers used ISRO’s compact antenna test facility to evaluate whether the radio signals from the two radar systems’ antennas passed requirements. In the antenna test facility, a lining of foam spikes are placed on the walls, floor and ceiling, in order to prevent radio waves from bouncing around the room and interfering with measurement. With thermal vacuum and compact antenna tests successfully done, NISAR will soon be fitted with its solar panels and its nearly 40-foot (12-metre) radar antenna reflector, which resembles a snare drum and will unfold in space at the end of a 30-foot (9-metre) boom extending from the spacecraft. After more tests, the satellite would finally be wheeled away to the Indian Spaceport, Satish Dhawan Space Centre, in Sriharikota, Andhra Pradesh. Satellites are always transported in specialised containers where temperature, moisture, vibration etc are within very controlled limits. For safety and security purposes, these specialized containers always travel in a convoy that clears the path for them. The road journey from Bengaluru to Sriharikota is around 350 kms. Once at the spaceport, the satellite would be taken to a clean room to undergo its final health checks, fuel-filling and integration within the rocket's nose cone. Owing to the sensitive electronics and space-grade components on-board, the satellite is always placed in a clean room and transported in such conditions. A clean room is a specialised facility where the pressure, temperature and humidity are kept constant regardless of the weather outside. Clean rooms also have negligible amounts of dust particles per cubic metre of air. Finally, it would be mounted atop the rocket. In this case, it would be the Indian Geosynchronous Satellite Launch Vehicle(GSLV) rocket, formerly known as the GSLV Mk2.

Explained | ISRO-NASA satellite 'NISAR' gets a feel of space in Bengaluru

<p>Amid China's slowing economy, geopolitical tussle with the United States and low interest rates, foreign businesses have started pulling money out of the market of China at a faster rate compared to what they have been putting in, as per official data.<br />
<br />
The country's economic potential has been placed in a cloud of doubt&nbsp;amid its deteriorating relations with the United States. As the world's gaze remains on the crucial meeting to be held between US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, businesses are already appearing to move with caution.<br />
<br />
"Anxieties around geopolitical risk, domestic policy uncertainty and slower growth are pushing companies to think about alternative markets," stated Nick Marro from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), while speaking to BBC.<br />
<br />
In the last three months, a deficit of nearly $11.8 billion&nbsp;(£9.6bn) has been recorded by China in foreign investments till the end of September. This is the first time the country has recorded such deficits since the records started being maintained in 1998.<br />
<br />
This further suggests that the profits are not being reinvested by foreign companies in China, but are rather being pulled out of the country.</p>

<h2><strong>Chinese economy to witness growth or dip?</strong></h2>

<p>Swiss industrial machinery manufacturer Oerlikon's spokesperson stated, "China is currently facing slower growth and needs to make some corrections.” The company had pulled out $277 million from the country last year.<br />
<br />
"In 2022, we were one of the first companies to transparently communicate that we expect the economic slowdown in China to impact our business. Consequently, we began early to implement actions and measures to mitigate these effects,” the spokesperson added, as reported by BBC.<br />
<br />
China has been a major market for the firm. It had nearly 2,000 employees across the country which brought more than a third of its sales.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/wion-business-wrap-chinas-economic-woes-argentinians-opt-for-old-clothes-more-658356">Wion Business Wrap | China's economic woes, Argentinians opt for old clothes &amp; more</a></p>

<p>However, Oerlikon stated that the Chinese economy is still likely to grow by nearly 5 per cent in the next few years, “which is among the highest in the world."<br />
<br />
Since the pandemic, businesses have been facing challenges in their operations in the biggest market of the world due to the strictest lockdowns and the country's "zero-Covid" policy.<br />
<br />
The stringent rules have also led to disruption in many companies' supply chains, especially Apple which was manufacturing most of its iPhones in China. Since then, the firm has been diversifying its supply chain and shifting some production to India.<br />
<br />
As per Marro, the companies have been considering diversification because of escalating tensions between the United States and China amid the imposition of export restrictions on raw materials and technology which is required for producing advanced chips.<br />
<br />
"We aren't seeing many companies pulling out of China. Many of the big multinational firms have been in the market for decades, and they're not willing to give up the market share that they've spent 20, 30 or 40 years cultivating. But in terms of new investment, in particular, we are seeing a reassessment,” he stated.</p>

<h2><strong>Impact of low-interest rates making businesses take a U-turn?</strong></h2>

<p>Businesses have also been taking into account the impact of low interest rates. China also followed the trend of increasing rates sharply last year, just like other countries.<br />
<br />
Many major central banks, which include the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve, have increased their interest rates to tackle inflation. The increased cost of borrowing, which also gives higher returns, attracts foreign capital to the country.<br />
<br />
However, the country's policymakers have decreased the cost of borrowing to support its economy and real estate industry. This year, their currency yuan saw a depreciation of more than 5 per cent against the euro and dollar.<br />
<br />
The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China has stated that businesses are spending the money and not reinvesting the earnings made from the Chinese market back in the country.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Foreign companies exit China, companies rethink China investments | World DNA</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/foreign-companies-exit-china-companies-rethink-china-investments-world-dna-658644/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>"Those with excess cash and earnings in China have been increasingly transferring these funds overseas, where they will earn a higher investment return compared to investments in China,” it added.</p>

<h2><strong>Is uncertainty looming in China's financial future?</strong></h2>

<p>As per analysts, there is much uncertainty over the China-US ties and the country's interest rates. The central bank of China can move to decrease interest rates further this year for supporting its dwindling economy, stated Dan Wang, the chief economist of Hang Seng Bank China.<br />
<br />
If the interest rates are lowered, it will place more pressure on their currency.<br />
<br />
"There is very limited room for monetary easing right now because of the pressure of currency depreciation. If economic sentiment improves next month, it's safe to say that China will lower interest rates. But if sentiment doesn't improve, the central bank will have a very difficult decision to make,” she stated, as reported by BBC.<br />
<br />
Meanwhile, Marro hinted about businesses remaining cautiously optimistic about the meeting between Presidents Biden and Xi.<br />
<br />
"Direct meetings between the two presidents tend to exert a stabilising force on bilateral ties. We have also seen a flurry of US-China diplomatic engagement over the past couple of months, which has contributed to this feeling that both sides are aiming to put a floor under the relationship," he stated.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


Amid China's slowing economy, geopolitical tussle with the United States and low interest rates, foreign businesses have started pulling money out of the market of China at a faster rate compared to what they have been putting in, as per official data.

Amid China's slowing economy, geopolitical tussle with the United States and low interest rates, foreign businesses have started pulling money out of the market of China at a faster rate compared to what they have been putting in, as per official data. The country's economic potential has been placed in a cloud of doubt amid its deteriorating relations with the United States. As the world's gaze remains on the crucial meeting to be held between US President Joe Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping, businesses are already appearing to move with caution. "Anxieties around geopolitical risk, domestic policy uncertainty and slower growth are pushing companies to think about alternative markets," stated Nick Marro from the Economist Intelligence Unit (EIU), while speaking to BBC. In the last three months, a deficit of nearly $11.8 billion (£9.6bn) has been recorded by China in foreign investments till the end of September. This is the first time the country has recorded such deficits since the records started being maintained in 1998. This further suggests that the profits are not being reinvested by foreign companies in China, but are rather being pulled out of the country. Chinese economy to witness growth or dip? Swiss industrial machinery manufacturer Oerlikon's spokesperson stated, "China is currently facing slower growth and needs to make some corrections.” The company had pulled out $277 million from the country last year. "In 2022, we were one of the first companies to transparently communicate that we expect the economic slowdown in China to impact our business. Consequently, we began early to implement actions and measures to mitigate these effects,” the spokesperson added, as reported by BBC. China has been a major market for the firm. It had nearly 2,000 employees across the country which brought more than a third of its sales. ALSO READ | Wion Business Wrap | China's economic woes, Argentinians opt for old clothes & more However, Oerlikon stated that the Chinese economy is still likely to grow by nearly 5 per cent in the next few years, “which is among the highest in the world." Since the pandemic, businesses have been facing challenges in their operations in the biggest market of the world due to the strictest lockdowns and the country's "zero-Covid" policy. The stringent rules have also led to disruption in many companies' supply chains, especially Apple which was manufacturing most of its iPhones in China. Since then, the firm has been diversifying its supply chain and shifting some production to India. As per Marro, the companies have been considering diversification because of escalating tensions between the United States and China amid the imposition of export restrictions on raw materials and technology which is required for producing advanced chips. "We aren't seeing many companies pulling out of China. Many of the big multinational firms have been in the market for decades, and they're not willing to give up the market share that they've spent 20, 30 or 40 years cultivating. But in terms of new investment, in particular, we are seeing a reassessment,” he stated. Impact of low-interest rates making businesses take a U-turn? Businesses have also been taking into account the impact of low interest rates. China also followed the trend of increasing rates sharply last year, just like other countries. Many major central banks, which include the European Central Bank and the US Federal Reserve, have increased their interest rates to tackle inflation. The increased cost of borrowing, which also gives higher returns, attracts foreign capital to the country. However, the country's policymakers have decreased the cost of borrowing to support its economy and real estate industry. This year, their currency yuan saw a depreciation of more than 5 per cent against the euro and dollar. The European Union Chamber of Commerce in China has stated that businesses are spending the money and not reinvesting the earnings made from the Chinese market back in the country. WATCH | Foreign companies exit China, companies rethink China investments | World DNA "Those with excess cash and earnings in China have been increasingly transferring these funds overseas, where they will earn a higher investment return compared to investments in China,” it added. Is uncertainty looming in China's financial future? As per analysts, there is much uncertainty over the China-US ties and the country's interest rates. The central bank of China can move to decrease interest rates further this year for supporting its dwindling economy, stated Dan Wang, the chief economist of Hang Seng Bank China. If the interest rates are lowered, it will place more pressure on their currency. "There is very limited room for monetary easing right now because of the pressure of currency depreciation. If economic sentiment improves next month, it's safe to say that China will lower interest rates. But if sentiment doesn't improve, the central bank will have a very difficult decision to make,” she stated, as reported by BBC. Meanwhile, Marro hinted about businesses remaining cautiously optimistic about the meeting between Presidents Biden and Xi. "Direct meetings between the two presidents tend to exert a stabilising force on bilateral ties. We have also seen a flurry of US-China diplomatic engagement over the past couple of months, which has contributed to this feeling that both sides are aiming to put a floor under the relationship," he stated. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained: Why foreign businesses are pulling out money from China at such a fast rate?

<p>British Prime Minster Rishi Sunak surprised the political observers in the UK when he pushed for his predecessor David Cameron for the post of foreign secretary.</p>

<p>This marks the return of the British leader who had taken a break from active politics after he lost his premiership in 2016 following the Brexit referendum.</p>

<p>Cameron said that he was “delighted to accept” Sunak’s offer, adding, “I believe in public service.”</p>

<p>“While I have been out of front-line politics for the last seven years, I hope that my experience – as Conservative Leader for eleven years and Prime Minister for six – will assist me in helping the Prime Minister to meet these vital challenges,” he said on X.</p>

<p>Cameron, after having stood down as an MP in 2016, will take a seat in the upper house, the House of Lords, to enable him to take up the post.</p>

<p>As the UK embarks on a new foreign policy discourse under Cameron, here are a few important things to know about the former prime minister.</p>

<h2><strong>Cameron was once Britain’s youngest prime minister in almost two centuries</strong></h2>

<p>Cameron created history while assuming office in 2010 when he was 43-and-a-half years old. No prime minister had&nbsp;been younger since Robert Banks Jenkinson, the 2nd Earl of Liverpool, who took office in 1812, one day after his 43rd birthday. Later, in 2022, Rishi Sunak became the youngest PM in the country when he assumed office at the age of&nbsp;42.</p>

<p>Cameron eclipsed Tony Blair, who was only days away from turning 44 when he took office in 1997.</p>

<h2><strong>UK: David Cameron back in reshuffle, Suella Braverman out</strong></h2>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://wionews.com/videos/uk-david-cameron-back-in-reshuffle-suella-braverman-out-658125/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>Origins</strong></h2>

<p>Cameron is a descendant of King William IV and the son of a stockbroker.</p>

<p>He was educated at elite boarding school Eton and Oxford University, where he was admitted to the Bullingdon Club, a hard-drinking, socially exclusive student group.</p>

<p>He worked for the Conservatives as an adviser before a stint in public relations, which ended when he was elected to parliament in 2001.</p>

<p>Cameron's first election victory in 2010 ended 13 years of Labour government. He had been widely praised for giving his party a broader centrist appeal.</p>

<h2><strong>Reviving the economy</strong></h2>

<p>Cameron is regarded for reviving the British economy when it was struggling to get over the 2008 global financial crisis.</p>

<p>The Bank of England continued a loose monetary policy. At the same time, Cameron and his Treasury Minister George Osbourne cut spending, which saw Britain’s budget deficit fall from 10.8 per cent of GDP in 2009 to 4.4 per cent in 2015.</p>

<p>His supporters claim that Cameron helped create 2 million new private sector jobs when the public sector was laying off.</p>

<p>Speaking to the BBC in 2015, Cameron spoke of his government’s successes: “Over the last five years we’ve created a thousand jobs a day, and we commit to continuing that record because we’re going to continue supporting business and industry.”</p>

<p>However, critics argued that the jobs generated under his tenure were not high-paying and did not guarantee job security. Notably, the argument gained currency when the government cut spending, hurting the most vulnerable.</p>

<h2><strong>EU referendum</strong></h2>

<p>Perhaps one of the biggest failures of Cameron was his inability to persuade voters not to opt for Brexit.</p>

<p>In 2013, Cameron pledged to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU with an in/out referendum.</p>

<p>“It is time for the British people to have their say. It is time to settle this European question in British politics. I say to the British people: this will be your decision,”&nbsp;said Cameron in a 2013 speech.</p>

<p>Unfortunately, Cameron couldn’t convince voters and he decided to step down after the Brexit referendum.</p>

<h2><strong>Pro-Gaza views</strong></h2>

<p>In 2010, while addressing business leaders in Turkey, Cameron criticised Israel, calling for restrictions to be relaxed on Gaza.</p>

<p>"The situation in Gaza has to change. Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp," he said.</p>

<p>In another address in 2010, he said, “Everybody knows that we are not going to sort out the problem of the Middle East peace process while there is, effectively, a giant open prison in Gaza."</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/former-uk-pm-david-cameron-appointed-as-foreign-secretary-658064">Former UK PM David Cameron appointed as foreign secretary in shock move</a></p>

<p>Thirteen years later, with the Israel-Hamas war at its peak, the former PM offered a slightly different take on the whole issue.</p>

<p>"We are facing a daunting set of international challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East. At this time of profound global change, it has rarely been more important for this country to stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships and make sure our voice is heard …” he said.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;</strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/uk-interior-minister-suella-braverman-fired-amid-row-over-hate-march-comments-658031">Suella Braverman fired as interior minister amid row, Cleverly takes charge</a></p>

<p>“Britain is a truly international country. Our people live all over the world and our businesses trade in every corner of the globe. Working to help ensure stability and security on the global stage is both essential and squarely in our national interest. International security is vital for our domestic security,” Cameron added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em><br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>


British Prime Minster Rishi Sunak surprised the political observers in the UK when he pushed for his predecessor David Cameron for the post of foreign secretary.

British Prime Minster Rishi Sunak surprised the political observers in the UK when he pushed for his predecessor David Cameron for the post of foreign secretary. This marks the return of the British leader who had taken a break from active politics after he lost his premiership in 2016 following the Brexit referendum. Cameron said that he was “delighted to accept” Sunak’s offer, adding, “I believe in public service.” “While I have been out of front-line politics for the last seven years, I hope that my experience – as Conservative Leader for eleven years and Prime Minister for six – will assist me in helping the Prime Minister to meet these vital challenges,” he said on X. Cameron, after having stood down as an MP in 2016, will take a seat in the upper house, the House of Lords, to enable him to take up the post. As the UK embarks on a new foreign policy discourse under Cameron, here are a few important things to know about the former prime minister. Cameron was once Britain’s youngest prime minister in almost two centuries Cameron created history while assuming office in 2010 when he was 43-and-a-half years old. No prime minister had been younger since Robert Banks Jenkinson, the 2nd Earl of Liverpool, who took office in 1812, one day after his 43rd birthday. Later, in 2022, Rishi Sunak became the youngest PM in the country when he assumed office at the age of 42. Cameron eclipsed Tony Blair, who was only days away from turning 44 when he took office in 1997. UK: David Cameron back in reshuffle, Suella Braverman out Origins Cameron is a descendant of King William IV and the son of a stockbroker. He was educated at elite boarding school Eton and Oxford University, where he was admitted to the Bullingdon Club, a hard-drinking, socially exclusive student group. He worked for the Conservatives as an adviser before a stint in public relations, which ended when he was elected to parliament in 2001. Cameron's first election victory in 2010 ended 13 years of Labour government. He had been widely praised for giving his party a broader centrist appeal. Reviving the economy Cameron is regarded for reviving the British economy when it was struggling to get over the 2008 global financial crisis. The Bank of England continued a loose monetary policy. At the same time, Cameron and his Treasury Minister George Osbourne cut spending, which saw Britain’s budget deficit fall from 10.8 per cent of GDP in 2009 to 4.4 per cent in 2015. His supporters claim that Cameron helped create 2 million new private sector jobs when the public sector was laying off. Speaking to the BBC in 2015, Cameron spoke of his government’s successes: “Over the last five years we’ve created a thousand jobs a day, and we commit to continuing that record because we’re going to continue supporting business and industry.” However, critics argued that the jobs generated under his tenure were not high-paying and did not guarantee job security. Notably, the argument gained currency when the government cut spending, hurting the most vulnerable. EU referendum Perhaps one of the biggest failures of Cameron was his inability to persuade voters not to opt for Brexit. In 2013, Cameron pledged to renegotiate Britain’s relationship with the EU with an in/out referendum. “It is time for the British people to have their say. It is time to settle this European question in British politics. I say to the British people: this will be your decision,” said Cameron in a 2013 speech. Unfortunately, Cameron couldn’t convince voters and he decided to step down after the Brexit referendum. Pro-Gaza views In 2010, while addressing business leaders in Turkey, Cameron criticised Israel, calling for restrictions to be relaxed on Gaza. "The situation in Gaza has to change. Humanitarian goods and people must flow in both directions. Gaza cannot and must not be allowed to remain a prison camp," he said. In another address in 2010, he said, “Everybody knows that we are not going to sort out the problem of the Middle East peace process while there is, effectively, a giant open prison in Gaza." Also read | Former UK PM David Cameron appointed as foreign secretary in shock move Thirteen years later, with the Israel-Hamas war at its peak, the former PM offered a slightly different take on the whole issue. "We are facing a daunting set of international challenges, including the war in Ukraine and the crisis in the Middle East. At this time of profound global change, it has rarely been more important for this country to stand by our allies, strengthen our partnerships and make sure our voice is heard …” he said. Also read | Suella Braverman fired as interior minister amid row, Cleverly takes charge “Britain is a truly international country. Our people live all over the world and our businesses trade in every corner of the globe. Working to help ensure stability and security on the global stage is both essential and squarely in our national interest. International security is vital for our domestic security,” Cameron added. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | Five things to know about UK ex-PM, now foreign secretary David Cameron

<p>On November 7, India's Supreme Court gave a clarification over its order to ban firecrackers across the country. The Court stated that the use of firecrackers, which are filled with barium and other banned chemicals, is banned in the entire nation, and not only in the National Capital Region.<br />
<br />
The clarification was given by a bench, comprising Justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh, when they were hearing an application which was seeking direction to the Rajasthan government for complying with the order of the top court on the on barium crackers and decreasing air and noise pollution.<br />
<br />
“At this juncture, no specific order will be necessary in as much as this Court in the course of hearing the petitions has passed several orders, where steps have been indicated to minimise and avoid air as well as noise pollution. Hence the said orders will bind every state in the country, including the state of Rajasthan,” stated a bench of Justice A S Bopanna and Justice M M Sundresh, in its order.<br />
<br />
“Therefore, we make it clear that the state of Rajasthan would also take note of this and take all steps to minimise air and noise pollution, not only during the festival season but even thereafter," it added.<br />
<br />
The Supreme Court's order came as India is gearing up for Diwali celebrations on November 12. The order raised questions like what type of firecrackers are permitted in the country and what are these firecrackers made of?</p>

<h2><strong>What orders have been issued by the Supreme Court on firecrackers?</strong></h2>

<p>The apex court in October 2018 placed a ban on the sale and production of all crackers except ‘green crackers’ and also those which have reduced emissions or improved crackers.<br />
<br />
The sale and manufacture of ‘joined crackers’ (which are long rows of joined crackers) was also banned and the use of barium salts in firecrackers was not permitted. The court had also stated that their noise levels should remain within permissible limits.<br />
<br />
This was reiterated by the October in its order issued on October 29, 2021. In September, the Supreme Court turned down a plea submitted by the firecracker manufacturers’ association which sought permission to the use of joined crackers and to add barium salt along with improved additives in the green crackers.<br />
<br />
The use and sale of all types of firecrackers in the National Capital Region was banned by the National Green Tribunal in 2020, which stated that the green crackers would only be allowed in towns and cities where air quality was poor or moderate.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/directions-meant-to-regulate-firecrackers-meant-for-entire-india-not-just-delhi-supreme-court-656152">Directions to regulate firecrackers meant for entire India, not just Delhi: Supreme Court</a></p>

<h2><strong>What are firecrackers made of?</strong></h2>

<p>Generally, the firecrackers are made with four primary ingredients — colouring agents, fuel, oxidiser, and binder. An oxidiser is added to the cracker so that it can catch fire, the fuel helps in sustaining it and colouring agents add the colours and sparkles to the crackers, while the mixture is held in place by the binder till the cracker has been spent completely.<br />
<br />
Chemicals such as barium are a type of colouring agent, and they were banned by the court because they harmfully impact the health of human beings. These chemicals cause skin allergies, breathing difficulties, irritation in the respiratory tract, and even cancer.<br />
<br />
In a cracker, aluminium, magnesium and titanium emit the white colour, while carbon or iron emit&nbsp;orange colour.<br />
<br />
Similarly, sodium compounds work as yellow agents, while copper compounds and strontium carbonates emit blue and red colours, respectively. The green agent is barium chlorate barium nitrate or barium monochloride salts.</p>

<h2><strong>What are green crackers that cause less pollution?</strong></h2>

<p>Former director of the Council of Scientific &amp; Industrial Research’s National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) Dr Rakesh Kumar, while speaking to The Indian Express in 2018, stated that green crackers have been named so because they “do not contain harmful chemicals” which can cause air pollution.<br />
<br />
In the green crackers, the components used in traditional crackers are replaced with others which are “less dangerous” and “less harmful” to the atmosphere.<br />
<br />
A network of CSIR labs, which included the Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI), Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, National Botanical Research Institute and National Chemical Laboratory, had researched the ways of producing green crackers.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;India: New Delhi puts firecracker ban ahead of Diwali, 3 years in jail if caught bursting crackers</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/india-new-delhi-puts-firecracker-ban-ahead-of-diwali-3-years-in-jail-if-caught-bursting-crackers-527821/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>These green crackers release water vapour that works as a dust suppressant and emits less-harmful chemicals. Such crackers are divided into three broad categories SWAS, SAFAL and STAR, which have been defined by CSIR.<br />
<br />
SWAS stands for “safe water releaser” and it contains a small water pocket which gets released in the form of vapour after the cracker bursts. This release of vapour suppresses the dust.<br />
<br />
STAR, which is known as a “safe thermite cracker”, does not contain sulphur and potassium nitrate, and releases reduced particulate matter at lesser sound intensity.<br />
<br />
SAFAL refers to safe minimal aluminium in which aluminium is minimally used and magnesium is used instead. This also emits less noise compared to traditional crackers.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


On November 7, India's Supreme Court gave a clarification over its order to ban firecrackers across the country. The Court stated that the use of firecrackers, which are filled with barium and other banned chemicals, is banned in the entire nation, and not only in the National Capital Region.

On November 7, India's Supreme Court gave a clarification over its order to ban firecrackers across the country. The Court stated that the use of firecrackers, which are filled with barium and other banned chemicals, is banned in the entire nation, and not only in the National Capital Region. The clarification was given by a bench, comprising Justices A S Bopanna and M M Sundresh, when they were hearing an application which was seeking direction to the Rajasthan government for complying with the order of the top court on the on barium crackers and decreasing air and noise pollution. “At this juncture, no specific order will be necessary in as much as this Court in the course of hearing the petitions has passed several orders, where steps have been indicated to minimise and avoid air as well as noise pollution. Hence the said orders will bind every state in the country, including the state of Rajasthan,” stated a bench of Justice A S Bopanna and Justice M M Sundresh, in its order. “Therefore, we make it clear that the state of Rajasthan would also take note of this and take all steps to minimise air and noise pollution, not only during the festival season but even thereafter," it added. The Supreme Court's order came as India is gearing up for Diwali celebrations on November 12. The order raised questions like what type of firecrackers are permitted in the country and what are these firecrackers made of? What orders have been issued by the Supreme Court on firecrackers? The apex court in October 2018 placed a ban on the sale and production of all crackers except ‘green crackers’ and also those which have reduced emissions or improved crackers. The sale and manufacture of ‘joined crackers’ (which are long rows of joined crackers) was also banned and the use of barium salts in firecrackers was not permitted. The court had also stated that their noise levels should remain within permissible limits. This was reiterated by the October in its order issued on October 29, 2021. In September, the Supreme Court turned down a plea submitted by the firecracker manufacturers’ association which sought permission to the use of joined crackers and to add barium salt along with improved additives in the green crackers. The use and sale of all types of firecrackers in the National Capital Region was banned by the National Green Tribunal in 2020, which stated that the green crackers would only be allowed in towns and cities where air quality was poor or moderate. ALSO READ | Directions to regulate firecrackers meant for entire India, not just Delhi: Supreme Court What are firecrackers made of? Generally, the firecrackers are made with four primary ingredients — colouring agents, fuel, oxidiser, and binder. An oxidiser is added to the cracker so that it can catch fire, the fuel helps in sustaining it and colouring agents add the colours and sparkles to the crackers, while the mixture is held in place by the binder till the cracker has been spent completely. Chemicals such as barium are a type of colouring agent, and they were banned by the court because they harmfully impact the health of human beings. These chemicals cause skin allergies, breathing difficulties, irritation in the respiratory tract, and even cancer. In a cracker, aluminium, magnesium and titanium emit the white colour, while carbon or iron emit orange colour. Similarly, sodium compounds work as yellow agents, while copper compounds and strontium carbonates emit blue and red colours, respectively. The green agent is barium chlorate barium nitrate or barium monochloride salts. What are green crackers that cause less pollution? Former director of the Council of Scientific & Industrial Research’s National Environmental Engineering Research Institute (CSIR-NEERI) Dr Rakesh Kumar, while speaking to The Indian Express in 2018, stated that green crackers have been named so because they “do not contain harmful chemicals” which can cause air pollution. In the green crackers, the components used in traditional crackers are replaced with others which are “less dangerous” and “less harmful” to the atmosphere. A network of CSIR labs, which included the Central Electro Chemical Research Institute (CECRI), Indian Institute of Chemical Technology, National Botanical Research Institute and National Chemical Laboratory, had researched the ways of producing green crackers. WATCH | India: New Delhi puts firecracker ban ahead of Diwali, 3 years in jail if caught bursting crackers These green crackers release water vapour that works as a dust suppressant and emits less-harmful chemicals. Such crackers are divided into three broad categories SWAS, SAFAL and STAR, which have been defined by CSIR. SWAS stands for “safe water releaser” and it contains a small water pocket which gets released in the form of vapour after the cracker bursts. This release of vapour suppresses the dust. STAR, which is known as a “safe thermite cracker”, does not contain sulphur and potassium nitrate, and releases reduced particulate matter at lesser sound intensity. SAFAL refers to safe minimal aluminium in which aluminium is minimally used and magnesium is used instead. This also emits less noise compared to traditional crackers. (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | What kind of fireworks are allowed across India after SC's ban on crackers?

<p>Match 41 of the ODI World Cup 2023 edition is between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at the iconic M Chinaswammy Stadium in Bengaluru. The clash holds a lot of significance for both sides as Kane Williamson &amp; Co. have a leftover semi-final spot up for grabs whereas Kusal Mendis-led Lankans need a win to confirm&nbsp;a place in the 2025 Champions Trophy.</p>

<p>The clash will also be keenly watched by Babar Azam's Pakistan as they will be hoping for Sri Lanka to beat the&nbsp;Kiwis. As of now, three out of the four semi-final slots have been booked -- by India, South Africa and Australia -- but there is a three-way tussle between the Kiwis, Men in Green and Afghanistan for the remaining fourth spot (with all of them tied at 8 points). The Black Caps will progress ahead with a convincing win. But with the rain threat looming large on the NZ vs SL tie, it can mean advantage Pakistan.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/cricket/meg-lanning-australia-womens-star-player-announces-shock-retirement-from-international-cricket-656763">Meg Lanning, Australia women's star player, announces shock retirement from international cricket</a></strong></p>

<p>In case the NZ vs SL match is washed out, the former will end with 9 points (with both sharing a point each). Thus, Pakistan will only need to beat England&nbsp;in their last league game on Saturday (Nov 11) in Kolkata, to progress ahead. On the other hand, they will hope for Afghanistan to lose to South Africa, on Friday (Nov 10) in Ahmedabad, or not win by a big margin as the Afghans&nbsp;are already way behind in terms of Net Run Rate (NRR), i.e. -0.338.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At present, NZ's NRR is&nbsp;+0.398 whereas it is +0.036 for Pakistan. While NZ have a good chance, rain might play spoilsport. For Pakistan, they do seem to have luck on their side but will still need to beat defending champions England even if SL beat NZ or the game is washed out. In case the Kiwis beat the Lankans, Pakistan will have to beat the English team by a huge margin.</p>

<p>Afghanistan, who have been very impressive, have their task cut out&nbsp;following a shocking loss to Australia and a poor NRR. Nonetheless, they are also still not out of the semis&nbsp;race. Thus, it is all to play for all the three teams.</p>


Match 41 of the ODI World Cup 2023 edition is between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at the iconic M Chinaswammy Stadium in Bengaluru. The clash holds a lot of significance for both sides as Kane Williamson & Co.

Match 41 of the ODI World Cup 2023 edition is between New Zealand and Sri Lanka at the iconic M Chinaswammy Stadium in Bengaluru. The clash holds a lot of significance for both sides as Kane Williamson & Co. have a leftover semi-final spot up for grabs whereas Kusal Mendis-led Lankans need a win to confirm a place in the 2025 Champions Trophy. The clash will also be keenly watched by Babar Azam's Pakistan as they will be hoping for Sri Lanka to beat the Kiwis. As of now, three out of the four semi-final slots have been booked -- by India, South Africa and Australia -- but there is a three-way tussle between the Kiwis, Men in Green and Afghanistan for the remaining fourth spot (with all of them tied at 8 points). The Black Caps will progress ahead with a convincing win. But with the rain threat looming large on the NZ vs SL tie, it can mean advantage Pakistan. Also read: Meg Lanning, Australia women's star player, announces shock retirement from international cricket In case the NZ vs SL match is washed out, the former will end with 9 points (with both sharing a point each). Thus, Pakistan will only need to beat England in their last league game on Saturday (Nov 11) in Kolkata, to progress ahead. On the other hand, they will hope for Afghanistan to lose to South Africa, on Friday (Nov 10) in Ahmedabad, or not win by a big margin as the Afghans are already way behind in terms of Net Run Rate (NRR), i.e. -0.338. At present, NZ's NRR is +0.398 whereas it is +0.036 for Pakistan. While NZ have a good chance, rain might play spoilsport. For Pakistan, they do seem to have luck on their side but will still need to beat defending champions England even if SL beat NZ or the game is washed out. In case the Kiwis beat the Lankans, Pakistan will have to beat the English team by a huge margin. Afghanistan, who have been very impressive, have their task cut out following a shocking loss to Australia and a poor NRR. Nonetheless, they are also still not out of the semis race. Thus, it is all to play for all the three teams.

CWC 2023: Will Pakistan qualify for semi-finals if New Zealand vs Sri Lanka is washed out?

<p>The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Israel's Tel Aviv on Friday (Nov 3) in what is his second trip to West Asia this week, days after his much-criticised&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/shuttle-diplomacy-blinken-meets-jordanian-king-palestinian-president-abbas-in-amman-646310">shuttle diplomacy</a>&nbsp;in the region failed to yield geopolitical results aimed towards a purported&nbsp;de-escalation of Israel-Hamas war and access to&nbsp;humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip.</p>

<p>Blinken&nbsp;is expected to push the Israeli government for "humanitarian pauses" in its assault on Gaza amid Biden administration's purported efforts for the release of Hamas-held hostages.</p>

<p>While attack by the Hamas terrorists led to the brutal killings of more than 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians, the retaliatory action by Israel has killed&nbsp;more than 8,500 people, two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry.</p>

<h2><strong>Antony Blinken's second West Asia visit in less than three weeks</strong></h2>

<p>Blinken's second wartime visit to West Asia is aimed at seeking&nbsp;"urgent mechanisms" to reduce regional tensions over the Israel-Hamas war.</p>

<p>"Secretary Blinken will travel to Israel on Friday for meetings with members of the Israeli government, and then will make other stops in the region," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said.</p>

<p>Antony Blinken's previous visit to the region concluded on October 15, in what came to be known as "shuttle diplomacy" for the sheer number of&nbsp;trips and meetings the US Secretary of State had with the leaders of a host of countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The US diplomat made&nbsp;over a dozen stops in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and back in Israel.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;US, Russian bids on Israel-Hamas war fail at Security Council</strong></p>

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<p>Blinken's visits were targeted towards&nbsp;an immediate de-escalation of violence in the region as well as a humanitarian corridor via Egypt's Rafah crossing to ensure the access of humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip. They also aimed at laying the groundwork for a leaders' summit in Jordan where the US President Joe Biden was supposed to meet Jordan's King Abdullah II, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Blinken's shuttle diplomacy failed to claim even partial success.</p>

<p>While the war between Israel and Hamas continues to rage, leading to multiple crises in the blockaded Palestinian region, the humanitarian aid inside Gaza via Egypt's Rafah crossing went over two weeks after the conflict first began in the region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the biggest diplomatic setback for the Biden administration came when US President Joe Biden's West Asia visit was forced to be cut down to only Israel. The development occurred after Jordan unilaterally called off&nbsp;a four-way summit between Joe Biden and the&nbsp;leaders of&nbsp;Amman, Cairo and Ramallah—the de-facto administrative capital of Palestine Authority.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/the-capitals-washingtons-waning-political-capital-in-west-asia-delays-aid-into-gaza-strip-649883">The Capitals: Washington's waning political capital in West Asia delays aid into Gaza Strip</a></strong></p>

<p>Jordan called off the summit immediately after Israel was blamed for an attack on an hospital in Gaza but Tel Aviv&nbsp;denied any role and blamed a 'misfired' rocket by Islamic Jehad for the hundreds of casualties in the incident.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The death toll at the hospital was also described as "exaggerated" by the Western intelligence agencies. However, the four-way leaders' summit was called off despite Biden administration's&nbsp;deployment of its Secretary of State Antony Blinken for diplomatic engagements in the region in the immediate days following the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas.</p>

<p>The development was described as a sign of Washington's waning political capital in the region.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"The Jordanian government’s cancellation of President Biden’s trip serves as a glaring indicator of the United States’ waning political capital in the Middle East," Raed Jarrar, Advocacy Director at Washington-based Democracy For The Arab World Now (DAWN) non-profit, had told WION.</p>

<p><strong>Also read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/spotlight-on-washingtons-waning-political-capital-after-gaza-hospital-blast-sinks-bidens-jordan-summit-648187">Spotlight on Washington's waning political capital after Gaza hospital blast sinks Biden's Jordan summit&nbsp;</a></strong></p>

<p>The White House said later that Biden had spoken on Tuesday (Oct 31) with&nbsp;Jordan's King Abdullah, where Blinken visited multiple times during his first leg to West Asia visit.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Biden and King Abdullah II "discussed urgent mechanisms to stem violence, calm rhetoric, and reduce regional tensions," a White House statement said.</p>

<p>It added that the two leaders "agreed that it is critical to ensure that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced outside of Gaza" and that Biden had "confirmed unwavering US support for Jordan and His Majesty's leadership."</p>

<h2><strong>Blinken's second leg&nbsp;of wartime West Asia visit: What is new this time?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The ongoing Israeli campaign in Gaza Strip purportedly aims to dismantle Hamas, which controls the blockaded region since 2007, after ousting the relatively&nbsp;moderate Fatah,&nbsp;a Palestinian nationalist and social democratic political party and the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization.</p>

<p>Hamas ousted the Palestinian Authority&nbsp;from Gaza in 2007 following bloody fighting, a year after winning the elections&nbsp;in Palestinian legislative elections.</p>

<p>While the Gaza Strip is controlled by Hamas (designated a terrorist group by the US and the UK), the Palestinian region of West Bank&nbsp;is partly controlled by Palestine Authority which has effectively been deemed as a legitimate stakeholder in Palestinian political process.</p>

<p>Blinken has called upon a&nbsp;potentially "revitalised" Palestinian Authority to retake the control of Gaza if Israel succeeds in its goal of toppling Hamas. But for that, regional partners&nbsp;— including Qatar which hosts a number of Hamas leaders designated as terrorists by the West&nbsp;— must come on-board.</p>

<p>"At some point, what would make the most sense would be for an effective and revitalised Palestinian Authority to have governance and ultimately security responsibility for Gaza," Blinken told a Senate hearing on October 31.</p>

<p>"Whether you can get there in one step is a big question that we have to look at. And if you can’t, then there are other temporary arrangements that may involve a number of other countries in the region," Blinken said. "It may involve international agencies that would help provide for both security and governance."<br />
<br />
<em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>


The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Israel's Tel Aviv on Friday (Nov 3) in what is his second trip to West Asia this week, days after his much-criticised shuttle diplomacy in the region failed to yield geopolitical results aimed towards a purported de-escalation of Israel-Hamas war and access to humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip.

The US Secretary of State Antony Blinken landed in Israel's Tel Aviv on Friday (Nov 3) in what is his second trip to West Asia this week, days after his much-criticised shuttle diplomacy in the region failed to yield geopolitical results aimed towards a purported de-escalation of Israel-Hamas war and access to humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip. Blinken is expected to push the Israeli government for "humanitarian pauses" in its assault on Gaza amid Biden administration's purported efforts for the release of Hamas-held hostages. While attack by the Hamas terrorists led to the brutal killings of more than 1,400 Israelis, mostly civilians, the retaliatory action by Israel has killed more than 8,500 people, two-thirds of them women and children, according to the Hamas-run Gaza health ministry. Antony Blinken's second West Asia visit in less than three weeks Blinken's second wartime visit to West Asia is aimed at seeking "urgent mechanisms" to reduce regional tensions over the Israel-Hamas war. "Secretary Blinken will travel to Israel on Friday for meetings with members of the Israeli government, and then will make other stops in the region," State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said. Antony Blinken's previous visit to the region concluded on October 15, in what came to be known as "shuttle diplomacy" for the sheer number of trips and meetings the US Secretary of State had with the leaders of a host of countries, including Saudi Arabia, Jordan and Egypt. The US diplomat made over a dozen stops in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt and back in Israel. Also watch | US, Russian bids on Israel-Hamas war fail at Security Council × Blinken's visits were targeted towards an immediate de-escalation of violence in the region as well as a humanitarian corridor via Egypt's Rafah crossing to ensure the access of humanitarian aid into Gaza Strip. They also aimed at laying the groundwork for a leaders' summit in Jordan where the US President Joe Biden was supposed to meet Jordan's King Abdullah II, Egypt's President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi and Palestine Authority President Mahmoud Abbas. Blinken's shuttle diplomacy failed to claim even partial success. While the war between Israel and Hamas continues to rage, leading to multiple crises in the blockaded Palestinian region, the humanitarian aid inside Gaza via Egypt's Rafah crossing went over two weeks after the conflict first began in the region. But the biggest diplomatic setback for the Biden administration came when US President Joe Biden's West Asia visit was forced to be cut down to only Israel. The development occurred after Jordan unilaterally called off a four-way summit between Joe Biden and the leaders of Amman, Cairo and Ramallah—the de-facto administrative capital of Palestine Authority. Also read | The Capitals: Washington's waning political capital in West Asia delays aid into Gaza Strip Jordan called off the summit immediately after Israel was blamed for an attack on an hospital in Gaza but Tel Aviv denied any role and blamed a 'misfired' rocket by Islamic Jehad for the hundreds of casualties in the incident. The death toll at the hospital was also described as "exaggerated" by the Western intelligence agencies. However, the four-way leaders' summit was called off despite Biden administration's deployment of its Secretary of State Antony Blinken for diplomatic engagements in the region in the immediate days following the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas. The development was described as a sign of Washington's waning political capital in the region. "The Jordanian government’s cancellation of President Biden’s trip serves as a glaring indicator of the United States’ waning political capital in the Middle East," Raed Jarrar, Advocacy Director at Washington-based Democracy For The Arab World Now (DAWN) non-profit, had told WION. Also read | Spotlight on Washington's waning political capital after Gaza hospital blast sinks Biden's Jordan summit The White House said later that Biden had spoken on Tuesday (Oct 31) with Jordan's King Abdullah, where Blinken visited multiple times during his first leg to West Asia visit. Biden and King Abdullah II "discussed urgent mechanisms to stem violence, calm rhetoric, and reduce regional tensions," a White House statement said. It added that the two leaders "agreed that it is critical to ensure that Palestinians are not forcibly displaced outside of Gaza" and that Biden had "confirmed unwavering US support for Jordan and His Majesty's leadership." Blinken's second leg of wartime West Asia visit: What is new this time? The ongoing Israeli campaign in Gaza Strip purportedly aims to dismantle Hamas, which controls the blockaded region since 2007, after ousting the relatively moderate Fatah, a Palestinian nationalist and social democratic political party and the largest faction of the confederated multi-party Palestine Liberation Organization. Hamas ousted the Palestinian Authority from Gaza in 2007 following bloody fighting, a year after winning the elections in Palestinian legislative elections. While the Gaza Strip is controlled by Hamas (designated a terrorist group by the US and the UK), the Palestinian region of West Bank is partly controlled by Palestine Authority which has effectively been deemed as a legitimate stakeholder in Palestinian political process. Blinken has called upon a potentially "revitalised" Palestinian Authority to retake the control of Gaza if Israel succeeds in its goal of toppling Hamas. But for that, regional partners — including Qatar which hosts a number of Hamas leaders designated as terrorists by the West — must come on-board. "At some point, what would make the most sense would be for an effective and revitalised Palestinian Authority to have governance and ultimately security responsibility for Gaza," Blinken told a Senate hearing on October 31. "Whether you can get there in one step is a big question that we have to look at. And if you can’t, then there are other temporary arrangements that may involve a number of other countries in the region," Blinken said. "It may involve international agencies that would help provide for both security and governance." (With inputs from agencies)

Explained | Why Blinken has returned to West Asia despite a failed peace bid last time

<p>Pakistan have not lived up to expectations so far in the ongoing ICC Men's ODI World Cup in India. After winning their first two games, Babar Azam-led Men in Green were on a roll before losing four games on the trot. Thus, they are languishing at the sixth position with four points, and a Net Run Rate of -0.387, and are on the brink of an early elimination. They faced high-flying South Africa in match 26 of the ten-team tournament on Friday (Oct 27), in Chennai, and went down by a wicket in a thriller, in defence of 270, to further decrease their chances of going ahead into the semi-finals.&nbsp;</p>

<p>However, Babar &amp; Co. are not out of the semi-final race as yet. There is a remote chance of them making it to the semi-finals but they need to win all their remaining games, that too by a big margin, and also hope for other results to go in their favour. As per a report in <em>Cricket Addictor</em>,&nbsp;<strong>Here are all the possible scenarios for the 1992 winners:</strong></p>

<h2><strong>Pakistan's Qualification Scenario For Semi-Finals:</strong></h2>

<p>- To win all their remaining games, beat New Zealand, Bangladesh and England (by big margins as well)<br />
- Hope for England,&nbsp;Afghanistan and Bangladesh to beat five-time winners Australia<br />
- For Pakistan to remain alive, they need the Kiwis to&nbsp;defeat Sri Lanka<br />
- Hope for India's win over the Netherlands.<br />
- South Africa and Sri Lanka to beat Afghanistan, who have defeated Pakistan and England in the ongoing competition<br />
- India or Bangladesh to defeat Sri Lanka</p>

<p><strong>Also read: <a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/in-pics-five-big-moments-from-indias-splendid-win-against-england-in-lucknow-652799">In Pics | Five big moments from India's splendid win against England in Lucknow</a></strong></p>

<p>Talking about Pakistan's game versus the Proteas, the Babar-led side opted to bat first and rode on the captain's 50, Saud Shakeel's 52 and Shadab Khan's vital 43 to post 270 in 46.4 overs. In reply, Temba Bavuma-led South Africa chased down the score in the 48th over with one wicket in hand. Aiden Markram (91) and Tabraiz Shamsi (4 for 60 and 4 not out) were the star performers for the Proteas, with the latter earning the Player-of-the-Match award.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At the post-match presentation, Babar said after the loss, "We are very close, we did not finish&nbsp;well. Very disappointing for the whole team. We fought back very&nbsp;well. In the batting we were 10-15 short. The fast bowlers&nbsp;and spinners fought well but unfortunately it was not to be. It is part of the game, in DRS it is part of the game. Had he given it out, it would have favored us. We have an opportunity to win this and stay in the race but not to be. We will try our best in the next 3 matches and put our efforts and play for Pakistan. Let's see where we will stand after that."</p>

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Pakistan have not lived up to expectations so far in the ongoing ICC Men's ODI World Cup in India. After winning their first two games, Babar Azam-led Men in Green were on a roll before losing four games on the trot.

Pakistan have not lived up to expectations so far in the ongoing ICC Men's ODI World Cup in India. After winning their first two games, Babar Azam-led Men in Green were on a roll before losing four games on the trot. Thus, they are languishing at the sixth position with four points, and a Net Run Rate of -0.387, and are on the brink of an early elimination. They faced high-flying South Africa in match 26 of the ten-team tournament on Friday (Oct 27), in Chennai, and went down by a wicket in a thriller, in defence of 270, to further decrease their chances of going ahead into the semi-finals. However, Babar & Co. are not out of the semi-final race as yet. There is a remote chance of them making it to the semi-finals but they need to win all their remaining games, that too by a big margin, and also hope for other results to go in their favour. As per a report in Cricket Addictor, Here are all the possible scenarios for the 1992 winners: Pakistan's Qualification Scenario For Semi-Finals: - To win all their remaining games, beat New Zealand, Bangladesh and England (by big margins as well) - Hope for England, Afghanistan and Bangladesh to beat five-time winners Australia - For Pakistan to remain alive, they need the Kiwis to defeat Sri Lanka - Hope for India's win over the Netherlands. - South Africa and Sri Lanka to beat Afghanistan, who have defeated Pakistan and England in the ongoing competition - India or Bangladesh to defeat Sri Lanka Also read: In Pics | Five big moments from India's splendid win against England in Lucknow Talking about Pakistan's game versus the Proteas, the Babar-led side opted to bat first and rode on the captain's 50, Saud Shakeel's 52 and Shadab Khan's vital 43 to post 270 in 46.4 overs. In reply, Temba Bavuma-led South Africa chased down the score in the 48th over with one wicket in hand. Aiden Markram (91) and Tabraiz Shamsi (4 for 60 and 4 not out) were the star performers for the Proteas, with the latter earning the Player-of-the-Match award. At the post-match presentation, Babar said after the loss, "We are very close, we did not finish well. Very disappointing for the whole team. We fought back very well. In the batting we were 10-15 short. The fast bowlers and spinners fought well but unfortunately it was not to be. It is part of the game, in DRS it is part of the game. Had he given it out, it would have favored us. We have an opportunity to win this and stay in the race but not to be. We will try our best in the next 3 matches and put our efforts and play for Pakistan. Let's see where we will stand after that." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

CWC '23: How Pakistan can still qualify for semi-finals after four successive defeats - Scenarios EXPLAINED

<p>Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur is in the news again, as he constantly is. This time, he is making news because his 'Starlink' is helping to provide and restore internet access in the Gaza Strip, which is currently being relentlessly bombed by Israel after Palestinian militant group Hamas' October 7 attack that sparked the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Like any other of his ventures, Starlink is an ambitious project that seeks to provide internet access in the remotest parts of the world. But the approach is different. So what exactly is Starlink? Read on.</p>

<p>The traditional approach of providing internet access to an area requires laying fiber-optic wires. This, in turn, involves infrastructure and setting up of a network that requires a physical presence on ground. Plus, all of this needs to be maintained regularly. Needless to say that such an approach becomes problematic because it may not always be possible to lay and maintain wires etc., in parts of the world that are very hard to reach, like mountainous regions, deserts, remote islands and so on. But people live in such places. So how to provide internet access to these populations?</p>

<p>Enter Starlink.</p>

<h2><strong>So what is Starlink exactly?</strong></h2>

<p>Elon Musk's Starlink seeks to provide internet access straight from the sky. A mountainous region may be hard to reach via ground but everyone, everywhere is living under the sky right?&nbsp;</p>

<p>So Starlink, which is operated by Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX, provides internet access with the help of satellites.</p>

<p><strong>Also Read | <a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/spacex-seals-deal-with-esa-for-launch-of-satellites-report-650799">SpaceX seals deal with ESA for launch of satellites: Report</a></strong></p>

<p>Now it's old news that satellites can be used to facilitate communication on Earth. But previously such access was extremely expensive and hence ordinary citizens could utilise the access either through governments or big corporations.</p>

<p>Starlink in itself is part of corporate set-up, yes but from what SpaceX and Musk have been saying, it aims to make power of satellites for everyday communication more accessible to users.</p>

<p><strong>Watch | Israel-Palestine war: Elon Musk offers internet to international aid organisation</strong></p>

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<p>"Starlink is ideally suited for areas where connectivity has been unreliable or completely unavailable," says Starlink on its website&nbsp;</p>

<p>"People across the globe are using Starlink to gain access to education, health services and even communications support during natural disasters."</p>

<h2><strong>So how many satellites are needed for this 'wifi from the sky'?</strong></h2>

<p>Literally thousands! Starlink started launching satellites in 2019. By August this year, they have already sent more than 5000 satellites. The company plans to ultimately send 42000 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Starlink has already begun providing internet service in many countries but not all. A low Earth orbit puts a satellite about 342 miles (550 kilometres) above the ground.</p>

<p>What's more, the low Earth orbit means that you don't need special equipment to see a Starlink satellite if it is passing through night sky above you. With naked eye, the satellite may appear like a star that is moving.</p>

<p>In case of Starlink satellites, however, due to their sheer numbers, they are often visible in the night sky as a 'train' of stars moving in a line. This is quite a sight for those who haven't seen such a thing before.</p>

<p>There are many apps that tell when exactly Starlink satellites are above you or going to be above you. You can then just look at the sky and see the 'train' of Starlink satellites. Stargazers around the world began reporting such trains within 60 days of launch of first satellites.</p>

<p><strong>Controversies surrounding Starlink and its web of satellites</strong><br />
&nbsp;<br />
Since the outbreak of Russia-Ukraine war, Russian missile attacks have severely damaged infrastructure in Ukraine. This includes traditional internet network that is no longer reliable.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Ukrainian armed forces have hence heavily relied on net connectivity facilitated by Starlink to co-ordination military movements and thwart Russian advance which, at the beginning of the war appeared unstoppable.</p>

<p>However, Musk admitted himself in September this year that he refused request from Ukraine to make Starlink network available in Crimean peninsula so that Ukraine can launch a major drone attack against Russian warships anchored at Sevastopol. He said on X, the social media platform he owns, that agreeing to the request would have amounted to being 'complicit in a major act of war'.</p>

<p>"There was an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol. The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor. If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation," he wrote in his post on X last year.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">There was an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol.<br />
<br />
The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor.<br />
<br />
If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and…</p>
— Elon Musk (@elonmusk) <a href="https://twitter.com/elonmusk/status/1699917639043404146?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 7, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>The situation led to debate across the world. Questions like should outcome of a conflict depend on what one private company does. and more were asked.</p>

<p>The other concern has been raised by astronomers. It is feared that thousands of Starlink satellites in the sky would lead to interference in astrophotography and in turn, study of space.</p>

<p>"Satellite constellations can pose a significant or debilitating threat to important existing and future astronomical infrastructures, and we urge their designers and deployers as well as policy-makers to work with the astronomical community in a concerted effort to analyze and understand the impact of satellite constellations," said International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 2019.</p>

<p>The advance of such sky-based internet services appears inevitable as many companies are entering the arena following Starlink's success.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur is in the news again, as he constantly is. This time, he is making news because his 'Starlink' is helping to provide and restore internet access in the Gaza Strip, which is currently being relentlessly bombed by Israel after Palestinian militant group Hamas' October 7 attack that sparked the ongoing Israel-Hamas war.

Elon Musk, the billionaire entrepreneur is in the news again, as he constantly is. This time, he is making news because his 'Starlink' is helping to provide and restore internet access in the Gaza Strip, which is currently being relentlessly bombed by Israel after Palestinian militant group Hamas' October 7 attack that sparked the ongoing Israel-Hamas war. Like any other of his ventures, Starlink is an ambitious project that seeks to provide internet access in the remotest parts of the world. But the approach is different. So what exactly is Starlink? Read on. The traditional approach of providing internet access to an area requires laying fiber-optic wires. This, in turn, involves infrastructure and setting up of a network that requires a physical presence on ground. Plus, all of this needs to be maintained regularly. Needless to say that such an approach becomes problematic because it may not always be possible to lay and maintain wires etc., in parts of the world that are very hard to reach, like mountainous regions, deserts, remote islands and so on. But people live in such places. So how to provide internet access to these populations? Enter Starlink. So what is Starlink exactly? Elon Musk's Starlink seeks to provide internet access straight from the sky. A mountainous region may be hard to reach via ground but everyone, everywhere is living under the sky right? So Starlink, which is operated by Elon Musk's aerospace company SpaceX, provides internet access with the help of satellites. Also Read | SpaceX seals deal with ESA for launch of satellites: Report Now it's old news that satellites can be used to facilitate communication on Earth. But previously such access was extremely expensive and hence ordinary citizens could utilise the access either through governments or big corporations. Starlink in itself is part of corporate set-up, yes but from what SpaceX and Musk have been saying, it aims to make power of satellites for everyday communication more accessible to users. Watch | Israel-Palestine war: Elon Musk offers internet to international aid organisation × "Starlink is ideally suited for areas where connectivity has been unreliable or completely unavailable," says Starlink on its website "People across the globe are using Starlink to gain access to education, health services and even communications support during natural disasters." So how many satellites are needed for this 'wifi from the sky'? Literally thousands! Starlink started launching satellites in 2019. By August this year, they have already sent more than 5000 satellites. The company plans to ultimately send 42000 satellites in Low Earth Orbit (LEO). Starlink has already begun providing internet service in many countries but not all. A low Earth orbit puts a satellite about 342 miles (550 kilometres) above the ground. What's more, the low Earth orbit means that you don't need special equipment to see a Starlink satellite if it is passing through night sky above you. With naked eye, the satellite may appear like a star that is moving. In case of Starlink satellites, however, due to their sheer numbers, they are often visible in the night sky as a 'train' of stars moving in a line. This is quite a sight for those who haven't seen such a thing before. There are many apps that tell when exactly Starlink satellites are above you or going to be above you. You can then just look at the sky and see the 'train' of Starlink satellites. Stargazers around the world began reporting such trains within 60 days of launch of first satellites. Controversies surrounding Starlink and its web of satellites Since the outbreak of Russia-Ukraine war, Russian missile attacks have severely damaged infrastructure in Ukraine. This includes traditional internet network that is no longer reliable. Ukrainian armed forces have hence heavily relied on net connectivity facilitated by Starlink to co-ordination military movements and thwart Russian advance which, at the beginning of the war appeared unstoppable. However, Musk admitted himself in September this year that he refused request from Ukraine to make Starlink network available in Crimean peninsula so that Ukraine can launch a major drone attack against Russian warships anchored at Sevastopol. He said on X, the social media platform he owns, that agreeing to the request would have amounted to being 'complicit in a major act of war'. "There was an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol. The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor. If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and conflict escalation," he wrote in his post on X last year. There was an emergency request from government authorities to activate Starlink all the way to Sevastopol. The obvious intent being to sink most of the Russian fleet at anchor. If I had agreed to their request, then SpaceX would be explicitly complicit in a major act of war and… — Elon Musk (@elonmusk) September 7, 2023 × The situation led to debate across the world. Questions like should outcome of a conflict depend on what one private company does. and more were asked. The other concern has been raised by astronomers. It is feared that thousands of Starlink satellites in the sky would lead to interference in astrophotography and in turn, study of space. "Satellite constellations can pose a significant or debilitating threat to important existing and future astronomical infrastructures, and we urge their designers and deployers as well as policy-makers to work with the astronomical community in a concerted effort to analyze and understand the impact of satellite constellations," said International Astronomical Union (IAU) in 2019. The advance of such sky-based internet services appears inevitable as many companies are entering the arena following Starlink's success. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Explained | What is Starlink, the ambitious global internet service of Elon Musk?

<p>When a helicopter lands on an open field, it kicks off a dust storm and particles are strewn all across the vicinity of the landing spot. Likewise, when the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the Lunar surface by using its on-board engines (helicopters use rotors, aerospace vehicles use mini-rocket engines), it kicked up quite a lot of dust, says a finding by Indian Space Research Organisation.</p>

<p>"It is understood that the landing rocket plumes must have displaced a significant mass of lunar epiregolith (soil/dust) during the final stages of landing and the consequent impact of the lander on the Lunar surface," ISRO said, citing imaging data.</p>

<p>According to the findings published in the Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, the comparison of pre-landing and post-landing imaging data depicts a halo around the landing site, thereby indicating the spread of the lunar dust that had been kicked up.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chandrayaan-3-is-a-success-a-soft-landing-for-vikram-lander-a-giant-leap-for-indias-space-odyssey-628404">Chandrayaan-3 is success: A soft landing for Vikram lander, giant leap for India's space odyssey</a></strong></p>

<p>On the surface of the earth, owing to the effect of gravity and&nbsp; an atmosphere, the dust kicked up by the helicopter rotors would settle down within a few seconds of the rotor blades coming to a halt. However, lunar gravity is barely 1/6<sup>th</sup>&nbsp;that of the earth and there is no atmosphere or air, therefore, the lunar dust would take a while to settle.</p>

<p>Based on calculations incorporating the mass of the Vikram lander, the research paper states that approximately 2.06 tonnes of&nbsp; lunar epiregolith mass has been ejected.</p>

<p>"This number benchmarks well against the estimates from the much heavier Apollo landers, where around 4.5 to 6 tonnes of ejecta was displaced" it reads.</p>

<p>The report derived from the findings is titled 'Characterisation of Ejecta Halo on the Lunar Surface Around Chandrayaan-3 Vikram Lander Using OHRC Imagery'.</p>

<p>Given the fine-grained nature of the lunar epiregolith at the Vikram landing site, a large volume of in situ epiregolith has been displaced from the landing site region, the finding states.</p>

<p>By analysing the images of the landing site and the lander, as captured by the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, it mentions that an approximate area of 108.4 meters squared, is estimated to be covered by the lunar dust scattered by the landing sequence of the Vikram lander.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Chandrayaan-3: The mission objectives of lander Vikram, rover Pragyan on the Moon</strong></p>

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<p>While these findings by ISRO's National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) indicate that a significant amount of dust was kicked up by the Lunar landing, the initial observations by the Indian space agency were the exact opposite. "When we went into the site (and landed there), the terrain looked entirely different. We have seen during the landing process that the dust coming out was extremely less. It was also surprising to us, as to why so much dust was not coming out ?' ISRO Chief, Dr. S. Somanath had earlier said in an interview.</p>

<p>Specifically referring to the nature of dust observed, he said, "It was not behaving like dust, it was more like a little sticky material. So, we will have to understand why the material on the moon is a little sticky". ISRO suspects that the lunar soil/dust being sticky or the surface being uneven, is what prevented the rover wheel imprint appearing distinctly on the moon.</p>

<p>The rover wheels were imprinted with the <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-how-indias-chandrayaan-3-will-leave-imprints-of-isro-national-emblem-on-moon-616061">ISRO logo and the Indian national emblem</a>.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This also raises the question, whether the force exerted by the Lunar lander engines blew away all the fine dust (Lunar soil) near the landing site and exposed the sticky surface below the dust?</p>

<p>Answers to this might emerge as and when more data and findings from the Chandrayaan-3 mission are made public. We must remember that Chandrayaan-3 landed near the unexplored south pole region of the moon.</p>

<p>In the history of lunar exploration, this is the closest that a mission has gotten to this region. Therefore, several unique scientific outcomes could emerge from this mission.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">The findings on Lunar dust being kicked up had been released today by <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/isro?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#isro</a>, based on their observations of <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/Chandrayaan3?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#Chandrayaan3</a> landing<br />
<br />
Thesis from <a href="https://twitter.com/hashtag/America?src=hash&amp;ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">#America</a> states that Lunar dust can be scattered even into Lunar orbit..<br />
Large&amp; heavy lander+ larger exhaust =Dust goes Faster&amp; farther <a href="https://t.co/8ewRsK2y76">pic.twitter.com/8ewRsK2y76</a></p>
— Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) <a href="https://twitter.com/sdhrthmp/status/1717919024003297289?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 27, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>According to a thesis submitted at the University of Central Florida, the high-speed ejecta (lunar dust) scattered by landing lunar crafts could cause harm to even crafts circling the moon and future lunar space stations.&nbsp;</p>

<p>It also goes on to state that larger and heavier lunar landers that spew bigger plumes of exhaust flame, could scatter more dust and accelerate these particles even outside of the moon(to lunar orbit), given the weak lunar gravity.</p>

<p>The thesis also mentions that Particles generally stay aloft for longest when launched from the Equator and stay aloft shortest when launched from the South Pole. Dust particles ejected from the Lunar equator at certain speeds are known to remain afloat for almost a month, whereas those ejected from the south pole would remain aloft for about a week, it says.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As more robotic and crewed Lunar missions are to reach the Lunar surface in coming years, it is of paramount importance for space agencies to better understand the effects and specific nature of Lunar dust, in order to develop methods to safeguard from it.</p>

<p>Lunar dust is known to cause damage to spacecraft components, sensors, cameras, space suits etc.</p>

<p>Given that more powerful and large landers would be touching down on the lunar surface, it would be necessary to know how fast and how far lunar dust can get ejected, the paths it may travel in, the duration it may remain afloat, and the damage it can cause to probes on the moon and those in different orbits around the moon.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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When a helicopter lands on an open field, it kicks off a dust storm and particles are strewn all across the vicinity of the landing spot. Likewise, when the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the Lunar surface by using its on-board engines (helicopters use rotors, aerospace vehicles use mini-rocket engines), it kicked up quite a lot of dust, says a finding by Indian Space Research Organisation.

When a helicopter lands on an open field, it kicks off a dust storm and particles are strewn all across the vicinity of the landing spot. Likewise, when the Chandrayaan-3 lander touched down on the Lunar surface by using its on-board engines (helicopters use rotors, aerospace vehicles use mini-rocket engines), it kicked up quite a lot of dust, says a finding by Indian Space Research Organisation. "It is understood that the landing rocket plumes must have displaced a significant mass of lunar epiregolith (soil/dust) during the final stages of landing and the consequent impact of the lander on the Lunar surface," ISRO said, citing imaging data. According to the findings published in the Journal of the Indian Society of Remote Sensing, the comparison of pre-landing and post-landing imaging data depicts a halo around the landing site, thereby indicating the spread of the lunar dust that had been kicked up. Also read | Chandrayaan-3 is success: A soft landing for Vikram lander, giant leap for India's space odyssey On the surface of the earth, owing to the effect of gravity and an atmosphere, the dust kicked up by the helicopter rotors would settle down within a few seconds of the rotor blades coming to a halt. However, lunar gravity is barely 1/6th that of the earth and there is no atmosphere or air, therefore, the lunar dust would take a while to settle. Based on calculations incorporating the mass of the Vikram lander, the research paper states that approximately 2.06 tonnes of lunar epiregolith mass has been ejected. "This number benchmarks well against the estimates from the much heavier Apollo landers, where around 4.5 to 6 tonnes of ejecta was displaced" it reads. The report derived from the findings is titled 'Characterisation of Ejecta Halo on the Lunar Surface Around Chandrayaan-3 Vikram Lander Using OHRC Imagery'. Given the fine-grained nature of the lunar epiregolith at the Vikram landing site, a large volume of in situ epiregolith has been displaced from the landing site region, the finding states. By analysing the images of the landing site and the lander, as captured by the Chandrayaan-2 orbiter, it mentions that an approximate area of 108.4 meters squared, is estimated to be covered by the lunar dust scattered by the landing sequence of the Vikram lander. Also watch | Chandrayaan-3: The mission objectives of lander Vikram, rover Pragyan on the Moon × While these findings by ISRO's National Remote Sensing Centre (NRSC) indicate that a significant amount of dust was kicked up by the Lunar landing, the initial observations by the Indian space agency were the exact opposite. "When we went into the site (and landed there), the terrain looked entirely different. We have seen during the landing process that the dust coming out was extremely less. It was also surprising to us, as to why so much dust was not coming out ?' ISRO Chief, Dr. S. Somanath had earlier said in an interview. Specifically referring to the nature of dust observed, he said, "It was not behaving like dust, it was more like a little sticky material. So, we will have to understand why the material on the moon is a little sticky". ISRO suspects that the lunar soil/dust being sticky or the surface being uneven, is what prevented the rover wheel imprint appearing distinctly on the moon. The rover wheels were imprinted with the ISRO logo and the Indian national emblem. This also raises the question, whether the force exerted by the Lunar lander engines blew away all the fine dust (Lunar soil) near the landing site and exposed the sticky surface below the dust? Answers to this might emerge as and when more data and findings from the Chandrayaan-3 mission are made public. We must remember that Chandrayaan-3 landed near the unexplored south pole region of the moon. In the history of lunar exploration, this is the closest that a mission has gotten to this region. Therefore, several unique scientific outcomes could emerge from this mission. The findings on Lunar dust being kicked up had been released today by #isro, based on their observations of #Chandrayaan3 landing Thesis from #America states that Lunar dust can be scattered even into Lunar orbit.. Large& heavy lander+ larger exhaust =Dust goes Faster& farther pic.twitter.com/8ewRsK2y76 — Sidharth.M.P (@sdhrthmp) October 27, 2023 × According to a thesis submitted at the University of Central Florida, the high-speed ejecta (lunar dust) scattered by landing lunar crafts could cause harm to even crafts circling the moon and future lunar space stations. It also goes on to state that larger and heavier lunar landers that spew bigger plumes of exhaust flame, could scatter more dust and accelerate these particles even outside of the moon(to lunar orbit), given the weak lunar gravity. The thesis also mentions that Particles generally stay aloft for longest when launched from the Equator and stay aloft shortest when launched from the South Pole. Dust particles ejected from the Lunar equator at certain speeds are known to remain afloat for almost a month, whereas those ejected from the south pole would remain aloft for about a week, it says. As more robotic and crewed Lunar missions are to reach the Lunar surface in coming years, it is of paramount importance for space agencies to better understand the effects and specific nature of Lunar dust, in order to develop methods to safeguard from it. Lunar dust is known to cause damage to spacecraft components, sensors, cameras, space suits etc. Given that more powerful and large landers would be touching down on the lunar surface, it would be necessary to know how fast and how far lunar dust can get ejected, the paths it may travel in, the duration it may remain afloat, and the damage it can cause to probes on the moon and those in different orbits around the moon. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained: Is the lunar soil sticky or dust-like? What did Chandrayaan-3 find?

<p>The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) recently made use of&nbsp;the 'Iron Sting' precision munition system for the first time in a military operation.&nbsp;The IDF's elite Maglan Unit used this innovative technology to target Hamas rocket launchers in the Gaza Strip, demonstrating a new level of precision and effectiveness.</p>

<p>This deployment comes at a crucial time when Israel faces allegations of civilian casualties in Gaza following a&nbsp;barbaric Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The 'Iron Sting' system was born out of collaborative efforts between the Israeli military and the renowned defence firm, Elbit Systems.</p>

<p>Within the Israeli military, it was the Directorate of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defence and the Israel Defence Force's Ground Forces that spearheaded its development.</p>

<p>Elbit Systems, a key player in the Israeli defence industry, played a vital role in shaping the 'Iron Sting' into a reality.</p>

<h2><strong>What are its features?</strong></h2>

<p>The 'Iron Sting' stands out as a precision laser and GPS-guided mortar munition. Its primary ammunition is 120mm mortar rounds, and it boasts remarkable accuracy.</p>

<p>This munition system is designed to target a wide range of distances, with an impeccable range spanning from 1 to 12 kilometres, contingent on the ammunition used. The most impressive feature is that the 'Iron Sting' is suitable for deployment in both urban environments and open terrains, rendering it a versatile solution.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/whats-inside-israels-safe-rooms-shielding-people-from-hamas-airstrikes-watch-645278">Also read |&nbsp;What's inside Israel's safe rooms shielding people from Hamas airstrikes?&nbsp;</a></p>

<p>Another&nbsp;feature&nbsp;is the ability to penetrate double-reinforced concrete, making it a formidable force in urban warfare. This capability gives Israeli forces a significant advantage in operations that demand precision and minimal collateral damage.</p>

<h2><strong>A decade in the making</strong></h2>

<p>Yaniv Rotem, the head of the Defence Ministry's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, told the Times of Israel,&nbsp;that the 'Iron Sting' had been in development for a decade.</p>

<p>He described it as "groundbreaking" and explained that it empowers infantry units with a level of accuracy that was previously achievable only through missiles and airborne weaponry.</p>

<p>The testing phase of this groundbreaking system concluded in March 2021, setting the stage for its operational debut.</p>

<p>During IDF's intense bombing in Gaza,&nbsp;the 'Iron Sting' was showcased as an "innovative and accurate mortar bomb." The IDF even shared a video showing&nbsp;the 120mm mortar in action, accurately targeting and neutralising an enemy rocket launcher, thereby minimising the risk to civilians.</p>

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<p dir="rtl" lang="iw">מפא"ת, זרוע היבשה בצה"ל ואלביט מערכות השלימו לאחרונה סדרת ניסויי ירי מוצלחת בפצצת מרגמה מדויקת מונחית לייזר ו-GPS. הסדרה חותמת את שלב הפיתוח של הפצמ"ר, "עוקץ פלדה", לקראת המסירה לצה"ל. הפצמ״ר נועד לאפשר אש מדויקת וקטלנית בשטחים פתוחים ובמתחמים אורבניים, תוך צמצום נזק היקפי. <a href="https://t.co/CJscK2zBbw">pic.twitter.com/CJscK2zBbw</a></p>
— משרד הביטחון (@MoDIsrael) <a href="https://twitter.com/MoDIsrael/status/1371098869170380812?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 14, 2021</a></blockquote>
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<p>The Federal&nbsp;quoted&nbsp;Major General Omer Cohen, commander of the Maglan unit, praising the 'Iron Sting' and its precision, lethality, and expertise of the fighters.</p>

<p>He revealed that the Maglan unit, in cooperation with the Air Force, had successfully thwarted numerous terrorists using various means, with the 'Iron Sting' being a crucial component. This munition system played a significant role in eliminating over 100 operatives within Gaza since the conflict's outset.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-considering-inundating-hamas-underground-tunnels-before-ground-invasion-report-651029">Also read |&nbsp;Israel considering inundating Hamas’ underground tunnels before ground invasion: Report</a></p>

<h2><strong>Transforming the battlefield</strong></h2>

<p>Colonel Assaf Shatzkin, head of the land systems department in the ministry's research division, said in a statement&nbsp;that the 'Iron Sting' would greatly benefit the Israeli army in confrontations with adversaries like Hamas and Hezbollah.</p>

<p>He highlighted its precision in striking short-range targets within several kilometres, with an accuracy level of a few metres.</p>

<p>Then-defence minister Benny Gantz, speaking in March, acknowledged the transformative potential of the 'Iron Sting.' He stated that this system "changes the battlefield" by equipping Israeli forces with more accurate and effective means, ushering in a new era of precision warfare.</p>

<p>The Israeli military has faced the complex challenge of battling Palestinian militants in the densely populated Gaza Strip while simultaneously preparing for potential conflicts with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon.</p>

<p>This dual threat landscape necessitates innovative solutions that minimise civilian casualties and collateral damage, making the 'Iron Sting' system all the more relevant.</p>

<h2><strong>Controversial history</strong></h2>

<p>The use of precision munitions and advanced weaponry by Israel has often stirred controversy. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court launched a preliminary investigation into possible war crimes by Israel during its 2014 conflict in Gaza, where hundreds of civilians lost their lives. This ongoing scrutiny highlights the importance of developing and using&nbsp;technologies that can differentiate between combatants and non-combatants, minimising the risk to innocent lives.</p>

<p>Amid escalating tensions and violence, it is widely anticipated that Israel will launch a ground offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas's October 7&nbsp;attack&nbsp;into southern Israeli communities.</p>

<p>The massing of tanks and troops at the Gaza border, along with increased airstrikes, is indicative of Israel's readiness to engage in the next stages of the conflict.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Israel demands UN chief, Antonio Guterres resignation</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>Human toll</strong></h2>

<p>The ongoing violence has resulted in a significant loss of life on both sides. In Israel, over 1,400 people have been killed, primarily civilians who were victims of the initial Hamas attack. Additionally, over 222 individuals were captured and taken back to Gaza, including foreign nationals. Two Americans were released in a recent development.</p>

<p>On the Palestinian side, more than 5,000 individuals, including around 2,000 minors and 1,100 women, have lost their lives. These casualties underscore the urgency of finding ways to mitigate the human toll of conflicts in the region.</p>

<p>This current war marks the deadliest of five wars fought between Israel and Hamas in the last 15 years.&nbsp;</p>

<p><em><strong>Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.</strong></em></p>


The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) recently made use of the 'Iron Sting' precision munition system for the first time in a military operation. The IDF's elite Maglan Unit used this innovative technology to target Hamas rocket launchers in the Gaza Strip, demonstrating a new level of precision and effectiveness.

The Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) recently made use of the 'Iron Sting' precision munition system for the first time in a military operation. The IDF's elite Maglan Unit used this innovative technology to target Hamas rocket launchers in the Gaza Strip, demonstrating a new level of precision and effectiveness. This deployment comes at a crucial time when Israel faces allegations of civilian casualties in Gaza following a barbaric Hamas attack in southern Israel on October 7. The 'Iron Sting' system was born out of collaborative efforts between the Israeli military and the renowned defence firm, Elbit Systems. Within the Israeli military, it was the Directorate of Defence Research and Development in the Ministry of Defence and the Israel Defence Force's Ground Forces that spearheaded its development. Elbit Systems, a key player in the Israeli defence industry, played a vital role in shaping the 'Iron Sting' into a reality. What are its features? The 'Iron Sting' stands out as a precision laser and GPS-guided mortar munition. Its primary ammunition is 120mm mortar rounds, and it boasts remarkable accuracy. This munition system is designed to target a wide range of distances, with an impeccable range spanning from 1 to 12 kilometres, contingent on the ammunition used. The most impressive feature is that the 'Iron Sting' is suitable for deployment in both urban environments and open terrains, rendering it a versatile solution. Also read | What's inside Israel's safe rooms shielding people from Hamas airstrikes? Another feature is the ability to penetrate double-reinforced concrete, making it a formidable force in urban warfare. This capability gives Israeli forces a significant advantage in operations that demand precision and minimal collateral damage. A decade in the making Yaniv Rotem, the head of the Defence Ministry's Administration for the Development of Weapons and Technological Infrastructure, told the Times of Israel, that the 'Iron Sting' had been in development for a decade. He described it as "groundbreaking" and explained that it empowers infantry units with a level of accuracy that was previously achievable only through missiles and airborne weaponry. The testing phase of this groundbreaking system concluded in March 2021, setting the stage for its operational debut. During IDF's intense bombing in Gaza, the 'Iron Sting' was showcased as an "innovative and accurate mortar bomb." The IDF even shared a video showing the 120mm mortar in action, accurately targeting and neutralising an enemy rocket launcher, thereby minimising the risk to civilians. מפא"ת, זרוע היבשה בצה"ל ואלביט מערכות השלימו לאחרונה סדרת ניסויי ירי מוצלחת בפצצת מרגמה מדויקת מונחית לייזר ו-GPS. הסדרה חותמת את שלב הפיתוח של הפצמ"ר, "עוקץ פלדה", לקראת המסירה לצה"ל. הפצמ״ר נועד לאפשר אש מדויקת וקטלנית בשטחים פתוחים ובמתחמים אורבניים, תוך צמצום נזק היקפי. pic.twitter.com/CJscK2zBbw — משרד הביטחון (@MoDIsrael) March 14, 2021 × The Federal quoted Major General Omer Cohen, commander of the Maglan unit, praising the 'Iron Sting' and its precision, lethality, and expertise of the fighters. He revealed that the Maglan unit, in cooperation with the Air Force, had successfully thwarted numerous terrorists using various means, with the 'Iron Sting' being a crucial component. This munition system played a significant role in eliminating over 100 operatives within Gaza since the conflict's outset. Also read | Israel considering inundating Hamas’ underground tunnels before ground invasion: Report Transforming the battlefield Colonel Assaf Shatzkin, head of the land systems department in the ministry's research division, said in a statement that the 'Iron Sting' would greatly benefit the Israeli army in confrontations with adversaries like Hamas and Hezbollah. He highlighted its precision in striking short-range targets within several kilometres, with an accuracy level of a few metres. Then-defence minister Benny Gantz, speaking in March, acknowledged the transformative potential of the 'Iron Sting.' He stated that this system "changes the battlefield" by equipping Israeli forces with more accurate and effective means, ushering in a new era of precision warfare. The Israeli military has faced the complex challenge of battling Palestinian militants in the densely populated Gaza Strip while simultaneously preparing for potential conflicts with Hezbollah militants in Lebanon. This dual threat landscape necessitates innovative solutions that minimise civilian casualties and collateral damage, making the 'Iron Sting' system all the more relevant. Controversial history The use of precision munitions and advanced weaponry by Israel has often stirred controversy. The chief prosecutor of the International Criminal Court launched a preliminary investigation into possible war crimes by Israel during its 2014 conflict in Gaza, where hundreds of civilians lost their lives. This ongoing scrutiny highlights the importance of developing and using technologies that can differentiate between combatants and non-combatants, minimising the risk to innocent lives. Amid escalating tensions and violence, it is widely anticipated that Israel will launch a ground offensive in Gaza in response to Hamas's October 7 attack into southern Israeli communities. The massing of tanks and troops at the Gaza border, along with increased airstrikes, is indicative of Israel's readiness to engage in the next stages of the conflict. Also watch | Israel demands UN chief, Antonio Guterres resignation Human toll The ongoing violence has resulted in a significant loss of life on both sides. In Israel, over 1,400 people have been killed, primarily civilians who were victims of the initial Hamas attack. Additionally, over 222 individuals were captured and taken back to Gaza, including foreign nationals. Two Americans were released in a recent development. On the Palestinian side, more than 5,000 individuals, including around 2,000 minors and 1,100 women, have lost their lives. These casualties underscore the urgency of finding ways to mitigate the human toll of conflicts in the region. This current war marks the deadliest of five wars fought between Israel and Hamas in the last 15 years. Disclaimer: WION takes utmost care to accurately and responsibly report ongoing developments on the Israel-Palestine conflict after the Hamas attacks. However, we cannot independently verify the authenticity of all statements, photos and videos.

Explained | What is Iron Sting, the system that can put Israel ahead of Hamas in the war?

<p>Antarctica, known for its pristine and secluded landscapes, now faces an unprecedented threat as avian flu, a lethal variant of bird flu, has been identified on Bird Island, a part of the British overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.</p>

<p>This discovery has raised concerns among scientists, environmentalists, and wildlife experts about the potentially devastating consequences for the region's unique wildlife and ecosystems.</p>

<h2><strong>The spread of H5N1</strong></h2>

<p>Avian flu, specifically the H5N1 subtype, has gained notoriety for its global spread.</p>

<p>H5N1 is classified as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) due to its severe impact on poultry populations.</p>

<p>Historically, avian flu outbreaks followed seasonal patterns. However, since 2021, they have become persistent, resulting in the deaths of millions of birds in 2022.</p>

<p>The relentless spread of this virus has raised concerns about its potential threat to wildlife in the uncharted territories of Antarctica.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/over-75-trillion-tonnes-decline-in-antarcticas-ice-shelves-since-1997-half-show-no-sign-of-recovery-646295">Also read |&nbsp;Over 7.5 trillion tonnes decline in Antarctica's ice shelves since 1997, half show 'no sign of recovery'</a></p>

<h2><strong>Challenges in human and interspecies transmission</strong></h2>

<p>H5N1, in its complexity, presents challenges not only in transmission but also in its genetic makeup. The virus is notoriously difficult to transmit from animals to humans, and human-to-human transmission is exceptionally rare.</p>

<p>However, the scientific community remains vigilant about the potential consequences of co-infection, where individuals could contract both H5N1 and seasonal flu viruses, leading to the exchange of genetic material with unpredictable outcomes.</p>

<p>Antarctica is home to a myriad of species that exist nowhere else on Earth. These unique organisms have evolved in isolation and have never encountered bird flu viruses.</p>

<p>The introduction of avian flu into this ecosystem poses a grave threat. The largely unknown response of these species to the virus creates a sense of urgency among scientists to understand and mitigate the potential consequences.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/antarctica-likely-warming-much-faster-than-prediction-of-climate-change-models-study-633633">Also read |&nbsp;Antarctica likely warming much faster than climate change models predicted: Study</a></p>

<h2><strong>Unique bird species under threat</strong></h2>

<p>Bird Island, situated about 966 kilometres&nbsp;southeast of the Falkland Islands, is one of the world's richest biodiversity hotspots.</p>

<p>It is home to approximately 50,000 breeding pairs of penguins and an impressive 65,000 pairs of fur seals. The island also hosts various endangered bird species.</p>

<p>The presence of avian flu on Bird Island could lead to catastrophic breeding failures, potentially causing a devastating impact on the island's diverse and unique wildlife.</p>

<h2><strong>Risk assessment&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research conducted a comprehensive risk assessment to understand the potential impact of avian flu on Antarctica. Penguins, birds of prey, sheathbills, and giant petrels are identified as the most vulnerable species, facing direct threats from the virus. Following them are fur seals, sea lions, skuas, and gulls, which also face a considerable risk.</p>

<p>Dr&nbsp;Meagan Dewar, chair of the Antarctic Wildlife Health Network, serves as the lead author of a report emphasising the potential for "catastrophic breeding failure" in Antarctica due to avian flu. He told the Telegraph that the consequences of such an event would have a "devastating impact on many wildlife species."&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Alarming presence on south Georgia</strong></h2>

<p>South Georgia, the territory where the infected skuas were discovered, is a crucial region for a variety of species. It houses a diverse array of wildlife, including albatrosses, macaroni and Gentoo penguins, as well as northern and southern giant petrels.</p>

<p>Experts are deeply concerned that these bird populations may also contract the virus. Avian flu is primarily transmitted through direct contact or faeces, raising concerns about its potential spread in this critical region.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Gravitas: Melting poles in Antarctica under threat</strong></p>

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<h2><strong>What makes Antarctica so unique?</strong></h2>

<p>Antarctica is a vast continent blanketed in ice and surrounded by ocean, differing from the Arctic, which is an icy sea enclosed by landmasses. Its immense size surpasses that of Europe and even during summer, it remains 62 times larger than the UK. Antarctica boasts several extreme superlatives – it is the highest, driest, windiest, and coldest continent, with its temperature plummeting to a chilling -94°C. Paradoxically, it experiences minimal snowfall, as its arid conditions classify it as a polar desert.</p>

<p>For a portion of the year, Antarctica is shrouded in darkness, devoid of trees and shrubs, with only two native flowering plant species. Notably, no permanent human inhabitants or native populations exist in Antarctica. Nevertheless, it draws up to 5,000 scientists and researchers, including WWF-supported teams studying Emperor and Adélie penguins. Approximately 30,000 tourists visit annually, necessitating stringent management to safeguard this unspoiled environment.</p>

<p>Despite being one of the world's least disturbed regions, Antarctica faces growing vulnerability, particularly to the impacts of global warming and climate change.</p>

<h2><strong>Antarctica's lack of immunity</strong></h2>

<p>Antarctica has never experienced a bird flu outbreak, resulting in a lack of immunity among the local wildlife populations. Dr Thijs Kuiken, a veterinary pathologist at Erasmus University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, told the New York Times,&nbsp;that the population is "completely naive" to the virus, significantly increasing the risk of high mortality rates if an outbreak were to occur.</p>

<p>The detection of avian flu on Bird Island in Antarctica is an alarming development that raises significant concerns about the region's fragile ecosystem and its unique wildlife.</p>

<p>As scientists continue to monitor the situation, the ultimate impact of this virus on Antarctica remains uncertain.&nbsp;</p>


Antarctica, known for its pristine and secluded landscapes, now faces an unprecedented threat as avian flu, a lethal variant of bird flu, has been identified on Bird Island, a part of the British overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.

Antarctica, known for its pristine and secluded landscapes, now faces an unprecedented threat as avian flu, a lethal variant of bird flu, has been identified on Bird Island, a part of the British overseas territory of South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands. This discovery has raised concerns among scientists, environmentalists, and wildlife experts about the potentially devastating consequences for the region's unique wildlife and ecosystems. The spread of H5N1 Avian flu, specifically the H5N1 subtype, has gained notoriety for its global spread. H5N1 is classified as highly pathogenic avian influenza (HPAI) due to its severe impact on poultry populations. Historically, avian flu outbreaks followed seasonal patterns. However, since 2021, they have become persistent, resulting in the deaths of millions of birds in 2022. The relentless spread of this virus has raised concerns about its potential threat to wildlife in the uncharted territories of Antarctica. Also read | Over 7.5 trillion tonnes decline in Antarctica's ice shelves since 1997, half show 'no sign of recovery' Challenges in human and interspecies transmission H5N1, in its complexity, presents challenges not only in transmission but also in its genetic makeup. The virus is notoriously difficult to transmit from animals to humans, and human-to-human transmission is exceptionally rare. However, the scientific community remains vigilant about the potential consequences of co-infection, where individuals could contract both H5N1 and seasonal flu viruses, leading to the exchange of genetic material with unpredictable outcomes. Antarctica is home to a myriad of species that exist nowhere else on Earth. These unique organisms have evolved in isolation and have never encountered bird flu viruses. The introduction of avian flu into this ecosystem poses a grave threat. The largely unknown response of these species to the virus creates a sense of urgency among scientists to understand and mitigate the potential consequences. Also read | Antarctica likely warming much faster than climate change models predicted: Study Unique bird species under threat Bird Island, situated about 966 kilometres southeast of the Falkland Islands, is one of the world's richest biodiversity hotspots. It is home to approximately 50,000 breeding pairs of penguins and an impressive 65,000 pairs of fur seals. The island also hosts various endangered bird species. The presence of avian flu on Bird Island could lead to catastrophic breeding failures, potentially causing a devastating impact on the island's diverse and unique wildlife. Risk assessment The Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research conducted a comprehensive risk assessment to understand the potential impact of avian flu on Antarctica. Penguins, birds of prey, sheathbills, and giant petrels are identified as the most vulnerable species, facing direct threats from the virus. Following them are fur seals, sea lions, skuas, and gulls, which also face a considerable risk. Dr Meagan Dewar, chair of the Antarctic Wildlife Health Network, serves as the lead author of a report emphasising the potential for "catastrophic breeding failure" in Antarctica due to avian flu. He told the Telegraph that the consequences of such an event would have a "devastating impact on many wildlife species." Alarming presence on south Georgia South Georgia, the territory where the infected skuas were discovered, is a crucial region for a variety of species. It houses a diverse array of wildlife, including albatrosses, macaroni and Gentoo penguins, as well as northern and southern giant petrels. Experts are deeply concerned that these bird populations may also contract the virus. Avian flu is primarily transmitted through direct contact or faeces, raising concerns about its potential spread in this critical region. Also watch | Gravitas: Melting poles in Antarctica under threat What makes Antarctica so unique? Antarctica is a vast continent blanketed in ice and surrounded by ocean, differing from the Arctic, which is an icy sea enclosed by landmasses. Its immense size surpasses that of Europe and even during summer, it remains 62 times larger than the UK. Antarctica boasts several extreme superlatives – it is the highest, driest, windiest, and coldest continent, with its temperature plummeting to a chilling -94°C. Paradoxically, it experiences minimal snowfall, as its arid conditions classify it as a polar desert. For a portion of the year, Antarctica is shrouded in darkness, devoid of trees and shrubs, with only two native flowering plant species. Notably, no permanent human inhabitants or native populations exist in Antarctica. Nevertheless, it draws up to 5,000 scientists and researchers, including WWF-supported teams studying Emperor and Adélie penguins. Approximately 30,000 tourists visit annually, necessitating stringent management to safeguard this unspoiled environment. Despite being one of the world's least disturbed regions, Antarctica faces growing vulnerability, particularly to the impacts of global warming and climate change. Antarctica's lack of immunity Antarctica has never experienced a bird flu outbreak, resulting in a lack of immunity among the local wildlife populations. Dr Thijs Kuiken, a veterinary pathologist at Erasmus University Medical Centre in the Netherlands, told the New York Times, that the population is "completely naive" to the virus, significantly increasing the risk of high mortality rates if an outbreak were to occur. The detection of avian flu on Bird Island in Antarctica is an alarming development that raises significant concerns about the region's fragile ecosystem and its unique wildlife. As scientists continue to monitor the situation, the ultimate impact of this virus on Antarctica remains uncertain.

Explained | Will bird flu's arrival in Antarctica spell 'catastrophe' for its unique wildlife?

<p>Daniel Noboa, business heir, and now Ecuador's youngest-ever president-elect has vowed to "restore peace" to the drug gang war-ravaged South American country.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"Tomorrow we start work for this new Ecuador, we start working to rebuild a country seriously battered by violence, by corruption and by hate," he told supporters during an address in the seaside town of Olon.</p>

<p>"From tomorrow Daniel Noboa starts work as your new president," added the president-elect.</p>

<p>A surprise qualifier for the run-off, Noboa is a banana empire heir with a significant challenge in front of him. Here's everything you need to know about Ecuador's new president-elect.</p>

<h2><strong>Who is Daniel Noboa?</strong></h2>

<p>On Sunday (October 15th) Noboa, a businessman, fulfilled a long-held family ambition and was elected the youngest president-elect in modern Ecuadoran history.</p>

<p>He belongs to the brand-new National Democratic Action Alliance, an alliance which incorporates parties from both the left and the right political spectrums. The party whose economic philosophy is liberalism won the third-highest number of seats in the August legislative elections.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/president-elect-noboa-vows-to-restore-peace-to-violence-plagued-ecuador-647358">President-elect Noboa vows to 'restore peace' to violence-plagued Ecuador</a></strong></p>

<p>The young, 35-year-old leader edged out socialist rival Luisa Gonzalez and won the election with about 52 per cent of the votes.</p>

<p>He is the son of Ecuador's richest man, banana tycoon Alvaro Noboa, who unsuccessfully attempted to become Ecuador's president but lost five times. He is married and has two children.</p>

<p>The president-elect rose out of obscurity and entered the limelight for wearing a bulletproof vest to a televised presidential debate. At the debate, which took place shortly after the broad daylight assassination of Noboa, he claimed to have received death threats.</p>

<p>He will hold the president's post for only around 17 months — from December this year until May 2025 — and will face the ballot in 2025. Under Ecuador's laws, he can run again for president for the 2025-29 term and the one after that.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Education, career and previous political experience</strong></h2>

<p>Daniel Noboa, as per AFP, has studied business administration at New York University and has a public administration degree from Harvard's Kennedy School.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He is a little-known politician with only a short two-year political stint to his name — a member of the National Assembly of Ecuador between 2021 and 2023.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/ecuador-leftist-luisa-gonzalez-businessman-noboa-set-to-go-to-second-round-627412">Ecuador election: Leftist Luisa Gonzalez, businessman Noboa set to go to second round</a></strong></p>

<p>Before entering politics, he established himself as a businessman, founding his own company at the age of 18 — DNA Entertainment Group, an event organising company.</p>

<p>He also served as the Shipping Director and commercial and logistics director of Noboa Corporation between 2010 and 2018.</p>

<h2><strong>Campaign promises</strong></h2>

<p>On Sunday, addressing his supporters, Noboa said that he intends to "give progress to a country... that has all the elements to be a global example."</p>

<p>As per AFP, Noboa, who identifies as "centre-left" embraces neoliberal economic thinking and has vowed to prioritise job creation through tax incentives and credit facilities to help small businesses.</p>

<p>He has also proposed the introduction of a jury system to judge corruption cases. Corruption, as per AFP, happens to be one of the biggest challenges faced by Ecuador.&nbsp;</p>

<p>To address yet another enormous challenge: drug trafficking, he has pledged to beef up security at ports and airports, proven hot spots for drug smuggling.</p>

<p>Noboa also wants to militarise the nation's borders and create an offshore prison on barges or ships that will be used to isolate violent inmates.</p>

<p>Furthermore, Noboa has said that he will balance meeting Ecuador's foreign debt obligations with the needs of the population.</p>

<h2><strong>Campaign strategy</strong></h2>

<p>Daniel Noboa, as per Reuters, made a special point to woo young voters — holding events at universities toward the end of the campaign.</p>

<p>This year, as per AFP estimates, 13 million Ecuadoreans between the ages of 18 and 29 were obliged to vote.&nbsp;</p>

<p>He also made extensive use of social media, in fact, he ran much of his campaign online.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At one time, thanks to viral videos of "Noboas" posted by citizens, his name even emerged as a trend on social media platforms like X and TikTok. Noboas is the term coined for thousands of human-sized cardboard cutouts of the leader which started showing up at house parties, on the beach or even riding the bus.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Rivals left behind</strong></h2>

<p>With more than 90 per cent of the votes counted, Daniel Noboa emerged as the victor winning over 52 per cent of the votes.&nbsp;</p>

<p>His leftist adversary Luisa Gonzalez won about 48 per cent of the votes.</p>

<p>However, polls as per Reuters showed the contest would be much closer; several put Noboa and Gonzalez the two leading candidates within the margin of error of each other.</p>

<p>Calling on the president-elect to fulfil his promises to students and the elderly, Gonzalez congratulated Noboa him on his victory, said: "Daniel Noboa, our profound congratulations, because this is democracy."</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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Daniel Noboa, business heir, and now Ecuador's youngest-ever president-elect has vowed to "restore peace" to the drug gang war-ravaged South American country. "Tomorrow we start work for this new Ecuador, we start working to rebuild a country seriously battered by violence, by corruption and by hate," he told supporters during an address in the seaside town of Olon.

Daniel Noboa, business heir, and now Ecuador's youngest-ever president-elect has vowed to "restore peace" to the drug gang war-ravaged South American country. "Tomorrow we start work for this new Ecuador, we start working to rebuild a country seriously battered by violence, by corruption and by hate," he told supporters during an address in the seaside town of Olon. "From tomorrow Daniel Noboa starts work as your new president," added the president-elect. A surprise qualifier for the run-off, Noboa is a banana empire heir with a significant challenge in front of him. Here's everything you need to know about Ecuador's new president-elect. Who is Daniel Noboa? On Sunday (October 15th) Noboa, a businessman, fulfilled a long-held family ambition and was elected the youngest president-elect in modern Ecuadoran history. He belongs to the brand-new National Democratic Action Alliance, an alliance which incorporates parties from both the left and the right political spectrums. The party whose economic philosophy is liberalism won the third-highest number of seats in the August legislative elections. Also read | President-elect Noboa vows to 'restore peace' to violence-plagued Ecuador The young, 35-year-old leader edged out socialist rival Luisa Gonzalez and won the election with about 52 per cent of the votes. He is the son of Ecuador's richest man, banana tycoon Alvaro Noboa, who unsuccessfully attempted to become Ecuador's president but lost five times. He is married and has two children. The president-elect rose out of obscurity and entered the limelight for wearing a bulletproof vest to a televised presidential debate. At the debate, which took place shortly after the broad daylight assassination of Noboa, he claimed to have received death threats. He will hold the president's post for only around 17 months — from December this year until May 2025 — and will face the ballot in 2025. Under Ecuador's laws, he can run again for president for the 2025-29 term and the one after that. Education, career and previous political experience Daniel Noboa, as per AFP, has studied business administration at New York University and has a public administration degree from Harvard's Kennedy School. He is a little-known politician with only a short two-year political stint to his name — a member of the National Assembly of Ecuador between 2021 and 2023. Also read | Ecuador election: Leftist Luisa Gonzalez, businessman Noboa set to go to second round Before entering politics, he established himself as a businessman, founding his own company at the age of 18 — DNA Entertainment Group, an event organising company. He also served as the Shipping Director and commercial and logistics director of Noboa Corporation between 2010 and 2018. Campaign promises On Sunday, addressing his supporters, Noboa said that he intends to "give progress to a country... that has all the elements to be a global example." As per AFP, Noboa, who identifies as "centre-left" embraces neoliberal economic thinking and has vowed to prioritise job creation through tax incentives and credit facilities to help small businesses. He has also proposed the introduction of a jury system to judge corruption cases. Corruption, as per AFP, happens to be one of the biggest challenges faced by Ecuador. To address yet another enormous challenge: drug trafficking, he has pledged to beef up security at ports and airports, proven hot spots for drug smuggling. Noboa also wants to militarise the nation's borders and create an offshore prison on barges or ships that will be used to isolate violent inmates. Furthermore, Noboa has said that he will balance meeting Ecuador's foreign debt obligations with the needs of the population. Campaign strategy Daniel Noboa, as per Reuters, made a special point to woo young voters — holding events at universities toward the end of the campaign. This year, as per AFP estimates, 13 million Ecuadoreans between the ages of 18 and 29 were obliged to vote. He also made extensive use of social media, in fact, he ran much of his campaign online. At one time, thanks to viral videos of "Noboas" posted by citizens, his name even emerged as a trend on social media platforms like X and TikTok. Noboas is the term coined for thousands of human-sized cardboard cutouts of the leader which started showing up at house parties, on the beach or even riding the bus. Rivals left behind With more than 90 per cent of the votes counted, Daniel Noboa emerged as the victor winning over 52 per cent of the votes. His leftist adversary Luisa Gonzalez won about 48 per cent of the votes. However, polls as per Reuters showed the contest would be much closer; several put Noboa and Gonzalez the two leading candidates within the margin of error of each other. Calling on the president-elect to fulfil his promises to students and the elderly, Gonzalez congratulated Noboa him on his victory, said: "Daniel Noboa, our profound congratulations, because this is democracy." (With inputs from agencies) WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | Who is Daniel Noboa? Ecuador's youngest president-elect is heir to banana empire

<p>On the sixth day of the ever-escalating Israel-Hamas war, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that, apart from bombarding the Gaza Strip, they have been striking parts of secret tunnels that have been built by Hamas in the embattled zone.<br />
<br />
These passageways have been a mystery forever with nothing to very little known about it in the outside world. Israel has raised the issue of Hamas operating these labyrinth of tunnels under Gaza repeatedly using it either to smuggle weapons, fighters or other contraband.<br />
<br />
"Think of the Gaza Strip as one layer for civilians and then another layer for Hamas. We are trying to get to that second layer that Hamas has built," said an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson in a video, released on Thursday (Oct 12).<br />
<br />
"These aren't bunkers for Gazan civilians. It's only for Hamas and other terrorists so that they can continue to fire rockets at Israel, to plan operations, to launch terrorists into Israel," they added.<br />
<br />
As Israel plans a ground offensive in Gaza, the experts hint that an extensive network of tunnels under Gaza may pose as one of the biggest challenges to the Israeli army in the densely populated region.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-gaza-strip-and-the-struggle-for-survival-for-millions-of-its-residents-645290">Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>History of the 'Gaza Metro' tunnel system</strong></h2>

<p>Since the 1980s, the tunnels have been a part of the life of Gazans, however, its importance increased after Hamas removed Fatah from the seat of power and subsequently severe restrictions were placed on the movement of goods and people by Israel and Egypt on the territory.<br />
<br />
Before the Gaza Strip came under the control of the Hamas, the tunnel labyrinth was being used for smuggling. A few tunnels, which were located across their border with Gaza, were destroyed by Egypt.<br />
<br />
However, the tunnels towards Israel were slowly expanded and started being used by Hamas for more sinister goals. Israel dubbed these tunnels as the "Gaza Metro" because they believed it stretched under a territory which was only 41km (25 miles) long and 10km wide.<br />
<br />
After a conflict in 2021, the IDF claimed to have launched air strikes on more than 100km of tunnels and destroyed them. However, Hamas in its counterclaims stated that the tunnels stretched only 500km, which meant only 5 per cent of it was hit.<br />
<br />
At one time, nearly 2,500 tunnels which were underneath the Egyptian border were being used for smuggling fuels, weapons and commercial goods by other militant groups.<br />
<br />
Through time, smuggling did not remain the primary purpose of the tunnel, especially after 2010, when Israel started allowing the import of more goods through its crossings. Later, smuggling was stopped by Egypt by flooding or destroying the tunnels.</p>

<p>ALSO READ |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-gaza-strip-and-the-struggle-for-survival-for-millions-of-its-residents-645290">Explained: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents</a></p>

<h2><strong>Role played by tunnels in terror attacks of Hamas</strong></h2>

<p>In 2006, Hamas captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalid and killed his two colleagues in a cross-border raid, through tunnels. The soldier remained captured by Hamas for two years before he was released under a prisoner exchange deal.<br />
<br />
In some years, the Israelis started calling these tunnels as "terror tunnels" and further restricted the entry of construction materials into the Gaza Strip.<br />
<br />
A 1.6km-long, 18m-deep tunnel, which had a concrete roof and walls, was discovered by the IDF in 2013. The tunnel, which was found after strange sounds were heard by the residents, ran from the Gaza Strip to land near an Israeli kibbutz.<br />
<br />
The year after, Israel emphasised the need to curb the threat of attacks which were being carried out by Hamas militants using such "terror tunnels".</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;A humanitarian crisis unfolds in Gaza | The West Asia Post</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-palestine-war-a-humanitarian-crisis-unfolds-in-gaza-the-west-asia-post-646437/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>Key role of ‘terror tunnels’ in October 7 attacks</strong></h2>

<p>The shocking attacks of Hamas which shook Israel last weekend were a combination of simultaneous attacks via water and land and a barrage of rocket strikes.<br />
<br />
The border of Israel with Gaza remains fenced and has sensors installed which can detect movement. However, no early warning was issued before a surprise attack was launched by Hamas on civilians.<br />
<br />
The experts believe that tunnels may have played an important role in the undetected crossing of Hamas operatives into Israel.<br />
<br />
The fence built by Israel on the Gaza border is 30 feet high and has an underground concrete barrier. So, the only way Hamas operatives were able to enter Israel undetected would have been by digging tunnels under the barrier and the fence.<br />
<br />
Speaking to the BBC, Reichman University faculty member Dr Daphne Richemond-Barak said that the Gaza Strip has sophisticated tunnels, unlike the rudimentary tunnels over the borders.<br />
<br />
"The cross-border tunnels tend to be rudimentary, meaning they have barely any fortification. They are dug for a one-time purpose - invading Israeli territory," she said.<br />
<br />
The tunnels inside, Richemond-Barak said are, "equipped for a longer, sustained presence". "The leaders are hiding there, they have command-and-control centres, they use them for transport and lines of communication," she added.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

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On the sixth day of the ever-escalating Israel-Hamas war, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that, apart from bombarding the Gaza Strip, they have been striking parts of secret tunnels that have been built by Hamas in the embattled zone.

On the sixth day of the ever-escalating Israel-Hamas war, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said that, apart from bombarding the Gaza Strip, they have been striking parts of secret tunnels that have been built by Hamas in the embattled zone. These passageways have been a mystery forever with nothing to very little known about it in the outside world. Israel has raised the issue of Hamas operating these labyrinth of tunnels under Gaza repeatedly using it either to smuggle weapons, fighters or other contraband. "Think of the Gaza Strip as one layer for civilians and then another layer for Hamas. We are trying to get to that second layer that Hamas has built," said an Israel Defense Forces (IDF) spokesperson in a video, released on Thursday (Oct 12). "These aren't bunkers for Gazan civilians. It's only for Hamas and other terrorists so that they can continue to fire rockets at Israel, to plan operations, to launch terrorists into Israel," they added. As Israel plans a ground offensive in Gaza, the experts hint that an extensive network of tunnels under Gaza may pose as one of the biggest challenges to the Israeli army in the densely populated region. Also read: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents History of the 'Gaza Metro' tunnel system Since the 1980s, the tunnels have been a part of the life of Gazans, however, its importance increased after Hamas removed Fatah from the seat of power and subsequently severe restrictions were placed on the movement of goods and people by Israel and Egypt on the territory. Before the Gaza Strip came under the control of the Hamas, the tunnel labyrinth was being used for smuggling. A few tunnels, which were located across their border with Gaza, were destroyed by Egypt. However, the tunnels towards Israel were slowly expanded and started being used by Hamas for more sinister goals. Israel dubbed these tunnels as the "Gaza Metro" because they believed it stretched under a territory which was only 41km (25 miles) long and 10km wide. After a conflict in 2021, the IDF claimed to have launched air strikes on more than 100km of tunnels and destroyed them. However, Hamas in its counterclaims stated that the tunnels stretched only 500km, which meant only 5 per cent of it was hit. At one time, nearly 2,500 tunnels which were underneath the Egyptian border were being used for smuggling fuels, weapons and commercial goods by other militant groups. Through time, smuggling did not remain the primary purpose of the tunnel, especially after 2010, when Israel started allowing the import of more goods through its crossings. Later, smuggling was stopped by Egypt by flooding or destroying the tunnels. ALSO READ | Explained: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents Role played by tunnels in terror attacks of Hamas In 2006, Hamas captured Israeli soldier Gilad Shalid and killed his two colleagues in a cross-border raid, through tunnels. The soldier remained captured by Hamas for two years before he was released under a prisoner exchange deal. In some years, the Israelis started calling these tunnels as "terror tunnels" and further restricted the entry of construction materials into the Gaza Strip. A 1.6km-long, 18m-deep tunnel, which had a concrete roof and walls, was discovered by the IDF in 2013. The tunnel, which was found after strange sounds were heard by the residents, ran from the Gaza Strip to land near an Israeli kibbutz. The year after, Israel emphasised the need to curb the threat of attacks which were being carried out by Hamas militants using such "terror tunnels". WATCH | A humanitarian crisis unfolds in Gaza | The West Asia Post Key role of ‘terror tunnels’ in October 7 attacks The shocking attacks of Hamas which shook Israel last weekend were a combination of simultaneous attacks via water and land and a barrage of rocket strikes. The border of Israel with Gaza remains fenced and has sensors installed which can detect movement. However, no early warning was issued before a surprise attack was launched by Hamas on civilians. The experts believe that tunnels may have played an important role in the undetected crossing of Hamas operatives into Israel. The fence built by Israel on the Gaza border is 30 feet high and has an underground concrete barrier. So, the only way Hamas operatives were able to enter Israel undetected would have been by digging tunnels under the barrier and the fence. Speaking to the BBC, Reichman University faculty member Dr Daphne Richemond-Barak said that the Gaza Strip has sophisticated tunnels, unlike the rudimentary tunnels over the borders. "The cross-border tunnels tend to be rudimentary, meaning they have barely any fortification. They are dug for a one-time purpose - invading Israeli territory," she said. The tunnels inside, Richemond-Barak said are, "equipped for a longer, sustained presence". "The leaders are hiding there, they have command-and-control centres, they use them for transport and lines of communication," she added. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Explained | Hamas' mysterious tunnels in Gaza that pose challenge for Israel

<p>In retaliation to the sudden and massive attack by Hamas, Israel called for a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip. As the world watched, Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced, “There will be no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel – everything is closed.”<br />
<br />
However, this was not the first time such harsh conditions were imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip. There has been imposition of similar conditions by Israel on the strip of land since the Palestinian enclave was placed under air, land and sea blockade after Hamas came to power in 2007.<br />
<br />
Gaza, which stands wedged between Israel to the north and east, the Mediterranean Sea to the west and Egypt to the south, has been home to approximately 2.3 million Palestinians. More than 65 per cent of its population live below the poverty line, and experts have previously stated that the children are living in “hell on earth”.<br />
<br />
Today, amid the raging Israel-Hamas war, electricity, food and water remain blocked in the embattled Gaza in the wake of the latest “complete siege” and the populace is stranded with no routes to escape.<br />
<br />
Now that Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have asked around 1.2 million residents to evacuate northern Gaza, the question arises how citizens are supposed to flee from what rights groups, intellectuals, UN experts and even former British Prime Minister David Cameron have called an “open air prison”.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-historical-conflict-between-israel-palestine-amid-unprovoked-escalation-by-hamas-644471">Revisiting Israel-Palestine historical conflict amid new escalation by Hamas</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Beginning of the blockade over Gaza Strip</strong></h2>

<p>Israel took over Gaza from Egypt in the Six-Day War of 1967 and began the territory's military occupation. Israel constructed 21 settlements in Gaza between 1967 and 2005 and pushed Palestinian residents to leave the territory by adopting coercive measures as well as offering them financial and other incentives.<br />
<br />
However, during that time there was an increased violent and non-violent Palestinian resistance against the Israeli occupation. In 2005, Israel withdrew its army from the Gaza Strip.<br />
<br />
In the next two years, temporary blockades were imposed by Israel on the movement of people and goods inside and outside Gaza on different occasions.<br />
<br />
After Hamas came to power in Gaza in 2007, a permanent blockade was imposed on the territory by Israel. Egypt, which shares a border crossing with Gaza, also took part in the blockade. The blockade meant that most of the citizens could not go into or out of Gaza and also highly restricted the movement of goods and aid.<br />
<br />
This land, air and sea blockade imposed by Israel crippled the economy of Gaza and had devastating effects on Palestinians. It drew condemnation from human rights groups and the United Nations, however, Israel justified that the blockade was necessary for its security.</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-gaza-strip-and-the-struggle-for-survival-for-millions-of-its-residents-645290">Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents</a></strong></p>

<h2><strong>Geographical barriers around Gaza Strip</strong></h2>

<p>Gaza Strip, which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea on one side and has walls on the other three sides, stands completely surrounded by physical barriers.<br />
<br />
Israel established a 60-km-long fence on its Gaza border in 1994 which was upgraded many times and finally became a sophisticated border security system, which included walls which are 7 metres tall and have sensors and remote-controlled machine guns installed in areas which are close to the Israeli settlements.<br />
<br />
Israel has also constructed underground walls to stop any kind of movement through Gaza's famous underground tunnels. With the northern and eastern sides of Gaza walled off by Israel, its southern border was also walled when Egypt constructed a 14-km steel border barrier with the help of the United States.<br />
<br />
Underground barriers were also built by Egypt to block smuggling tunnels. The sea route into Gaza in the west was controlled by Israel, which did not allow it to be used for the movement of goods or people.<br />
<br />
As of now, Gaza has only three functional border crossings: Karem Abu Salem Crossing, Erez Crossing controlled by Israel, and Rafah Crossing controlled by Egypt. However, since the Israel-Hamas war started, all three crossings were effectively sealed.</p>

<p><strong>Watch |&nbsp;Hamas attack: Israel's big security lapse</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/hamas-attack-israels-big-security-lapse-646604/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<h2><strong>Is there any escape from this 'open-air prison'?</strong></h2>

<p>The blockade placed by Israel and Egypt clearly stops people and goods from freely moving in and out of the Gaza Strip.<br />
<br />
The Israeli government has clearly stated that Palestinians will not be able to enter or leave Gaza “except in extremely rare cases, which include urgent, life-threatening medical conditions and a very short list of merchants”, as per B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, The Independent reported.<br />
<br />
The restrictions have not been imposed on Israelis, Jewish settlers as well as tourists and they are free to move in and out of Gaza. Quite often, Egypt also closes its land-border crossing located at Rafah, which is generally the only way for Palestinians, living in Gaza, to access the rest of the world.<br />
<br />
Israel is free to enter Gaza with its military at will and maintain a no-go buffer zone in the Gaza territory. The conditions of people living in this “open-air prison”, which remains bordered by walls and fences, have been difficult for long with 95 per cent of Gazans living without access to clean water.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

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In retaliation to the sudden and massive attack by Hamas, Israel called for a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip. As the world watched, Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced, “There will be no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel – everything is closed.

In retaliation to the sudden and massive attack by Hamas, Israel called for a “complete siege” of the Gaza Strip. As the world watched, Israel's Defence Minister Yoav Gallant announced, “There will be no electricity, no food, no water, no fuel – everything is closed.” However, this was not the first time such harsh conditions were imposed by Israel on the Gaza Strip. There has been imposition of similar conditions by Israel on the strip of land since the Palestinian enclave was placed under air, land and sea blockade after Hamas came to power in 2007. Gaza, which stands wedged between Israel to the north and east, the Mediterranean Sea to the west and Egypt to the south, has been home to approximately 2.3 million Palestinians. More than 65 per cent of its population live below the poverty line, and experts have previously stated that the children are living in “hell on earth”. Today, amid the raging Israel-Hamas war, electricity, food and water remain blocked in the embattled Gaza in the wake of the latest “complete siege” and the populace is stranded with no routes to escape. Now that Israeli Defence Forces (IDF) have asked around 1.2 million residents to evacuate northern Gaza, the question arises how citizens are supposed to flee from what rights groups, intellectuals, UN experts and even former British Prime Minister David Cameron have called an “open air prison”. Also read: Revisiting Israel-Palestine historical conflict amid new escalation by Hamas Beginning of the blockade over Gaza Strip Israel took over Gaza from Egypt in the Six-Day War of 1967 and began the territory's military occupation. Israel constructed 21 settlements in Gaza between 1967 and 2005 and pushed Palestinian residents to leave the territory by adopting coercive measures as well as offering them financial and other incentives. However, during that time there was an increased violent and non-violent Palestinian resistance against the Israeli occupation. In 2005, Israel withdrew its army from the Gaza Strip. In the next two years, temporary blockades were imposed by Israel on the movement of people and goods inside and outside Gaza on different occasions. After Hamas came to power in Gaza in 2007, a permanent blockade was imposed on the territory by Israel. Egypt, which shares a border crossing with Gaza, also took part in the blockade. The blockade meant that most of the citizens could not go into or out of Gaza and also highly restricted the movement of goods and aid. This land, air and sea blockade imposed by Israel crippled the economy of Gaza and had devastating effects on Palestinians. It drew condemnation from human rights groups and the United Nations, however, Israel justified that the blockade was necessary for its security. Also read: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents Geographical barriers around Gaza Strip Gaza Strip, which overlooks the Mediterranean Sea on one side and has walls on the other three sides, stands completely surrounded by physical barriers. Israel established a 60-km-long fence on its Gaza border in 1994 which was upgraded many times and finally became a sophisticated border security system, which included walls which are 7 metres tall and have sensors and remote-controlled machine guns installed in areas which are close to the Israeli settlements. Israel has also constructed underground walls to stop any kind of movement through Gaza's famous underground tunnels. With the northern and eastern sides of Gaza walled off by Israel, its southern border was also walled when Egypt constructed a 14-km steel border barrier with the help of the United States. Underground barriers were also built by Egypt to block smuggling tunnels. The sea route into Gaza in the west was controlled by Israel, which did not allow it to be used for the movement of goods or people. As of now, Gaza has only three functional border crossings: Karem Abu Salem Crossing, Erez Crossing controlled by Israel, and Rafah Crossing controlled by Egypt. However, since the Israel-Hamas war started, all three crossings were effectively sealed. Watch | Hamas attack: Israel's big security lapse Is there any escape from this 'open-air prison'? The blockade placed by Israel and Egypt clearly stops people and goods from freely moving in and out of the Gaza Strip. The Israeli government has clearly stated that Palestinians will not be able to enter or leave Gaza “except in extremely rare cases, which include urgent, life-threatening medical conditions and a very short list of merchants”, as per B’Tselem, an Israeli human rights group, The Independent reported. The restrictions have not been imposed on Israelis, Jewish settlers as well as tourists and they are free to move in and out of Gaza. Quite often, Egypt also closes its land-border crossing located at Rafah, which is generally the only way for Palestinians, living in Gaza, to access the rest of the world. Israel is free to enter Gaza with its military at will and maintain a no-go buffer zone in the Gaza territory. The conditions of people living in this “open-air prison”, which remains bordered by walls and fences, have been difficult for long with 95 per cent of Gazans living without access to clean water. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Explained | How Gaza Strip became the ‘world’s largest open-air prison’

<p>The firing of more than 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip broke the dawn of Saturday (Oct 7), with&nbsp;Israelis woke up to one of the bloodiest terror attacks launched by Hamas while breaking the impregnable Iron Dome defence system of Tel Aviv and infiltrating the country by breaching its security barriers.<br />
<br />
The fighters from the terrorist outfit Hamas entered the country on foot, vehicles,&nbsp;paragliders and boats,&nbsp;and Israel was caught off-guard by this sudden escalation, being seen&nbsp;as a “major intelligence failure”.<br />
<br />
In a recorded message, the leader of Hamas’ military wing Mohammed Deif said, “Enough is enough”, as he appealed to Palestinians to take part in “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm”, which is being called the biggest military offensive by Hamas in years.<br />
<br />
<strong>ALSO READ | </strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/israel-declares-full-control-of-communities-attacked-near-gaza-644443">Israel declares 'full control of communities' attacked near Gaza</a><br />
<br />
Speaking about the 'Operation Al-Aqsa Storm' being termed as the biggest attack on Israel to WION, spokesperson for Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon Guy Nir said, “It is called the biggest terror attack because of the sheer magnitude of the event. Over 600 Israelis have been murdered and many have been held hostage.”</p>

<h2><strong>Root cause: The historical conflict between Israel and Palestine</strong></h2>

<p>In World War I, after the Ottoman Empire fell, Palestine – which had a population divided between Arab majority and Jewish minority, went under the control of Britain. Britain was given the task of creating a Jewish homeland in Palestine by the international community, which led to increased tensions between Arabs and Jews.<br />
<br />
The demand for a Jewish homeland emerged as part of an ethno-nationalist movement called Zionism - which started in the late 19th century and aimed at creating a homeland for the Jews in Palestine.<br />
<br />
In the wake of World War II and the Nazi Holocaust of Jewish people, the demand for a Jewish nation increased and it gained the support of the people. Many Jews fled Europe to save themselves from persecution, and Palestine saw a sudden influx of Jewish immigrants in the 1920s and 1940s.<br />
<br />
<strong>ALSO READ |</strong> <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/did-hamas-dupe-israel-into-a-false-sense-of-security-before-ongoing-devastating-attack-644424">Did Hamas dupe Israel into a false sense of security before ongoing devastating attack?</a><br />
<br />
As tensions escalated between Arabs and Jews, the resistance to the British regime intensified further. The United Nations adopted a partition plan in 1947, according to which Palestine was to be divided into separate Jewish and Arab states and Jerusalem was to remain under international administration.<br />
<br />
The plan was accepted by the Jewish leadership, however, the Arabs rejected it and it was never implemented. Immediately after the partition plan was adopted, a war broke out between Arabs and Zionist settlers who were entering Palestine.<br />
<br />
The founding of Israel was proclaimed by the Jewish leaders, with the support of the British authorities and the United Nations, in 1948. The war saw intervention by neighbouring Arab countries with military force.<br />
<br />
In 1949, the first Arab-Israeli War ended with the victory of Israel and 750,000 Palestinians were reportedly displaced, which they called Al Nakba, or "The Catastrophe".</p>

<p><strong>Also read:&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-gaza-strip-and-the-struggle-for-survival-for-millions-of-its-residents-645290">Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents</a></strong></p>

<p>The territory was divided into three parts - the Arab West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Jewish Israel. To date, the conflict remains unresolved.</p>

<h2><strong>Israel's war with Hamas and the looming question of a 'third Intifada'</strong></h2>

<p>Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, also known by the acronym Hamas, was founded in 1987 by Palestinian cleric Sheikh Ahmed Yassin as a transnational Sunni Islamist organisation.<br />
<br />
Hamas was involved in two Palestinian uprisings, also known as 'intifadas', which took place from 1987 to 1993 and 2000 to 2005, and ended the peace process between the two countries, as they entered in a new phase of conflict.<br />
<br />
<strong>WATCH | Israel-Palestine War: US officials move to send aid and ammunition for Israel: Report</strong></p>

<p><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-palestine-war-us-officials-move-to-send-aid-and-ammunition-for-israel-report-644453/embed" width="560"></iframe></p>

<p>“Intifada” is an Arabic term which means to ‘shake off’. In December 1987, it came into popular usage as Palestinians used it to term their uprising against the presence of Israelis in Gaza and the West Bank.<br />
<br />
Since the latest and unprecedented attacks were carried out by Hamas, some of the experts called it the beginning of the “Third Intifada”.<br />
<br />
As Hamas launched a barrage of rockets, it appealed to the West Bank and the Arab and Islamic worlds to take part in this war against Israel.<br />
<br />
Speaking about the intentions of Hamas behind the latest salvo against Israel, the spokesperson for the Israeli Ambassador to India said, “The intent is to instill fear in the minds of the people of Israel. They are launching terror attacks at civilians and kidnaping, raping, and murdering children as well as women and elderly.”<br />
<br />
“Israel has to defend its civilians, and we will do what is needed to achieve that goal. I think the Israel Defense Forces' response will not encourage any Hamas terrorist to act," he added.</p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>


The firing of more than 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip broke the dawn of Saturday (Oct 7), with Israelis woke up to one of the bloodiest terror attacks launched by Hamas while breaking the impregnable Iron Dome defence system of Tel Aviv and infiltrating the country by breaching its security barriers.

The firing of more than 5,000 rockets from the Gaza Strip broke the dawn of Saturday (Oct 7), with Israelis woke up to one of the bloodiest terror attacks launched by Hamas while breaking the impregnable Iron Dome defence system of Tel Aviv and infiltrating the country by breaching its security barriers. The fighters from the terrorist outfit Hamas entered the country on foot, vehicles, paragliders and boats, and Israel was caught off-guard by this sudden escalation, being seen as a “major intelligence failure”. In a recorded message, the leader of Hamas’ military wing Mohammed Deif said, “Enough is enough”, as he appealed to Palestinians to take part in “Operation Al-Aqsa Storm”, which is being called the biggest military offensive by Hamas in years. ALSO READ | Israel declares 'full control of communities' attacked near Gaza Speaking about the 'Operation Al-Aqsa Storm' being termed as the biggest attack on Israel to WION, spokesperson for Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon Guy Nir said, “It is called the biggest terror attack because of the sheer magnitude of the event. Over 600 Israelis have been murdered and many have been held hostage.” Root cause: The historical conflict between Israel and Palestine In World War I, after the Ottoman Empire fell, Palestine – which had a population divided between Arab majority and Jewish minority, went under the control of Britain. Britain was given the task of creating a Jewish homeland in Palestine by the international community, which led to increased tensions between Arabs and Jews. The demand for a Jewish homeland emerged as part of an ethno-nationalist movement called Zionism - which started in the late 19th century and aimed at creating a homeland for the Jews in Palestine. In the wake of World War II and the Nazi Holocaust of Jewish people, the demand for a Jewish nation increased and it gained the support of the people. Many Jews fled Europe to save themselves from persecution, and Palestine saw a sudden influx of Jewish immigrants in the 1920s and 1940s. ALSO READ | Did Hamas dupe Israel into a false sense of security before ongoing devastating attack? As tensions escalated between Arabs and Jews, the resistance to the British regime intensified further. The United Nations adopted a partition plan in 1947, according to which Palestine was to be divided into separate Jewish and Arab states and Jerusalem was to remain under international administration. The plan was accepted by the Jewish leadership, however, the Arabs rejected it and it was never implemented. Immediately after the partition plan was adopted, a war broke out between Arabs and Zionist settlers who were entering Palestine. The founding of Israel was proclaimed by the Jewish leaders, with the support of the British authorities and the United Nations, in 1948. The war saw intervention by neighbouring Arab countries with military force. In 1949, the first Arab-Israeli War ended with the victory of Israel and 750,000 Palestinians were reportedly displaced, which they called Al Nakba, or "The Catastrophe". Also read: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents The territory was divided into three parts - the Arab West Bank, the Gaza Strip and the Jewish Israel. To date, the conflict remains unresolved. Israel's war with Hamas and the looming question of a 'third Intifada' Harakat al-Muqawama al-Islamiya, also known by the acronym Hamas, was founded in 1987 by Palestinian cleric Sheikh Ahmed Yassin as a transnational Sunni Islamist organisation. Hamas was involved in two Palestinian uprisings, also known as 'intifadas', which took place from 1987 to 1993 and 2000 to 2005, and ended the peace process between the two countries, as they entered in a new phase of conflict. WATCH | Israel-Palestine War: US officials move to send aid and ammunition for Israel: Report “Intifada” is an Arabic term which means to ‘shake off’. In December 1987, it came into popular usage as Palestinians used it to term their uprising against the presence of Israelis in Gaza and the West Bank. Since the latest and unprecedented attacks were carried out by Hamas, some of the experts called it the beginning of the “Third Intifada”. As Hamas launched a barrage of rockets, it appealed to the West Bank and the Arab and Islamic worlds to take part in this war against Israel. Speaking about the intentions of Hamas behind the latest salvo against Israel, the spokesperson for the Israeli Ambassador to India said, “The intent is to instill fear in the minds of the people of Israel. They are launching terror attacks at civilians and kidnaping, raping, and murdering children as well as women and elderly.” “Israel has to defend its civilians, and we will do what is needed to achieve that goal. I think the Israel Defense Forces' response will not encourage any Hamas terrorist to act," he added. You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Explained: Revisiting Israel-Palestine historical conflict amid new escalation by Hamas

<p>When Hamas fired a barrage of rockets on Israel as its citizens slept in calmness on October 7, unaware of the sudden and shocking attack coming their way, the terror group announced it as the beginning of Operation "Al Aqsa Flood". As the sudden attacks that targeted civilians inside Israel quickly took the shape of yet another&nbsp;war, what remained as a focal point of tension between Israel and Palestine was the Al Aqsa, a place which always found itself in the conflict between Arabs and Jews.&nbsp;</p>

<p>As per a Reuters report, the operation was planned and named "Al Aqsa Flood" by the mastermind of the attack Mohammed Deif in retaliation for raids carried out at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque by Israel.</p>

<p>Deif started planning the attack in May 2021 after the Arab and Muslim world were left enraged by a raid carried out by Israel on Al Aqsa mosque.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"It was triggered by scenes and footage of Israel storming Al Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, beating worshippers, attacking them, dragging elderly and young men out of the mosque. All this fuelled and ignited the anger," a source was quoted as saying in Gaza.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-historical-conflict-between-israel-palestine-amid-unprovoked-escalation-by-hamas-644471">Explained: Revisiting Israel-Palestine historical conflict amid new escalation by Hamas</a></p>

<p>Commenting on the attack by Hamas that left Israel rattled, spokesperson for Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon Guy Nir said to WION, "This is a terror attack that needs to be condemned. Terror is terror. All over the world. Throughout history - you can see that Israel's citizens unite in difficult situations. People help each other, and they become stronger when facing difficulties."</p>

<p>However, this is not the first time &nbsp;Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is part of a larger compound located in the Old City of Jerusalem, has been drawn into a conflict.</p>

<p>The disputed mosque complex has been at the centre of the Israel-Palestine conflict for years.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What is the significance of Al Aqsa mosque for Muslims and Jews?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The Al-Aqsa Mosque is located on a hill, which Jews call Har ha-Bayit or the Temple Mount and the Muslims refer to as al-Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary, in the Old City of Jerusalem.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Across the globe, Muslims consider the mosque as Islam's third holiest place after Mecca and Medina. Al-Aqsa compound houses two holy places - the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which is a &nbsp;seventh-century structure where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven.</p>

<p>The mosque was constructed on the hill&nbsp;in 8th century AD. &nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/explained-gaza-strip-and-the-struggle-for-survival-for-millions-of-its-residents-645290">Explained: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents</a></p>

<p>As per the Jews, the compound is where once the Biblical Jewish temples stood.</p>

<p>However, the Jews are forbidden from entering the compound and praying by Jewish law and the Israeli Rabbinate, since they consider it too holy to tread upon.</p>

<p>The Western Wall of the compound, known as the Wailing Wall to Jews, is considered as the last remnant of the Second Temple.</p>

<p>However, the Muslims believe it is the al-Buraq Wall where al-Buraq, the animal upon which Prophet Muhammad ascended to the sky, was tied by him.</p>

<p>The Jews further consider the Temple Mount as their holiest site because they believe that their first temple was built by King Solomon 3,000 years ago.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How did the conflict around the Al-Aqsa Mosque unfold?&nbsp;</strong></h2>

<p>The contested site became a matter of concern after East Jerusalem went under the control of Israel after the Six-Day War in 1967.</p>

<p>Officially, the control of the mosque and its area was given by Israel to an Islamic group. However, the Israeli forces were allowed to visit the site and also gave permission to Christian pilgrims to visit the Temple Mount, which is considered as holy by them also for its connection with events in the life of Jesus Christ.</p>

<p>A new tunnel was opened near the compound of the al-Aqsa Mosque in 1996 which was seen by Palestinians as a violation of their sacred site. This led to clashes which resulted in more than 80 deaths in just three days.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Israel's then-opposition leader Ariel Sharon along with a group of Israeli lawmakers visited the Temple Mount complex in 2000.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;Israel-Hamas War: Israeli defence forces fight on three fronts</strong></p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo"><iframe allowfullscreen="" autoplay="1" class="includeVideo" frameborder="0" height="350" src="https://www.wionews.com/videos/israel-palestine-war-israeli-defence-forces-fight-on-three-fronts-645767/embed" style="width:100%;max-width:560px;" width="560"></iframe></div>

<p>After 2005, some Jewish religious factions demanded that more rights should be granted to them for visiting the place and expressed their aspiration of reconstructing an old temple in place of the Dome of the Rock which they believed once stood there, further sparking controversy and debate.</p>

<p>The tensions reached a crucial point in 2014 after the assault on Yehuda Glick, who was a Jewish religious leader.</p>

<p>Responding to the attack, Israel closed the access to Al-Aqsa, a step which was not taken since 1967. Palestinians were already&nbsp;restricted from entering the compound by Israelis through various methods, like building the separation wall in the early 2000s, which stops Palestinians from the West Bank from getting entry into Israel.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In March and April of 2014, tear gas and stun grenades were used by the Israeli police against Palestinians within Al-Aqsa which drew international condemnation.</p>

<p>This ignited protests by Palestinians which soon turned into violent clashes and marked the start of the second Palestinian uprising called the al-Aqsa Intifada.</p>

<p>The clashes at the site of &nbsp;Al Aqsa Mosque in 2021 also triggered a 10-day war with Gaza. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>Speaking about the unending conflict that revolves around the Al Aqsa mosque to WION, International Crisis Group's Programme Director, Middle East &amp; North Africa Joost R. Hiltermann said, "Both Muslims and Jews complain that they don't have the right to pray on the holy esplanade, and both use violence. Violence can sometimes break the mould and trigger negotiations. If that happens, perhaps the situation at the holy places will improve."&nbsp;</p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

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When Hamas fired a barrage of rockets on Israel as its citizens slept in calmness on October 7, unaware of the sudden and shocking attack coming their way, the terror group announced it as the beginning of Operation "Al Aqsa Flood".

When Hamas fired a barrage of rockets on Israel as its citizens slept in calmness on October 7, unaware of the sudden and shocking attack coming their way, the terror group announced it as the beginning of Operation "Al Aqsa Flood". As the sudden attacks that targeted civilians inside Israel quickly took the shape of yet another war, what remained as a focal point of tension between Israel and Palestine was the Al Aqsa, a place which always found itself in the conflict between Arabs and Jews. As per a Reuters report, the operation was planned and named "Al Aqsa Flood" by the mastermind of the attack Mohammed Deif in retaliation for raids carried out at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa mosque by Israel. Deif started planning the attack in May 2021 after the Arab and Muslim world were left enraged by a raid carried out by Israel on Al Aqsa mosque. "It was triggered by scenes and footage of Israel storming Al Aqsa mosque during Ramadan, beating worshippers, attacking them, dragging elderly and young men out of the mosque. All this fuelled and ignited the anger," a source was quoted as saying in Gaza. ALSO READ | Explained: Revisiting Israel-Palestine historical conflict amid new escalation by Hamas Commenting on the attack by Hamas that left Israel rattled, spokesperson for Israeli Ambassador to India Naor Gilon Guy Nir said to WION, "This is a terror attack that needs to be condemned. Terror is terror. All over the world. Throughout history - you can see that Israel's citizens unite in difficult situations. People help each other, and they become stronger when facing difficulties." However, this is not the first time Al-Aqsa Mosque, which is part of a larger compound located in the Old City of Jerusalem, has been drawn into a conflict. The disputed mosque complex has been at the centre of the Israel-Palestine conflict for years. What is the significance of Al Aqsa mosque for Muslims and Jews? The Al-Aqsa Mosque is located on a hill, which Jews call Har ha-Bayit or the Temple Mount and the Muslims refer to as al-Haram al-Sharif, or the Noble Sanctuary, in the Old City of Jerusalem. Across the globe, Muslims consider the mosque as Islam's third holiest place after Mecca and Medina. Al-Aqsa compound houses two holy places - the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, which is a seventh-century structure where the Prophet Muhammad is believed to have ascended to heaven. The mosque was constructed on the hill in 8th century AD. ALSO READ | Explained: Gaza Strip and the struggle for survival for millions of its residents As per the Jews, the compound is where once the Biblical Jewish temples stood. However, the Jews are forbidden from entering the compound and praying by Jewish law and the Israeli Rabbinate, since they consider it too holy to tread upon. The Western Wall of the compound, known as the Wailing Wall to Jews, is considered as the last remnant of the Second Temple. However, the Muslims believe it is the al-Buraq Wall where al-Buraq, the animal upon which Prophet Muhammad ascended to the sky, was tied by him. The Jews further consider the Temple Mount as their holiest site because they believe that their first temple was built by King Solomon 3,000 years ago. How did the conflict around the Al-Aqsa Mosque unfold? The contested site became a matter of concern after East Jerusalem went under the control of Israel after the Six-Day War in 1967. Officially, the control of the mosque and its area was given by Israel to an Islamic group. However, the Israeli forces were allowed to visit the site and also gave permission to Christian pilgrims to visit the Temple Mount, which is considered as holy by them also for its connection with events in the life of Jesus Christ. A new tunnel was opened near the compound of the al-Aqsa Mosque in 1996 which was seen by Palestinians as a violation of their sacred site. This led to clashes which resulted in more than 80 deaths in just three days. Israel's then-opposition leader Ariel Sharon along with a group of Israeli lawmakers visited the Temple Mount complex in 2000. WATCH | Israel-Hamas War: Israeli defence forces fight on three fronts After 2005, some Jewish religious factions demanded that more rights should be granted to them for visiting the place and expressed their aspiration of reconstructing an old temple in place of the Dome of the Rock which they believed once stood there, further sparking controversy and debate. The tensions reached a crucial point in 2014 after the assault on Yehuda Glick, who was a Jewish religious leader. Responding to the attack, Israel closed the access to Al-Aqsa, a step which was not taken since 1967. Palestinians were already restricted from entering the compound by Israelis through various methods, like building the separation wall in the early 2000s, which stops Palestinians from the West Bank from getting entry into Israel. In March and April of 2014, tear gas and stun grenades were used by the Israeli police against Palestinians within Al-Aqsa which drew international condemnation. This ignited protests by Palestinians which soon turned into violent clashes and marked the start of the second Palestinian uprising called the al-Aqsa Intifada. The clashes at the site of Al Aqsa Mosque in 2021 also triggered a 10-day war with Gaza. Speaking about the unending conflict that revolves around the Al Aqsa mosque to WION, International Crisis Group's Programme Director, Middle East & North Africa Joost R. Hiltermann said, "Both Muslims and Jews complain that they don't have the right to pray on the holy esplanade, and both use violence. Violence can sometimes break the mould and trigger negotiations. If that happens, perhaps the situation at the holy places will improve." You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Explained | Blood-stained story of Al Aqsa Mosque compound at the heart of Israel-Hamas war

<p>The words 'Holocaust' and 'Shoah' (Hebrew for catastrophe) gained&nbsp;traction on social media in Israel during the course of Oct 9 and Oct 10 after hundreds of Israeli citizens, mostly Jews, were killed in a wave of deadly attacks by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Holocaust is a reference to the genocide of over 6 million European Jews during the Second World War committed by the Nazis who owed allegiance to the German dictator Adolf Hitler.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In its modern-day independent existence since 1948, Israel was initially almost completely constituted of Holocaust survivors. They were the people who survived the death camps or managed to stay put during a period of visceral hatred against Jewish people in Europe during the Second World War.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At least until 1972, radio broadcasts in Tel Aviv would routinely announce the names of "missing people" who survived the Holocaust and were looking for their relatives in the hope of finding them alive in Israel: "the promised land".&nbsp;</p>

<p>Most present-day inhabitants of Israel are descendants of the Jewish people who survived persecution in one form or another during the Second World War or the periods and centuries preceding it when waves of antisemitism led to the massacre&nbsp;of Jewish people.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/photos/holocaust-remembrance-day-a-look-at-israels-hidden-memorial-193167/#chamber-of-the-holocaust-193151">Holocaust Remembrance Day: A look at Israel's hidden memorial</a></strong></p>

<p>For these same reasons, the Holocaust is an integral part of the Israeli social fabric, where memorials are held regularly to commemorate major moments of persecution, and museums such as Yad Vashem stand witness to the phases of atrocities faced by the world's first Abrahamic community through centuries.</p>

<h2><strong>How Holocaust's generational trauma has resurfaced in Israel after Hamas attack?</strong></h2>

<p>So far, at least 900 Israeli people, most of them Jews, have been killed by a wave of armed attacks launched by Hamas from inside the Gaza Strip. According to Israel's President Isaac Herzog, "not since the Holocaust have so many Jews been killed on one day." Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid termed it the "worst day since Holocaust".</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">Not since the Holocaust have so many Jews been killed on one day.<br />
<br />
As President of the State of Israel, I speak to you now from our capital city Jerusalem, under the dark shadow of war, as my nation continues to endure a savage attack from a cruel and inhumane enemy &gt;&gt; <a href="https://t.co/1EU8fZYhIS">pic.twitter.com/1EU8fZYhIS</a></p>
— יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) <a href="https://twitter.com/Isaac_Herzog/status/1711434363349438548?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">October 9, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>Besides, among the people killed during the ongoing onslaught by Palestinian militants are the elderly individuals who survived Hitler's death camps. Hamas members were seen on a killing spree in people's homes, massacring hundreds of young people at an outdoor music festival, kidnapping scores of women, children and elderly, even Holocaust survivors.&nbsp;</p>

<p>US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said one of the people forcibly taken after Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel over the weekend was a Holocaust survivor who uses a wheelchair.</p>

<p>At the same time, many demonstrations across the world showing support for the Palestinians have turned into a show of antisemitism.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At a rally near Sydney's Opera House, a crowd of hundreds was heard chanting in a video, "Gas the Jews", in a reference to the gas chambers in concentration camps where millions were suffocated to death.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Israel Vs Hamas: Is this the most number of Jews killed since Holocaust?</strong></h2>

<p>According to the Times of Israel, the claim appears to be accurate. There have been days of violence and similar bloodshed in Israel’s history and for Jews around the world since 1945, but none has had a civilian death toll this high.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While there have been higher casualty tolls, these many civilians have not been murdered in a single day.</p>

<p>Between the last few months of 1947 into 1949, 6,000 citizens of Israel died during its war of independence. But that is considered the death toll in its entirety for a period of nearly two years. Besides, most casualties were soldiers, not civilians.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Remembering the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust</strong></p>

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<p>At the same time, comparisons have been made with the Yom Kippur War of 1973 -- an armed conflict fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria -- in which Israel emerged victorious.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But while more than 2,000 soldiers died over the course of more than two weeks in 1973, the war had a very low Israeli civilian death toll, The Times of Israel reported.</p>

<p>Approximately 1,000 people died in the terror attacks of the Second Intifada, a period between 2000 to mid-2005.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Similarly, big-scale killings of the Jewish people have occurred outside Israel as well.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In India, during the 26/11 Mumbai attack, Pakistani terrorists took captives in the Nariman House, designated as a Chabad house, a five-storey landmark in the Colaba area of South Mumbai, which was home to a Chabad house, a Jewish outreach centre. A total of six people were killed in Chabad House, including the Rabbi and his wife.</p>

<p>In 1946, a pogrom in Kielce, Poland, killed at least 42 Jews. The bombing of the AMIA Jewish Center in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires in 1994, which the American Jewish Committee reportedly called "the deadliest antisemitic attack outside Israel since the Holocaust," killed 85 people.</p>

<p>By contrast, while the figures are still being tallied, it remains accurate that the death toll of Israeli civilians due to Hamas attacks is the highest on a single day since the Second World War.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH WION LIVE HERE</strong></p>

<p><iframe allow="accelerometer; autoplay; encrypted-media; gyroscope; picture-in-picture" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="350" loading="”lazy”" src="https://www.wionews.com/live-tv/embed?autoplay=1&amp;mute=1" width="100%"></iframe></p>

<p>You can <strong>now write for wionews.com</strong> and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us <strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>


The words 'Holocaust' and 'Shoah' (Hebrew for catastrophe) gained traction on social media in Israel during the course of Oct 9 and Oct 10 after hundreds of Israeli citizens, mostly Jews, were killed in a wave of deadly attacks by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip.

The words 'Holocaust' and 'Shoah' (Hebrew for catastrophe) gained traction on social media in Israel during the course of Oct 9 and Oct 10 after hundreds of Israeli citizens, mostly Jews, were killed in a wave of deadly attacks by Hamas militants from the Gaza Strip. Holocaust is a reference to the genocide of over 6 million European Jews during the Second World War committed by the Nazis who owed allegiance to the German dictator Adolf Hitler. In its modern-day independent existence since 1948, Israel was initially almost completely constituted of Holocaust survivors. They were the people who survived the death camps or managed to stay put during a period of visceral hatred against Jewish people in Europe during the Second World War. At least until 1972, radio broadcasts in Tel Aviv would routinely announce the names of "missing people" who survived the Holocaust and were looking for their relatives in the hope of finding them alive in Israel: "the promised land". Most present-day inhabitants of Israel are descendants of the Jewish people who survived persecution in one form or another during the Second World War or the periods and centuries preceding it when waves of antisemitism led to the massacre of Jewish people. Also read | Holocaust Remembrance Day: A look at Israel's hidden memorial For these same reasons, the Holocaust is an integral part of the Israeli social fabric, where memorials are held regularly to commemorate major moments of persecution, and museums such as Yad Vashem stand witness to the phases of atrocities faced by the world's first Abrahamic community through centuries. How Holocaust's generational trauma has resurfaced in Israel after Hamas attack? So far, at least 900 Israeli people, most of them Jews, have been killed by a wave of armed attacks launched by Hamas from inside the Gaza Strip. According to Israel's President Isaac Herzog, "not since the Holocaust have so many Jews been killed on one day." Israeli opposition leader Yair Lapid termed it the "worst day since Holocaust". Not since the Holocaust have so many Jews been killed on one day. As President of the State of Israel, I speak to you now from our capital city Jerusalem, under the dark shadow of war, as my nation continues to endure a savage attack from a cruel and inhumane enemy >> pic.twitter.com/1EU8fZYhIS — יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog (@Isaac_Herzog) October 9, 2023 × Besides, among the people killed during the ongoing onslaught by Palestinian militants are the elderly individuals who survived Hitler's death camps. Hamas members were seen on a killing spree in people's homes, massacring hundreds of young people at an outdoor music festival, kidnapping scores of women, children and elderly, even Holocaust survivors. US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said one of the people forcibly taken after Hamas militants launched an attack on Israel over the weekend was a Holocaust survivor who uses a wheelchair. At the same time, many demonstrations across the world showing support for the Palestinians have turned into a show of antisemitism. At a rally near Sydney's Opera House, a crowd of hundreds was heard chanting in a video, "Gas the Jews", in a reference to the gas chambers in concentration camps where millions were suffocated to death. Israel Vs Hamas: Is this the most number of Jews killed since Holocaust? According to the Times of Israel, the claim appears to be accurate. There have been days of violence and similar bloodshed in Israel’s history and for Jews around the world since 1945, but none has had a civilian death toll this high. While there have been higher casualty tolls, these many civilians have not been murdered in a single day. Between the last few months of 1947 into 1949, 6,000 citizens of Israel died during its war of independence. But that is considered the death toll in its entirety for a period of nearly two years. Besides, most casualties were soldiers, not civilians. Also watch | Remembering the 6 million Jews killed in the Holocaust × At the same time, comparisons have been made with the Yom Kippur War of 1973 -- an armed conflict fought between Israel and a coalition of Arab states led by Egypt and Syria -- in which Israel emerged victorious. But while more than 2,000 soldiers died over the course of more than two weeks in 1973, the war had a very low Israeli civilian death toll, The Times of Israel reported. Approximately 1,000 people died in the terror attacks of the Second Intifada, a period between 2000 to mid-2005. Similarly, big-scale killings of the Jewish people have occurred outside Israel as well. In India, during the 26/11 Mumbai attack, Pakistani terrorists took captives in the Nariman House, designated as a Chabad house, a five-storey landmark in the Colaba area of South Mumbai, which was home to a Chabad house, a Jewish outreach centre. A total of six people were killed in Chabad House, including the Rabbi and his wife. In 1946, a pogrom in Kielce, Poland, killed at least 42 Jews. The bombing of the AMIA Jewish Center in the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires in 1994, which the American Jewish Committee reportedly called "the deadliest antisemitic attack outside Israel since the Holocaust," killed 85 people. By contrast, while the figures are still being tallied, it remains accurate that the death toll of Israeli civilians due to Hamas attacks is the highest on a single day since the Second World War. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained: How Hamas attack has revived wounds of Holocaust for Israeli Jews

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/chandrayaan-3-is-a-success-a-soft-landing-for-vikram-lander-a-giant-leap-for-indias-space-odyssey-628404">The soft-landing of the Vikram lander of India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission</a> not just gave the world's most populous nation the distinction of becoming&nbsp;the first nation to land near Moon's south pole, it also set the dice of space rivalry rolling in China National Space Administration's headquarters in Beijing.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While going to sleep on the lunar surface, the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover have revitalised Chinese ambitions to further the gap between itself and a fast growing Indian space programme.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Chinese scientist Ouyang Ziyuan, lauded as the father of China’s lunar exploration programme, earlier this week&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/top-chinese-scientist-disputes-indias-chandrayaan-3-landing-on-moons-south-pole-640439">claimed the Chandrayaan-3 landing site is nowhere close to the pole</a>, and questioned the achievements of the mission.</p>

<p>Ziyuan claimed that "the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 is not at the lunar south pole, not in the lunar south pole region, nor is it near the lunar south pole region."&nbsp;</p>

<p>But Chandrayaan-3 went much further south than any other lunar mission in the past, it has been established.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How India-China space race is heating up?</strong></h2>

<p>Let's start with basic data and where the demand is stemming from.&nbsp;</p>

<p>According to an Ernst &amp; Young projection, in the next two years, the space economy will grow to $600 billion from $447 billion in 2020.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, the demand for high-speed internet (sourced from satellites) has resulted in launch of private satellites as a prosperous revenue-making exercise for space enterprises and agencies.</p>

<p>Elon Musk's SpaceX is a serious player in the private satellite launch space, alongside the state-owned space agencies of Russia and China.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But due to war in Ukraine and Beijing’s trade tensions with Washington,&nbsp;both Moscow and Beijing are now off limits to many would-be customers.</p>

<p>India is turning out to be the safest choice for private satellite launches amid ongoing geopolitical tumult that has&nbsp;antagonised Beijing and Moscow in the West.</p>

<p>"If SpaceX is full, busy or expensive, you have to look elsewhere – and you can’t look at China," Dallas Kasaboski, principal analyst with Northern Sky Research, a space research and consulting firm was quoted as saying by Bloomberg.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/business-economy/how-the-money-is-influencing-a-new-space-race-with-indias-boom-and-russias-crunch-628286">How the money is influencing a new space race with India’s boom and Russia’s crunch</a>&nbsp;</strong></p>

<p>"China can’t work with North America and the US drives the majority of demand," Kasaboski said.</p>

<p>Besides, India's space sector is currently riding on the success of its showpiece event of the twenty-first century so far; a soft-landing near Moon's south pole. The country has established its footprint where nobody else has gone before, following which, the profile of Indian Space Research Organisation expanded its influence beyond the length and breadth of the world's fifth biggest economy.</p>

<p>"Politically, India is in a much better place," he said.</p>

<p>Meanwhile, India is also gearing up for its ambitious maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for 2024. <a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/watch-indian-air-force-shares-first-look-of-indias-isro-gaganyaan-astronauts-642235">A recent video shared by Indian Air Force</a> led to speculations if the personnel shown were the country's coveted astronauts, throwing open another wave of optimism on social media across India.&nbsp;</p>

<p>ISRO's space expedition to study the Sun with Aditya L-1 is already on track to reach its destination at Lagrange Point 1 in the first week of January.</p>

<h2><strong>What else is working for India?</strong></h2>

<p>For many satellite operators in the West, often, the Chinese rockets are not deemed good options amid concerns related to Beijing gaining access to Western technology.</p>

<p>At the same time, if the reports in public domain are to go by, Indian private space companies are doing exceedingly well, whereas China's iSpace, which was incorporated in 2016 often and touted as Asia's first private space company, is struggling due to a number of factors that have impacted <a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/chinas-poverty-is-showing-up-at-mexico-us-border-in-the-form-of-thousands-of-chinese-migrants-642051">post-Covid China</a> led by Xi Jinping.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;China's Tiangong space station faces equipment delay from India</strong></p>

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<p>At the same time, the country's launches also cost less than SpaceX, Moscow and Beijing.</p>

<p>Besides, developing India's space sector remains on top of the agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "Make in India" campaign, which aims to position India as a top destination for technological innovation.&nbsp;</p>

<p>In 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government eased rules for private sector satellite and rocket companies and allowed them to carry out independent space activities instead of being solely the suppliers to ISRO.&nbsp;</p>

<p><strong>Also read |&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/science/how-india-and-china-compare-in-space-capabilities-veteran-aerospace-expert-shares-analysis-489127">How India and China compare in space capabilities, veteran aerospace expert shares analysis</a></strong></p>

<p>The reforms meant that startups can also access ISRO’s facilities, such as launchpads and laboratories. By 2025, the value of India’s satellite launch services, according to a Bloomberg report, could almost double to $1 billion.</p>

<p>India also remains a popular choice for cost-efficient launches.</p>

<p>"There aren’t many players that have a large-capacity launch vehicle that’s cheap," Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics, which is operated by Harvard University and the Smithsonian Institution, was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. "And that’s not China or Russia."</p>

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The soft-landing of the Vikram lander of India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission not just gave the world's most populous nation the distinction of becoming the first nation to land near Moon's south pole, it also set the dice of space rivalry rolling in China National Space Administration's headquarters in Beijing.

The soft-landing of the Vikram lander of India's Chandrayaan-3 lunar mission not just gave the world's most populous nation the distinction of becoming the first nation to land near Moon's south pole, it also set the dice of space rivalry rolling in China National Space Administration's headquarters in Beijing. While going to sleep on the lunar surface, the Vikram lander and Pragyan rover have revitalised Chinese ambitions to further the gap between itself and a fast growing Indian space programme. Chinese scientist Ouyang Ziyuan, lauded as the father of China’s lunar exploration programme, earlier this week claimed the Chandrayaan-3 landing site is nowhere close to the pole, and questioned the achievements of the mission. Ziyuan claimed that "the landing site of Chandrayaan-3 is not at the lunar south pole, not in the lunar south pole region, nor is it near the lunar south pole region." But Chandrayaan-3 went much further south than any other lunar mission in the past, it has been established. How India-China space race is heating up? Let's start with basic data and where the demand is stemming from. According to an Ernst & Young projection, in the next two years, the space economy will grow to $600 billion from $447 billion in 2020. Meanwhile, the demand for high-speed internet (sourced from satellites) has resulted in launch of private satellites as a prosperous revenue-making exercise for space enterprises and agencies. Elon Musk's SpaceX is a serious player in the private satellite launch space, alongside the state-owned space agencies of Russia and China. But due to war in Ukraine and Beijing’s trade tensions with Washington, both Moscow and Beijing are now off limits to many would-be customers. India is turning out to be the safest choice for private satellite launches amid ongoing geopolitical tumult that has antagonised Beijing and Moscow in the West. "If SpaceX is full, busy or expensive, you have to look elsewhere – and you can’t look at China," Dallas Kasaboski, principal analyst with Northern Sky Research, a space research and consulting firm was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. Also read | How the money is influencing a new space race with India’s boom and Russia’s crunch "China can’t work with North America and the US drives the majority of demand," Kasaboski said. Besides, India's space sector is currently riding on the success of its showpiece event of the twenty-first century so far; a soft-landing near Moon's south pole. The country has established its footprint where nobody else has gone before, following which, the profile of Indian Space Research Organisation expanded its influence beyond the length and breadth of the world's fifth biggest economy. "Politically, India is in a much better place," he said. Meanwhile, India is also gearing up for its ambitious maiden human spaceflight mission, Gaganyaan, scheduled for 2024. A recent video shared by Indian Air Force led to speculations if the personnel shown were the country's coveted astronauts, throwing open another wave of optimism on social media across India. ISRO's space expedition to study the Sun with Aditya L-1 is already on track to reach its destination at Lagrange Point 1 in the first week of January. What else is working for India? For many satellite operators in the West, often, the Chinese rockets are not deemed good options amid concerns related to Beijing gaining access to Western technology. At the same time, if the reports in public domain are to go by, Indian private space companies are doing exceedingly well, whereas China's iSpace, which was incorporated in 2016 often and touted as Asia's first private space company, is struggling due to a number of factors that have impacted post-Covid China led by Xi Jinping. Also watch | China's Tiangong space station faces equipment delay from India × At the same time, the country's launches also cost less than SpaceX, Moscow and Beijing. Besides, developing India's space sector remains on top of the agenda of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s "Make in India" campaign, which aims to position India as a top destination for technological innovation. In 2020, Prime Minister Narendra Modi's government eased rules for private sector satellite and rocket companies and allowed them to carry out independent space activities instead of being solely the suppliers to ISRO. Also read | How India and China compare in space capabilities, veteran aerospace expert shares analysis The reforms meant that startups can also access ISRO’s facilities, such as launchpads and laboratories. By 2025, the value of India’s satellite launch services, according to a Bloomberg report, could almost double to $1 billion. India also remains a popular choice for cost-efficient launches. "There aren’t many players that have a large-capacity launch vehicle that’s cheap," Jonathan McDowell, an astrophysicist at the Center for Astrophysics, which is operated by Harvard University and the Smithsonian Institution, was quoted as saying by Bloomberg. "And that’s not China or Russia." WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | How success of India's Chandrayaan-3 is fuelling Delhi-Beijing space race

<p>The chances of a government shutdown in the United States are increasing with each passing hour as lawmakers have failed to reach&nbsp;a deal yet for extending funding beyond the critical deadline that is just hours away.<br />
<br />
The government services in the country are likely to get disrupted and thousands of federal workers would go without pay if Congress is not able to provide funding for the fiscal year which starts on October 1. Workers who have been deemed "essential" will remain without pay but won't lose their jobs.<br />
<br />
The shutdown plans have not been updated by many government agencies as they had prepared in the past.</p>

<h2><strong>What triggers a government shutdown?</strong></h2>

<p>On the midnight of September 30 government funding expires and the new fiscal year starts on October 1.<br />
<br />
If no legislation is passed by Congress for renewal of the funding by the deadline, then the federal government will have to shut down at midnight.</p>

<p><strong>ALSO READ |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/satellite-images-hint-at-expansion-of-nuclear-test-sites-in-us-russia-and-china-report-639168">Satellite images hint at expansion of nuclear test sites in US, Russia and China: Report</a></p>

<p>Since the shutdown is likely to happen at the weekend, its impact will not be seen till the work week starts on Monday.</p>

<h2><strong>How will the shutdown impact the country?</strong></h2>

<p>If the shutdown takes place, many government operations are likely to get halted but few services deemed “essential” will continue. The two million military personnel in the United States will continue at their post, however, around half of the 800,000 civilian employees of the Pentagon would be furloughed.<br />
<br />
The contracts which were finalised before the shutdown will continue, and new orders for supplies or services can be placed by the Pentagon to protect national security.<br />
<br />
The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration will maintain the nuclear weapons. As per the 2021 contingency plan of the Justice Department, agents at the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and federal law enforcement agencies will continue working along with prison staffers.<br />
<br />
All the criminal prosecutions, which include the two federal cases against former President Donald Trump, will also continue. The court will postpone most civil litigation.<br />
<br />
Border Patrol and immigration enforcement agents along with customs officers will continue to work as per the 2022 plan of the Department of Homeland Security. The consumer-protection workers of the Federal Trade Commission will be furloughed.<br />
<br />
The federal courts are likely to have enough money to continue working till October 13. The Supreme Court will also continue working. Air traffic control workers and airport security screeners will continue working.</p>

<p><strong>WATCH |&nbsp;US: Influx of migrants continues to rise</strong></p>

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<p>US embassies and consulates are likely to function as per the 2022 shutdown plan of the State Department. Passport and visa processing will also continue till sufficient fees are available to cover operations.<br />
<br />
Most of the staff of agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are likely to be furloughed.<br />
<br />
However, the International Space Station will continue to get support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the agency will also continue tracking satellites, however, they will furlough 17,000 of its 18,300 employees.<br />
<br />
The disease outbreaks will continue to be monitored by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) although other public health activities may suffer as they are likely to furlough more than half of the agency's workers.<br />
<br />
Most of the staff of the National Institutes of Health will be furloughed and new clinical trials for medical treatments will be delayed.</p>

<p>The Central Intelligence Agencies along with&nbsp;other intelligence agencies have not shared their plans publicly, in case there is a&nbsp;shutdown. However, in the past, the staff involved in cyber activities, operations and analysis were deemed critical to national security and were asked to continue&nbsp;working, possibly without pay.</p>

<h2><strong>Why is the US headed for a shutdown?</strong></h2>

<p>Currently, there has been a deep divide between the House and Senate which is making it difficult to reach a consensus on full-year spending legislation. The conservative hardliners of the House have been calling for deep spending cuts and controversial policy add-ons, which has been rejected by Democrats as well as some Republicans.<br />
<br />
As the funding deadline nears, top lawmakers from the two parties are hoping to clear a short-term funding extension, which is known as a continuing resolution or CR for short in Capitol Hill. The government frequently uses these short-term measures as a stopgap solution to avoid a shutdown and get more time to reach a broader full-year funding deal.<br />
<br />
However, it is still not clear if Congress will have enough consensus to pass a short-term funding bill from both chambers before the end of the month as House conservatives continue to protest against the possibility of a stopgap bill and have issued a threat to vote against one while continuing their demand of major policy concessions which have no chance of getting passed in the Senate.</p>

<p><em>(With inputs from agencies)</em></p>

<p>You can&nbsp;<strong>now write for&nbsp;wionews.com</strong>&nbsp;and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us&nbsp;<strong><a href="https://www.wionews.com/content-contribution-registration-form">here</a>.</strong></p>

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The chances of a government shutdown in the United States are increasing with each passing hour as lawmakers have failed to reach a deal yet for extending funding beyond the critical deadline that is just hours away.

The chances of a government shutdown in the United States are increasing with each passing hour as lawmakers have failed to reach a deal yet for extending funding beyond the critical deadline that is just hours away. The government services in the country are likely to get disrupted and thousands of federal workers would go without pay if Congress is not able to provide funding for the fiscal year which starts on October 1. Workers who have been deemed "essential" will remain without pay but won't lose their jobs. The shutdown plans have not been updated by many government agencies as they had prepared in the past. What triggers a government shutdown? On the midnight of September 30 government funding expires and the new fiscal year starts on October 1. If no legislation is passed by Congress for renewal of the funding by the deadline, then the federal government will have to shut down at midnight. ALSO READ | Satellite images hint at expansion of nuclear test sites in US, Russia and China: Report Since the shutdown is likely to happen at the weekend, its impact will not be seen till the work week starts on Monday. How will the shutdown impact the country? If the shutdown takes place, many government operations are likely to get halted but few services deemed “essential” will continue. The two million military personnel in the United States will continue at their post, however, around half of the 800,000 civilian employees of the Pentagon would be furloughed. The contracts which were finalised before the shutdown will continue, and new orders for supplies or services can be placed by the Pentagon to protect national security. The Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Administration will maintain the nuclear weapons. As per the 2021 contingency plan of the Justice Department, agents at the FBI, the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) and federal law enforcement agencies will continue working along with prison staffers. All the criminal prosecutions, which include the two federal cases against former President Donald Trump, will also continue. The court will postpone most civil litigation. Border Patrol and immigration enforcement agents along with customs officers will continue to work as per the 2022 plan of the Department of Homeland Security. The consumer-protection workers of the Federal Trade Commission will be furloughed. The federal courts are likely to have enough money to continue working till October 13. The Supreme Court will also continue working. Air traffic control workers and airport security screeners will continue working. WATCH | US: Influx of migrants continues to rise US embassies and consulates are likely to function as per the 2022 shutdown plan of the State Department. Passport and visa processing will also continue till sufficient fees are available to cover operations. Most of the staff of agencies like the National Institutes of Health, the National Science Foundation and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) are likely to be furloughed. However, the International Space Station will continue to get support from the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the agency will also continue tracking satellites, however, they will furlough 17,000 of its 18,300 employees. The disease outbreaks will continue to be monitored by the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) although other public health activities may suffer as they are likely to furlough more than half of the agency's workers. Most of the staff of the National Institutes of Health will be furloughed and new clinical trials for medical treatments will be delayed. The Central Intelligence Agencies along with other intelligence agencies have not shared their plans publicly, in case there is a shutdown. However, in the past, the staff involved in cyber activities, operations and analysis were deemed critical to national security and were asked to continue working, possibly without pay. Why is the US headed for a shutdown? Currently, there has been a deep divide between the House and Senate which is making it difficult to reach a consensus on full-year spending legislation. The conservative hardliners of the House have been calling for deep spending cuts and controversial policy add-ons, which has been rejected by Democrats as well as some Republicans. As the funding deadline nears, top lawmakers from the two parties are hoping to clear a short-term funding extension, which is known as a continuing resolution or CR for short in Capitol Hill. The government frequently uses these short-term measures as a stopgap solution to avoid a shutdown and get more time to reach a broader full-year funding deal. However, it is still not clear if Congress will have enough consensus to pass a short-term funding bill from both chambers before the end of the month as House conservatives continue to protest against the possibility of a stopgap bill and have issued a threat to vote against one while continuing their demand of major policy concessions which have no chance of getting passed in the Senate. (With inputs from agencies) You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here. WATCH WION LIVE HERE

Explained | What is likely to happen if US government shuts down on October 1?

<p>Global food waste is a multifaceted issue from farming, processing or preparation, all the way to our trash cans, it’s a long journey and it affects the environment every step of the way. Today, there are countless ways to live more sustainably and arguably one of the most important involves reducing food waste.</p>

<p>Every year on September 29, the world observes the International Day of Awareness of&nbsp;Food Loss and Waste Reduction (IDAFLW), which the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) describes as a call to action for people to reduce food loss and waste.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This year will be the fourth IDAFLW with the 2023 theme “Reducing food loss and waste: Taking Action to Transform Food Systems”.&nbsp;</p>

<p>When food is discarded, all the inputs – producing, processing, transporting, preparing, and storing as well as the resources including water, land, energy, and labour used for the now-discarded food are also wasted.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>Difference between food ‘loss’ and ‘waste’</strong></h2>

<p>Food “wastage” refers to any food lost by deterioration or waste and encompasses both food “loss” and food “waste,” according to the FAO. &nbsp;</p>

<p>Food “loss” occurs before the food reaches the consumer which could be a result of issues in production, storage, processing and transport or distribution. It also refers to a decrease in the mass or nutritional value (quality) of food.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Whereas, food “waste” refers to food which is appropriate for human consumption which was consciously discarded at the retail or consumption levels.</p>

<h2><strong>Global food wastage</strong>&nbsp;</h2>

<p>In a world where hundreds of millions of people are affected by hunger every day, reducing food wastage is essential since tons of edible food is either lost and/or wasted globally.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Every year, a staggering 1.6 billion tonnes of food is wasted across the world out of which, 1.3 billion tonnes is edible, according to the FAO. This also costs the world around $750 billion annually.&nbsp;</p>

<p>At least 17 per cent of total global food production is wasted by households, in food service and in retail altogether, according to the UN, while 13 per cent is lost between harvest and retail.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Not to mention a total of one-third of the food that is produced worldwide is either lost or wasted. Meanwhile, in 2022, between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger, according to the FAO.&nbsp;</p>

<p>United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) food wastage index in 2021, noted that out of the 931 million tonnes of food wasted, 61 per cent was from households while 26 per cent and 13 per cent of food wastage was by food service and retail, respectively.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What about India?</strong></h2>

<p>According to the UNEP report, around every year as much as 68.76 million tonnes of food (or 50 kilograms per person) is wasted every year in Indian households. One-third of all food in India is wasted or spoiled before it is eaten, according to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI).&nbsp;</p>

<p>India also accounts for seven per cent of the food wasted across the world with up to 40 per cent of the food produced wasted. But food wastage is not just a social or humanitarian concern it is also an environmental issue.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>How does it affect the environment?</strong></h2>

<p>The UNEP estimates that eight to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food that is not consumed. Additionally, global food waste contributes roughly 20 per cent of the global greenhouse gas emissions.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“If food loss and waste were a country, it would be the third biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions (after the United States and China),” Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP, stated in the report.&nbsp;</p>

<p>She also noted how food waste burdens waste management systems exacerbates food insecurity and is a “major contributor” to three planetary crises – climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Food waste releases an estimated 3.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, while each of us produces 74 kilograms of food waste every year, according to the FAO.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Additionally, only a small percentage of all food wastage is composted and much of it ends up in landfills and accounts for a large part of municipal solid waste.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Methane – which is 28 times stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide – from landfills represents one of the largest sources of greenhouse emissions from the waste sector, reported the UN agency.</p>

<p>This has reportedly been attributed to the food being buried under other waste and decomposing in anaerobic conditions which creates a favourable environment for bacteria that produce methane.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“The whole characteristics of food – that they’re rich in energy, rich in proteins, rich in nutrients and that they’re relatively easy to extract that energy from – means that in the landfill environment, they will generate more methane than a lot of other waste components,” said Max Krause from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA), as quoted by Reuters.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Not to mention, the amount of resources required to produce that food which ends up in these landfills.&nbsp;</p>

<p>The water used to produce the food wasted could be used by nine billion people. While 28 per cent of the world’s agricultural area is used annually to produce food that is lost or wasted, as per FAO. Food waste also accounts for 38 per cent of total energy usage in the global food system.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>What can you do?</strong></h2>

<p>There are many ways to reduce food waste and adopt habits which will lessen the strain on our natural resources as well as protect our environment. Here are 15 quick tips by the FAO for becoming a food hero.&nbsp;</p>

<p>1. Adopt a healthier, more sustainable diet</p>

<p>2. Buy only what you need: Plan your meals, make that shopping list and stick to it to avoid impulse buying.&nbsp;</p>

<p>3. Pick ugly fruits and vegetables: Don’t judge food by its appearance! Fruits and vegetables are often thrown away because they don’t meet arbitrary cosmetic standards but they taste the same.&nbsp;</p>

<p>4. Store food wisely: Move old items to the front of your cupboard or fridge and new ones to the back, FAO suggests. Use airtight containers to keep open food fresh in the fridge and ensure packets are closed to stop insects from getting in.</p>

<p>5. Understand food labelling: Sometimes food is still safe to eat after the “best before” date, whereas it’s the “use-by” date that tells you when it is no longer safe to eat.</p>

<p>6. Start small: Take smaller portions at home or share large dishes at restaurants.</p>

<p>7. Love your leftovers: Even if you don’t eat everything right away, freeze it for later or use the leftovers as an ingredient in another meal.</p>

<p>8. Put your food waste to use: Don’t throw away those food scraps instead compost them.&nbsp;</p>

<p>9. Respect food: Do your research, and reconnect with your food by knowing the process that goes into making it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>10. Support local food producers: Buy&nbsp;local products to not only&nbsp;support local farmers, and small businesses but&nbsp;also help fight pollution by reducing delivery distances.&nbsp;</p>

<p>11. Keep fish populations afloat: Eat fish species that are more abundant, such as mackerel or herring, rather than those that are at risk of being overfished, like cod or tuna.&nbsp;</p>

<p>12. Use less water: While it is important for&nbsp;farmers to use&nbsp;less water to grow food, reducing food waste also saves all the water that goes into producing it.&nbsp;</p>

<p>13. Keep our soils and water clean: Items such as batteries, paints, mobile phones, medicine, chemicals, fertilisers, tires, ink cartridges, etc. can seep into our soils and water supply, damaging the natural resources that produce our food.</p>

<p>14: Eat more pulses and veggies</p>

<p>15. Sharing is caring: Donate food that would otherwise be wasted.&nbsp;<br />
<br />
&nbsp;</p>

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Global food waste is a multifaceted issue from farming, processing or preparation, all the way to our trash cans, it’s a long journey and it affects the environment every step of the way.

Global food waste is a multifaceted issue from farming, processing or preparation, all the way to our trash cans, it’s a long journey and it affects the environment every step of the way. Today, there are countless ways to live more sustainably and arguably one of the most important involves reducing food waste. Every year on September 29, the world observes the International Day of Awareness of Food Loss and Waste Reduction (IDAFLW), which the United Nations Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO) describes as a call to action for people to reduce food loss and waste. This year will be the fourth IDAFLW with the 2023 theme “Reducing food loss and waste: Taking Action to Transform Food Systems”. When food is discarded, all the inputs – producing, processing, transporting, preparing, and storing as well as the resources including water, land, energy, and labour used for the now-discarded food are also wasted. Difference between food ‘loss’ and ‘waste’ Food “wastage” refers to any food lost by deterioration or waste and encompasses both food “loss” and food “waste,” according to the FAO. Food “loss” occurs before the food reaches the consumer which could be a result of issues in production, storage, processing and transport or distribution. It also refers to a decrease in the mass or nutritional value (quality) of food. Whereas, food “waste” refers to food which is appropriate for human consumption which was consciously discarded at the retail or consumption levels. Global food wastage In a world where hundreds of millions of people are affected by hunger every day, reducing food wastage is essential since tons of edible food is either lost and/or wasted globally. Every year, a staggering 1.6 billion tonnes of food is wasted across the world out of which, 1.3 billion tonnes is edible, according to the FAO. This also costs the world around $750 billion annually. At least 17 per cent of total global food production is wasted by households, in food service and in retail altogether, according to the UN, while 13 per cent is lost between harvest and retail. Not to mention a total of one-third of the food that is produced worldwide is either lost or wasted. Meanwhile, in 2022, between 691 and 783 million people faced hunger, according to the FAO. United Nations Environment Programme's (UNEP) food wastage index in 2021, noted that out of the 931 million tonnes of food wasted, 61 per cent was from households while 26 per cent and 13 per cent of food wastage was by food service and retail, respectively. What about India? According to the UNEP report, around every year as much as 68.76 million tonnes of food (or 50 kilograms per person) is wasted every year in Indian households. One-third of all food in India is wasted or spoiled before it is eaten, according to the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI). India also accounts for seven per cent of the food wasted across the world with up to 40 per cent of the food produced wasted. But food wastage is not just a social or humanitarian concern it is also an environmental issue. How does it affect the environment? The UNEP estimates that eight to 10 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions are associated with food that is not consumed. Additionally, global food waste contributes roughly 20 per cent of the global greenhouse gas emissions. “If food loss and waste were a country, it would be the third biggest source of greenhouse gas emissions (after the United States and China),” Inger Andersen, executive director of UNEP, stated in the report. She also noted how food waste burdens waste management systems exacerbates food insecurity and is a “major contributor” to three planetary crises – climate change, nature and biodiversity loss, and pollution and waste. Food waste releases an estimated 3.3 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, while each of us produces 74 kilograms of food waste every year, according to the FAO. Additionally, only a small percentage of all food wastage is composted and much of it ends up in landfills and accounts for a large part of municipal solid waste. Methane – which is 28 times stronger greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide – from landfills represents one of the largest sources of greenhouse emissions from the waste sector, reported the UN agency. This has reportedly been attributed to the food being buried under other waste and decomposing in anaerobic conditions which creates a favourable environment for bacteria that produce methane. “The whole characteristics of food – that they’re rich in energy, rich in proteins, rich in nutrients and that they’re relatively easy to extract that energy from – means that in the landfill environment, they will generate more methane than a lot of other waste components,” said Max Krause from the US Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA), as quoted by Reuters. Not to mention, the amount of resources required to produce that food which ends up in these landfills. The water used to produce the food wasted could be used by nine billion people. While 28 per cent of the world’s agricultural area is used annually to produce food that is lost or wasted, as per FAO. Food waste also accounts for 38 per cent of total energy usage in the global food system. What can you do? There are many ways to reduce food waste and adopt habits which will lessen the strain on our natural resources as well as protect our environment. Here are 15 quick tips by the FAO for becoming a food hero. 1. Adopt a healthier, more sustainable diet 2. Buy only what you need: Plan your meals, make that shopping list and stick to it to avoid impulse buying. 3. Pick ugly fruits and vegetables: Don’t judge food by its appearance! Fruits and vegetables are often thrown away because they don’t meet arbitrary cosmetic standards but they taste the same. 4. Store food wisely: Move old items to the front of your cupboard or fridge and new ones to the back, FAO suggests. Use airtight containers to keep open food fresh in the fridge and ensure packets are closed to stop insects from getting in. 5. Understand food labelling: Sometimes food is still safe to eat after the “best before” date, whereas it’s the “use-by” date that tells you when it is no longer safe to eat. 6. Start small: Take smaller portions at home or share large dishes at restaurants. 7. Love your leftovers: Even if you don’t eat everything right away, freeze it for later or use the leftovers as an ingredient in another meal. 8. Put your food waste to use: Don’t throw away those food scraps instead compost them. 9. Respect food: Do your research, and reconnect with your food by knowing the process that goes into making it. 10. Support local food producers: Buy local products to not only support local farmers, and small businesses but also help fight pollution by reducing delivery distances. 11. Keep fish populations afloat: Eat fish species that are more abundant, such as mackerel or herring, rather than those that are at risk of being overfished, like cod or tuna. 12. Use less water: While it is important for farmers to use less water to grow food, reducing food waste also saves all the water that goes into producing it. 13. Keep our soils and water clean: Items such as batteries, paints, mobile phones, medicine, chemicals, fertilisers, tires, ink cartridges, etc. can seep into our soils and water supply, damaging the natural resources that produce our food. 14: Eat more pulses and veggies 15. Sharing is caring: Donate food that would otherwise be wasted. WATCH WION LIVE HERE You can now write for wionews.com and be a part of the community. Share your stories and opinions with us here.

Explained | Int’l day of awareness of food loss & waste reduction: Here's how food waste affects environment

<p>There are two kinds of satellites that take care of most civilian and commercial needs - the ones that are placed 36,000km&nbsp;above the earth (Geostationary satellites) and the ones that are roughly 1200km&nbsp;above the earth (Low earth satellites). The former enable&nbsp;TV broadcast services, satellite-phone communications and internet connectivity, while the latter beam&nbsp;down high-speed internet that can be used for contemporary purposes such as online gaming, video-conferencing etc. French-firm Eutelsat, which specialises in Geostationary satellites announced a merger&nbsp;with UK-based OneWeb, which specialises in Low Earth orbit satellites. The resultant entity will henceforth be known as Eutelsat Group.&nbsp;</p>

<p>This latest deal in the space-based telecommunications sector is being touted as the birth of the world's first GEO (Geostationary Orbit) and LEO (Low Earth Orbit) operator. This merged entity now possesses the power and business potential of being able to provide the aforementioned applications of space technology.&nbsp;</p>

<p>"With OneWeb’s network of more than 600 satellites already active and set to be globally operational by end of 2023, the combined GEO-LEO service will open up new markets and applications for customers, including Fixed Connectivity, Government Services and Mobile Connectivity (Maritime and Inflight). Broadcast and video services will remain integral to Eutelsat Group’s business and continue to deliver unparalleled and innovative services for customers, including new IP native video services, at the convergence of broadband and broadcast," the merged entity said.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Sunil Bharti Mittal, Vice-President (Co-Chair) of the Board of Directors, commented “This exciting combination will be transformative for communities and businesses worldwide, utilising the unique blend of GEO and LEO technologies. Closing the digital divide is a critical mission for Eutelsat Group and the combination of these two businesses, which have each pursued this goal separately, accelerates our progress."</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Telesat partners with Spacex for light-speed satellite</strong></p>

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<p>Geostationary satellites have a peculiar nature. When looked at from earth, they always appear to be in a constant position at all times. This is because they move at the same speed at the earth's rotation. Being as far above from the earth, three equally-spaced geostationary satellites are capable of providing near-total global coverage. Given that these satellites appear fixed in the sky, the ground-based antennae can be pointed at a fixed direction in the sky (like the DTH antennae at homes). However, the regions near the earth's poles would find it very challenging to receive signals from these satellites. Also, there is a considerable amount of lag due to the long distance between the satellite and earth. Therefore, it is not ideal for telephony and video-calling.</p>

<p>Low Earth satellites orbit the earth at an altitude of 600-1200kms and they travel at high speeds of approximately 28,000kmph. Therefore, a single satellite would be visible from one point on earth only for a handful of minutes, which also means that each satellite offers coverage only over a small area at a time. In order to operate any service from LEO, one would require a fleet of satellites covering the earth and performing a sort of endless relay race - where one takes over after the other. Being close to the earth, it is possible to rapidly beam down internet signals from these satellites and use internet on-board flights, ships and even on the ground for high-speed utilities such as video-calling, online gaming etc.&nbsp;</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/videos/space-economy-leaders-meeting-jean-marc-astrong-speaks-to-wion-620998"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Indo-French satellite TRISHNA to be launched in 2025: French Space Agency Director to WION</strong></a></p>

<p>Given the specific advantages and disadvantages of LEO and GEO satellites, the users prefer a hybrid model that offers a best of both worlds.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Eva Berneke, Chief Executive Officer, said, “Eutelsat Group is the only GEO-LEO operator in satellite communications that can offer a ubiquitous connectivity service. Global connectivity is an important and exciting challenge to deliver upon. We can address a wider range of customer requirements and provide hybrid connectivity services where they are required worldwide, all with industry leading resilience.”</p>

<p>Queried about how the diverse GEO and LEO systems of the combined entity would be used, a company spokesperson told WION, "We are seeing strong demand for a hybrid, integrated approach to connectivity from businesses globally. Customers recognize the benefits of both technologies and want a secure, resilient, connectivity service that supports modern and next generation technologies. Eutelsat Group is putting a ubiquitous, high-throughput network in the hands of our customers, for them to design and offer the services that their end-clients have been waiting for."&nbsp;<br />
<br />
The service of Eutelsat group&nbsp;are a wholesale model, therefore belong to the business-to-business model and not direct to consumer, it was added.&nbsp;</p>

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There are two kinds of satellites that take care of most civilian and commercial needs - the ones that are placed 36,000km above the earth (Geostationary satellites) and the ones that are roughly 1200km above the earth (Low earth satellites).

There are two kinds of satellites that take care of most civilian and commercial needs - the ones that are placed 36,000km above the earth (Geostationary satellites) and the ones that are roughly 1200km above the earth (Low earth satellites). The former enable TV broadcast services, satellite-phone communications and internet connectivity, while the latter beam down high-speed internet that can be used for contemporary purposes such as online gaming, video-conferencing etc. French-firm Eutelsat, which specialises in Geostationary satellites announced a merger with UK-based OneWeb, which specialises in Low Earth orbit satellites. The resultant entity will henceforth be known as Eutelsat Group. This latest deal in the space-based telecommunications sector is being touted as the birth of the world's first GEO (Geostationary Orbit) and LEO (Low Earth Orbit) operator. This merged entity now possesses the power and business potential of being able to provide the aforementioned applications of space technology. "With OneWeb’s network of more than 600 satellites already active and set to be globally operational by end of 2023, the combined GEO-LEO service will open up new markets and applications for customers, including Fixed Connectivity, Government Services and Mobile Connectivity (Maritime and Inflight). Broadcast and video services will remain integral to Eutelsat Group’s business and continue to deliver unparalleled and innovative services for customers, including new IP native video services, at the convergence of broadband and broadcast," the merged entity said. Sunil Bharti Mittal, Vice-President (Co-Chair) of the Board of Directors, commented “This exciting combination will be transformative for communities and businesses worldwide, utilising the unique blend of GEO and LEO technologies. Closing the digital divide is a critical mission for Eutelsat Group and the combination of these two businesses, which have each pursued this goal separately, accelerates our progress." Watch: Telesat partners with Spacex for light-speed satellite × Geostationary satellites have a peculiar nature. When looked at from earth, they always appear to be in a constant position at all times. This is because they move at the same speed at the earth's rotation. Being as far above from the earth, three equally-spaced geostationary satellites are capable of providing near-total global coverage. Given that these satellites appear fixed in the sky, the ground-based antennae can be pointed at a fixed direction in the sky (like the DTH antennae at homes). However, the regions near the earth's poles would find it very challenging to receive signals from these satellites. Also, there is a considerable amount of lag due to the long distance between the satellite and earth. Therefore, it is not ideal for telephony and video-calling. Low Earth satellites orbit the earth at an altitude of 600-1200kms and they travel at high speeds of approximately 28,000kmph. Therefore, a single satellite would be visible from one point on earth only for a handful of minutes, which also means that each satellite offers coverage only over a small area at a time. In order to operate any service from LEO, one would require a fleet of satellites covering the earth and performing a sort of endless relay race - where one takes over after the other. Being close to the earth, it is possible to rapidly beam down internet signals from these satellites and use internet on-board flights, ships and even on the ground for high-speed utilities such as video-calling, online gaming etc. Also read: Indo-French satellite TRISHNA to be launched in 2025: French Space Agency Director to WION Given the specific advantages and disadvantages of LEO and GEO satellites, the users prefer a hybrid model that offers a best of both worlds. Eva Berneke, Chief Executive Officer, said, “Eutelsat Group is the only GEO-LEO operator in satellite communications that can offer a ubiquitous connectivity service. Global connectivity is an important and exciting challenge to deliver upon. We can address a wider range of customer requirements and provide hybrid connectivity services where they are required worldwide, all with industry leading resilience.” Queried about how the diverse GEO and LEO systems of the combined entity would be used, a company spokesperson told WION, "We are seeing strong demand for a hybrid, integrated approach to connectivity from businesses globally. Customers recognize the benefits of both technologies and want a secure, resilient, connectivity service that supports modern and next generation technologies. Eutelsat Group is putting a ubiquitous, high-throughput network in the hands of our customers, for them to design and offer the services that their end-clients have been waiting for." The service of Eutelsat group are a wholesale model, therefore belong to the business-to-business model and not direct to consumer, it was added. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Explained | Eutelsat-OneWeb merger: Why the union of GEO and LEO satellites is significant?

<p>On September 26 of last year, a series of explosions that severely damaged Nord Stream pipelines shook the world, throwing Russia’s energy ties with Europe into jeopardy.</p>

<p>Now, scientists investigating the explosions have unveiled key details to the Guardian, putting light on events that still remain unresolved.</p>

<p>According to the details, after two initial explosions that damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, additional explosions took place in an area north-east of the Danish Baltic island of Bornholm.</p>

<p>According to seismologists at Norway’s data centre Norsar, they found traces of four explosions in total. One of them took place in south-east of Bornholm and three in north-east of the island.</p>

<p>The explosions resulted in damage to both Nord Stream 1 pipelines and one of the Nord Stream 2 pipelines. Swedish investigators confirmed last November that these breaches were a result of man-made explosives.</p>

<h2><strong>Ukraine-based groups involved</strong></h2>

<p>Ongoing investigations indicate that either a Ukrainian-backed group or a pro-Ukrainian group operating “independently” of Kyiv's leadership carried out the attacks, according to statements from officials in the US and Germany.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Environmental impact of Nord stream leaks</strong></p>

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<p>German investigators have focused their attention on a 51-foot rental yacht named the Andromeda, chartered by a mysterious crew consisting of five men and one woman, some of whom were using false passports.</p>

<p>According to German media, all evidence point to Kyiv’s involvement only. But obvious doubts emerge as it still deems unbelievable that a small crew of six people managed to blow up the pipelines which may have required challenging tasks, including deep and slow dives.</p>

<h2><strong>Prior intel was available</strong></h2>

<p>A leaked US defence document, as reported by the Washington Post, revealed that the CIA had received information in June 2022 from a European ally about a plan by six members of Ukraine's special operations forces to rent a boat and use a submersible vehicle for underwater activities aimed at sabotaging the pipelines. However, the document noted that this planned operation had been put on hold.</p>

<p>Some reports also emerged in Scandinavian media suggesting the presence of Russian ships with deactivated transponders near the blast sites in the days preceding the explosions.</p>

<h2><strong>About Nord Stream pipelines</strong></h2>

<p>It's worth noting that the Nord Stream pipelines are managed by two companies, Nord Stream AG and Nord Stream 2 AG, both predominantly owned by the Russian state energy firm Gazprom.&nbsp;</p>

<p>While Nord Stream 1 has been operational since 2012, Nord Stream 2 was completed in September 2021 but has yet to transport any gas. Controversy has surrounded Nord Stream 2 right from the beginning, with strong opposition from German allies, particularly the US and Poland, who were concerned about Europe's reliance on Russian energy supplies.</p>

<h2><strong>UN investigation</strong></h2>

<p>In July, the UN Security Council received a report stating that investigators had detected underwater explosives in samples taken from a yacht. However, they failed to establish the identities or motivations of the individuals responsible or whether a specific nation was behind the incident.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/scientists-reveal-crucial-discoveries-about-nord-stream-pipeline-blasts-heres-what-they-found-640086"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;Scientists reveal crucial discoveries about Nord Stream pipeline blasts. Here`s what they found</strong></a></p>

<p>To shed light on the situation, seismologists harnessed data from various seismic stations in northern Europe and Germany, including the Swedish National Seismic Network and the Danish stations located on Bornholm. Employing sophisticated analytical methods, they were able to locate two additional explosions.</p>

<p>According to their calculations, the second and third detonations, referred to as NA and NB, were situated approximately 220 meters apart, with the third explosion occurring to the west of the second. Furthermore, the fourth explosion was located several kilometres southwest of the second blast.</p>

<h2><strong>Accusations by Russia</strong></h2>

<p>Russia upholds that the sabotage was carried out by agents of the US and Ukraine. "They are involved, one way or another, in this terrorist attack," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a regular news briefing in response to a question about the September 2022 blasts, without providing any evidence.</p>

<p>As per international law, the act of sabotaging the pipelines would amount to an illegal act since the Nord Stream pipeline is a civilian infrastructure project. According to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, destroying civilian infrastructure is not only a violation of international law, but a war crime.</p>

<h2><strong>What next?</strong></h2>

<p>Swedish investigators say that they hope to conclude the ongoing investigation into the sabotage by year-end. According to a prosecutor quoted by Reuters, once the investigation is done, it will be decided whether to bring any charges or not.</p>

<p>"We hope to conclude the investigation shortly but there is still a lot to do and nothing will happen for the next four weeks," Mats Ljungqvist said in an interview.</p>

<p>"By conclude, I mean that we close the investigation or take a decision to bring charges against someone," he said, adding that the ambition was to reach a decision before the end of the year.<br />
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On September 26 of last year, a series of explosions that severely damaged Nord Stream pipelines shook the world, throwing Russia’s energy ties with Europe into jeopardy.

On September 26 of last year, a series of explosions that severely damaged Nord Stream pipelines shook the world, throwing Russia’s energy ties with Europe into jeopardy. Now, scientists investigating the explosions have unveiled key details to the Guardian, putting light on events that still remain unresolved. According to the details, after two initial explosions that damaged the Nord Stream 1 and 2 pipelines, additional explosions took place in an area north-east of the Danish Baltic island of Bornholm. According to seismologists at Norway’s data centre Norsar, they found traces of four explosions in total. One of them took place in south-east of Bornholm and three in north-east of the island. The explosions resulted in damage to both Nord Stream 1 pipelines and one of the Nord Stream 2 pipelines. Swedish investigators confirmed last November that these breaches were a result of man-made explosives. Ukraine-based groups involved Ongoing investigations indicate that either a Ukrainian-backed group or a pro-Ukrainian group operating “independently” of Kyiv's leadership carried out the attacks, according to statements from officials in the US and Germany. Watch: Environmental impact of Nord stream leaks × German investigators have focused their attention on a 51-foot rental yacht named the Andromeda, chartered by a mysterious crew consisting of five men and one woman, some of whom were using false passports. According to German media, all evidence point to Kyiv’s involvement only. But obvious doubts emerge as it still deems unbelievable that a small crew of six people managed to blow up the pipelines which may have required challenging tasks, including deep and slow dives. Prior intel was available A leaked US defence document, as reported by the Washington Post, revealed that the CIA had received information in June 2022 from a European ally about a plan by six members of Ukraine's special operations forces to rent a boat and use a submersible vehicle for underwater activities aimed at sabotaging the pipelines. However, the document noted that this planned operation had been put on hold. Some reports also emerged in Scandinavian media suggesting the presence of Russian ships with deactivated transponders near the blast sites in the days preceding the explosions. About Nord Stream pipelines It's worth noting that the Nord Stream pipelines are managed by two companies, Nord Stream AG and Nord Stream 2 AG, both predominantly owned by the Russian state energy firm Gazprom. While Nord Stream 1 has been operational since 2012, Nord Stream 2 was completed in September 2021 but has yet to transport any gas. Controversy has surrounded Nord Stream 2 right from the beginning, with strong opposition from German allies, particularly the US and Poland, who were concerned about Europe's reliance on Russian energy supplies. UN investigation In July, the UN Security Council received a report stating that investigators had detected underwater explosives in samples taken from a yacht. However, they failed to establish the identities or motivations of the individuals responsible or whether a specific nation was behind the incident. Also read: Scientists reveal crucial discoveries about Nord Stream pipeline blasts. Here`s what they found To shed light on the situation, seismologists harnessed data from various seismic stations in northern Europe and Germany, including the Swedish National Seismic Network and the Danish stations located on Bornholm. Employing sophisticated analytical methods, they were able to locate two additional explosions. According to their calculations, the second and third detonations, referred to as NA and NB, were situated approximately 220 meters apart, with the third explosion occurring to the west of the second. Furthermore, the fourth explosion was located several kilometres southwest of the second blast. Accusations by Russia Russia upholds that the sabotage was carried out by agents of the US and Ukraine. "They are involved, one way or another, in this terrorist attack," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov told a regular news briefing in response to a question about the September 2022 blasts, without providing any evidence. As per international law, the act of sabotaging the pipelines would amount to an illegal act since the Nord Stream pipeline is a civilian infrastructure project. According to the Rome Statute of the International Criminal Court, destroying civilian infrastructure is not only a violation of international law, but a war crime. What next? Swedish investigators say that they hope to conclude the ongoing investigation into the sabotage by year-end. According to a prosecutor quoted by Reuters, once the investigation is done, it will be decided whether to bring any charges or not. "We hope to conclude the investigation shortly but there is still a lot to do and nothing will happen for the next four weeks," Mats Ljungqvist said in an interview. "By conclude, I mean that we close the investigation or take a decision to bring charges against someone," he said, adding that the ambition was to reach a decision before the end of the year. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Explained | One year on, what we know about attackers who sabotaged Nord Stream pipelines

<p>Tensions have escalated between India and Canada following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's assertion in Parliament that the Indian government may have "potential links" to the killing of Khalistani&nbsp;terrorist Hardeep&nbsp;Singh Nijjar in Canada. He went ahead with the accusations against India, asking the latter to allow justice to take its course.&nbsp;</p>

<p>After rebutting the accusations,&nbsp;India replied&nbsp;by temporarily halting&nbsp;visa services for Canadians. This situation not only has ramifications&nbsp;for trade and immigration but also holds the potential to affect the relationships these countries share with their Western allies.</p>

<p>The United States, for the first time since diplomatic tensions, confirmed officially that there was "shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners" which informed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the Indian government's possible involvement in the killing.&nbsp;But what is the Five Eyes, and why has it taken centre&nbsp;stage?</p>

<h2><strong>Understanding the Five Eyes Alliance</strong></h2>

<p>The Five Eyes Alliance is characterised by a unique multilateral arrangement where partner countries share a wide range of intelligence, united by common principles of rule of law, robust human rights, and a shared language, according to the The National Counter intelligence and Security Center.</p>

<p>This alliance plays a crucial role in safeguarding their shared national interests by facilitating information exchange.</p>

<p>The Five Eyes, often referred to as FVEY, constitutes a coalition consisting of five intelligence agencies:</p>

<ol>
	<li>United States</li>
	<li>United Kingdom</li>
	<li>Australia</li>
	<li>New Zealand</li>
	<li>Canada</li>
</ol>

<h2><strong>Historical roots and evolution</strong></h2>

<p>The origins of the alliance trace back to World War II when the UK and the US decided to share intelligence after successfully breaking German and Japanese codes.</p>

<p>The UKUSA agreement, which Canada joined in 1949, and later New Zealand and Australia in 1956, solidified the alliance.</p>

<p>While its existence was known since the 1980s, the official acknowledgement of the UKUSA agreement came in 2010 when its files were released.</p>

<p><strong>Also read |</strong>&nbsp;<a href="https://www.wionews.com/india-news/from-extortion-to-buying-fancy-yachts-this-is-how-khalistanis-funded-and-flourished-639044">From extortion to buying fancy yachts, this is how Khalistanis funded and flourished</a></p>

<h2><strong>Functioning of the Five Eyes Alliance</strong></h2>

<p>The Five Eyes countries engage in intelligence gathering and security cooperation, aligning closely in recent years due to shared interests, such as addressing the rise of China.</p>

<p>They maintain this closeness through the Five Eyes Intelligence Oversight and Review Council, an entity that facilitates the exchange of views, best practices, and annual in-person meetings among non-political intelligence oversight and review agencies of the member countries.</p>

<p><strong>Also watch |&nbsp;Nijjar ran arms training camps in Canada, funded attacks in India: Intel</strong></p>

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<p>Despite their proximity, the Five Eyes countries do not always align in their foreign policies. Notably, New Zealand's stance on certain Chinese actions differs from that of the other four countries due to its deep trade ties with China. The US has also sought to exert its influence through other groupings like the Quad and AUKUS, involving like-minded countries on security matters.</p>

<h2><strong>Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar?</strong></h2>

<p>Hardeep Singh Nijjar had affiliations with the banned Indian separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Within the SFJ hierarchy, he held the position of 'Number 2' after Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Nijjar's origins trace back to Jalandhar's Bharsingh Pura village, and he relocated to Canada in 1996, reported ANI.</p>

<p>Although initially&nbsp;a plumber in Canada, Nijjar's financial standing saw a remarkable uptick in recent years due to his involvement in pro-Khalistan activities.</p>

<p>Nijjar's engagement with terrorism commenced with his membership in Babbar Khalsa International, led by Jagtar Singh Tara.</p>

<p>Later, he established his own group, Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). He played a substantial role in identifying, connecting, training, and financing Khalistani cells in India, leading to over 10 FIRs against him.</p>

<div class="videoWrapper trancodeVideo">
<p>In 2014, Nijjar masterminded the assassination of self-proclaimed spiritual leader Baba Bhaniara.</p>

<p>In 2015, he conducted a training camp in Canada for Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal, who was subsequently dispatched to Punjab with the mission of targeting Shiv Sena leaders. Mandeep was arrested in June 2016.</p>

<p>In November 2020, Nijjar partnered with fellow gangster Arsh Dalla, residing abroad, and they became involved in the murder of Manohar Lal, a follower of the Dera Sacha Sauda, in 2021.</p>

<p>The expulsion of the Indian diplomat adds another layer of complexity to the already fraught relationship between Canada and India.&nbsp;</p>

<h2><strong>A sophisticated financial network</strong></h2>

<p>The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has uncovered a sophisticated financial network connecting prominent Khalistani militants and gangsters based in Canada to funds generated in India through extortion, smuggling, and various illicit activities.</p>

<p>This illegal&nbsp;wealth not only sustains their violent undertakings in both India and Canada but also finds unexpected outlets for investment, including ventures such as yachts, movies, and even the Canadian Premier League.</p>

<p>The investigation has shed light on how the money amassed by gangsters through activities like extortion, smuggling, and other illegal means has been channelled into clubs and bars in Thailand as part of their investment strategy, underscoring the international scope of these financial operations, reported the Hindustan Times.</p>

<p>The NIA's probe has unveiled a series of financial transactions spanning from 2019 to 2021. These transactions involved the transfer of sums ranging from ₹5 lakh ($6.5K) to ₹60 lakh ($72.2K) by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to recipients in Canada and Thailand through the hawala system.</p>

<p>Lawrence Bishnoi, who collaborated closely with Khalistani groups in Canada, particularly with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) leader Lakhbir Singh Landa, played a pivotal role in orchestrating this illicit operation.</p>

<p>According to the NIA's charge sheet, the funds collected through activities such as extortion, illegal liquor trade, arms smuggling, and other unlawful endeavours were funnelled to Canada, specifically to an individual known as Satbir Singh alias Sam. These funds served a dual purpose – further investment and financing the radical activities of pro-Khalistan elements (PKEs).</p>
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Tensions have escalated between India and Canada following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's assertion in Parliament that the Indian government may have "potential links" to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada.

Tensions have escalated between India and Canada following Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's assertion in Parliament that the Indian government may have "potential links" to the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar in Canada. He went ahead with the accusations against India, asking the latter to allow justice to take its course. After rebutting the accusations, India replied by temporarily halting visa services for Canadians. This situation not only has ramifications for trade and immigration but also holds the potential to affect the relationships these countries share with their Western allies. The United States, for the first time since diplomatic tensions, confirmed officially that there was "shared intelligence among Five Eyes partners" which informed Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau about the Indian government's possible involvement in the killing. But what is the Five Eyes, and why has it taken centre stage? Understanding the Five Eyes Alliance The Five Eyes Alliance is characterised by a unique multilateral arrangement where partner countries share a wide range of intelligence, united by common principles of rule of law, robust human rights, and a shared language, according to the The National Counter intelligence and Security Center. This alliance plays a crucial role in safeguarding their shared national interests by facilitating information exchange. The Five Eyes, often referred to as FVEY, constitutes a coalition consisting of five intelligence agencies: United States United Kingdom Australia New Zealand Canada Historical roots and evolution The origins of the alliance trace back to World War II when the UK and the US decided to share intelligence after successfully breaking German and Japanese codes. The UKUSA agreement, which Canada joined in 1949, and later New Zealand and Australia in 1956, solidified the alliance. While its existence was known since the 1980s, the official acknowledgement of the UKUSA agreement came in 2010 when its files were released. Also read | From extortion to buying fancy yachts, this is how Khalistanis funded and flourished Functioning of the Five Eyes Alliance The Five Eyes countries engage in intelligence gathering and security cooperation, aligning closely in recent years due to shared interests, such as addressing the rise of China. They maintain this closeness through the Five Eyes Intelligence Oversight and Review Council, an entity that facilitates the exchange of views, best practices, and annual in-person meetings among non-political intelligence oversight and review agencies of the member countries. Also watch | Nijjar ran arms training camps in Canada, funded attacks in India: Intel Despite their proximity, the Five Eyes countries do not always align in their foreign policies. Notably, New Zealand's stance on certain Chinese actions differs from that of the other four countries due to its deep trade ties with China. The US has also sought to exert its influence through other groupings like the Quad and AUKUS, involving like-minded countries on security matters. Who was Hardeep Singh Nijjar? Hardeep Singh Nijjar had affiliations with the banned Indian separatist group Sikhs for Justice (SFJ). Within the SFJ hierarchy, he held the position of 'Number 2' after Gurpatwant Singh Pannun. Nijjar's origins trace back to Jalandhar's Bharsingh Pura village, and he relocated to Canada in 1996, reported ANI. Although initially a plumber in Canada, Nijjar's financial standing saw a remarkable uptick in recent years due to his involvement in pro-Khalistan activities. Nijjar's engagement with terrorism commenced with his membership in Babbar Khalsa International, led by Jagtar Singh Tara. Later, he established his own group, Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). He played a substantial role in identifying, connecting, training, and financing Khalistani cells in India, leading to over 10 FIRs against him. In 2014, Nijjar masterminded the assassination of self-proclaimed spiritual leader Baba Bhaniara. In 2015, he conducted a training camp in Canada for Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal, who was subsequently dispatched to Punjab with the mission of targeting Shiv Sena leaders. Mandeep was arrested in June 2016. In November 2020, Nijjar partnered with fellow gangster Arsh Dalla, residing abroad, and they became involved in the murder of Manohar Lal, a follower of the Dera Sacha Sauda, in 2021. The expulsion of the Indian diplomat adds another layer of complexity to the already fraught relationship between Canada and India. A sophisticated financial network The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has uncovered a sophisticated financial network connecting prominent Khalistani militants and gangsters based in Canada to funds generated in India through extortion, smuggling, and various illicit activities. This illegal wealth not only sustains their violent undertakings in both India and Canada but also finds unexpected outlets for investment, including ventures such as yachts, movies, and even the Canadian Premier League. The investigation has shed light on how the money amassed by gangsters through activities like extortion, smuggling, and other illegal means has been channelled into clubs and bars in Thailand as part of their investment strategy, underscoring the international scope of these financial operations, reported the Hindustan Times. The NIA's probe has unveiled a series of financial transactions spanning from 2019 to 2021. These transactions involved the transfer of sums ranging from ₹5 lakh ($6.5K) to ₹60 lakh ($72.2K) by gangster Lawrence Bishnoi to recipients in Canada and Thailand through the hawala system. Lawrence Bishnoi, who collaborated closely with Khalistani groups in Canada, particularly with Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) leader Lakhbir Singh Landa, played a pivotal role in orchestrating this illicit operation. According to the NIA's charge sheet, the funds collected through activities such as extortion, illegal liquor trade, arms smuggling, and other unlawful endeavours were funnelled to Canada, specifically to an individual known as Satbir Singh alias Sam. These funds served a dual purpose – further investment and financing the radical activities of pro-Khalistan elements (PKEs). WATCH WION LIVE HERE:

Explained | What's the 'Five Eyes' intelligence alliance, & how it led to Canada's claim on Nijjar killing?

<p>Amid rising tensions with Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Indian authorities have prepared a detailed dossier encompassing his links to militant organisations and involvement in criminal activities in India and Canada.</p>

<p>The dossier also revealed that Nijjar fled to Canada and gained citizenship based on a forged passport. Following that, he started running a terror ecosystem on Canadian soil, while being in close touch with other terrorists based out of Pakistan.</p>

<h2><strong>Detailed timeline of Nijjar’s past</strong></h2>

<p>According to the dossier prepared by Indian agencies, Nijjar was a close associate of Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) militant Gurdeep Singh, who was “involved in more than 200 killings in Punjab during late 1980s and early 1990s.”</p>

<p>“Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a resident of village Bhar Singh Pura, Jalandhar, Punjab. Since his early days, he had connections with local goons. He was initiated to gangster life by Gurnek Singh Neka," the dossier says.</p>

<p>In 1996, when police in India started probing his links with Khalistani militant outfits and his involvement in criminal activities, he fled to Canada on a forged passport.</p>

<p>He used the fake passport under the alias Ravi Sharma, and applied for asylum in Canada by claiming that he feared persecution in India because of his ‘alleged’ links to Sikh militancy.</p>

<p>In 1997, Nijjar’s asylum plea was rejected by Canadian authorities as they found it fabricated.</p>

<p>Just days after his plea was rejected, he entered into a marriage agreement with a lady, who reportedly sponsored his immigration.&nbsp;</p>

<p>But the application was rejected again as the lady had also arrived in Canada the same year (1997), whose application was sponsored by a different husband.</p>

<p>“Nijjar was later granted Canadian citizenship the circumstances of which are not clear," Indian agencies have said.</p>

<p>Initially, he earned his living as a truck driver in Canada but in 2012, Nijjar visited Pakistan and met Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) chief Jagtar Singh Tara. BKI is a designated terrorist organisation in India and is believed to have close ties with Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Jagtar Singh Tara reportedly imparted arms and IED training to Nijjar in Pakistan.</p>

<p>In 2013, Tara sent US-based Harjot Singh Birring to Canada to impart training to Nijjar in operating hand-held GPS devices. In return, Nijjar sent one million Pakistani rupees to Tara.</p>

<p>In 2014, Nijjar planned a terror attack on Dera Sacha Sauda Headquarters in the northern Indian state of Haryana. The plan was foiled as India denied entry to Nijjar.</p>

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<p dir="ltr" lang="en">"This is our legacy!" A reminder of who cheered for extrajudicial executions, like that of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Does NOT mean Nijjar should have been murdered himself - but he also applauded the suicide bomber who killed a Chief Minister of Punjab (and 16 bystanders.) <a href="https://t.co/j9XeOVGvDh">https://t.co/j9XeOVGvDh</a></p>
— Terry Milewski (@CBCTerry) <a href="https://twitter.com/CBCTerry/status/1705287654739181974?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">September 22, 2023</a></blockquote>
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<p>In November 2014, Interpol published a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Nijjar for masterminding more than a dozen cases of murder and terror.</p>

<p>“The details of cases were shared with Canadian authorities but no action was taken. Also, despite RCN, Canadian authorities did not take any action except putting him on a no-fly list," the dossier says.&nbsp;</p>

<p>Inaction from the Canadian authorities further encouraged Nijjar’s terror activities in India.</p>

<p>In 2014, Nijjar directed his module to target former top police official in Punjab Mohd Izhar Alam, and Punjab-based political leaders Nishant Sharma and Baba Mann Singh Ji Pehowa Wale.</p>

<p><strong>Watch:&nbsp;Is Canada spying on Indian diplomats? Canada-India Khalistan row</strong></p>

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<p>In 2015, Nijjar and Tara planned a terror attack in Punjab and raised a gang in Canada which included Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal, Sarbjit Singh, Anupveer Singh and Darshan Singh Fauji. They were imparted arms training in British Columbia, Canada in December 2015," the Indian agency said.</p>

<p>The same year, Tara was deported to India, and Nijjar assumed the role of the chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF).</p>

<p>In April 2021, Nijjar again visited Pakistan as a part of “Baisakhi jatha" but used the visit to get training in arms and explosives for a fortnight.</p>

<p>“After returning to Canada, he started arranging funds for terror activities through his associates engaged in drugs and arms smuggling in Canada. Nijjar was also associated with Sikhs For Justice, a banned terrorist organisation, as the head of its Canada chapter,” the dossier says.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“He had also organised violent anti-India protests in Canada and threatened Indian diplomats. He had also given a call to ban Indian embassy officials from participating in various programmes organised by local gurdwaras in Canada," it adds.</p>

<p><a href="https://www.wionews.com/world/what-is-khalistani-separatist-movement-how-the-ideology-travelled-from-india-to-canada-637474"><strong>Also read:&nbsp;What is Khalistan separatist movement, how did the ideology travel from India to Canada?</strong></a></p>

<p>The dossier also links Nijjar to the double murder of Manohar Lal Arora and Jatinderbir Singh Arora, a father-son duo, famous for their anti-Panthic activities in 2020.&nbsp;</p>

<p>“In the attack, Manohar Lal was shot dead at his residence in Bathinda on Nov 20, 2020 but his son escaped. Nijjar had sent money from Canada for their murder," says the dossier.</p>

<p>In 2021, Nijjar also tried to get a priest killed at his native village in Punjab, “but the priest survived," according to the dossier.</p>

<p>Indian officials also say that in a bid to escape the Red Corner Notice, Nijjar got involved in Gurudwara politics in Canada. In 2021, he became the president of Surrey Gurdwara by ousting his cousin Raghbir Singh Nijjar.</p>

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Amid rising tensions with Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Indian authorities have prepared a detailed dossier encompassing his links to militant organisations and involvement in criminal activities in India and Canada.

Amid rising tensions with Canada over the killing of Khalistani terrorist Hardeep Singh Nijjar, Indian authorities have prepared a detailed dossier encompassing his links to militant organisations and involvement in criminal activities in India and Canada. The dossier also revealed that Nijjar fled to Canada and gained citizenship based on a forged passport. Following that, he started running a terror ecosystem on Canadian soil, while being in close touch with other terrorists based out of Pakistan. Detailed timeline of Nijjar’s past According to the dossier prepared by Indian agencies, Nijjar was a close associate of Khalistan Commando Force (KCF) militant Gurdeep Singh, who was “involved in more than 200 killings in Punjab during late 1980s and early 1990s.” “Hardeep Singh Nijjar was a resident of village Bhar Singh Pura, Jalandhar, Punjab. Since his early days, he had connections with local goons. He was initiated to gangster life by Gurnek Singh Neka," the dossier says. In 1996, when police in India started probing his links with Khalistani militant outfits and his involvement in criminal activities, he fled to Canada on a forged passport. He used the fake passport under the alias Ravi Sharma, and applied for asylum in Canada by claiming that he feared persecution in India because of his ‘alleged’ links to Sikh militancy. In 1997, Nijjar’s asylum plea was rejected by Canadian authorities as they found it fabricated. Just days after his plea was rejected, he entered into a marriage agreement with a lady, who reportedly sponsored his immigration. But the application was rejected again as the lady had also arrived in Canada the same year (1997), whose application was sponsored by a different husband. “Nijjar was later granted Canadian citizenship the circumstances of which are not clear," Indian agencies have said. Initially, he earned his living as a truck driver in Canada but in 2012, Nijjar visited Pakistan and met Babbar Khalsa International (BKI) chief Jagtar Singh Tara. BKI is a designated terrorist organisation in India and is believed to have close ties with Pakistan’s intelligence agency ISI. Jagtar Singh Tara reportedly imparted arms and IED training to Nijjar in Pakistan. In 2013, Tara sent US-based Harjot Singh Birring to Canada to impart training to Nijjar in operating hand-held GPS devices. In return, Nijjar sent one million Pakistani rupees to Tara. In 2014, Nijjar planned a terror attack on Dera Sacha Sauda Headquarters in the northern Indian state of Haryana. The plan was foiled as India denied entry to Nijjar. "This is our legacy!" A reminder of who cheered for extrajudicial executions, like that of Prime Minister Indira Gandhi. Does NOT mean Nijjar should have been murdered himself - but he also applauded the suicide bomber who killed a Chief Minister of Punjab (and 16 bystanders.) https://t.co/j9XeOVGvDh — Terry Milewski (@CBCTerry) September 22, 2023 × In November 2014, Interpol published a Red Corner Notice (RCN) against Nijjar for masterminding more than a dozen cases of murder and terror. “The details of cases were shared with Canadian authorities but no action was taken. Also, despite RCN, Canadian authorities did not take any action except putting him on a no-fly list," the dossier says. Inaction from the Canadian authorities further encouraged Nijjar’s terror activities in India. In 2014, Nijjar directed his module to target former top police official in Punjab Mohd Izhar Alam, and Punjab-based political leaders Nishant Sharma and Baba Mann Singh Ji Pehowa Wale. Watch: Is Canada spying on Indian diplomats? Canada-India Khalistan row × In 2015, Nijjar and Tara planned a terror attack in Punjab and raised a gang in Canada which included Mandeep Singh Dhaliwal, Sarbjit Singh, Anupveer Singh and Darshan Singh Fauji. They were imparted arms training in British Columbia, Canada in December 2015," the Indian agency said. The same year, Tara was deported to India, and Nijjar assumed the role of the chief of the Khalistan Tiger Force (KTF). In April 2021, Nijjar again visited Pakistan as a part of “Baisakhi jatha" but used the visit to get training in arms and explosives for a fortnight. “After returning to Canada, he started arranging funds for terror activities through his associates engaged in drugs and arms smuggling in Canada. Nijjar was also associated with Sikhs For Justice, a banned terrorist organisation, as the head of its Canada chapter,” the dossier says. “He had also organised violent anti-India protests in Canada and threatened Indian diplomats. He had also given a call to ban Indian embassy officials from participating in various programmes organised by local gurdwaras in Canada," it adds. Also read: What is Khalistan separatist movement, how did the ideology travel from India to Canada? The dossier also links Nijjar to the double murder of Manohar Lal Arora and Jatinderbir Singh Arora, a father-son duo, famous for their anti-Panthic activities in 2020. “In the attack, Manohar Lal was shot dead at his residence in Bathinda on Nov 20, 2020 but his son escaped. Nijjar had sent money from Canada for their murder," says the dossier. In 2021, Nijjar also tried to get a priest killed at his native village in Punjab, “but the priest survived," according to the dossier. Indian officials also say that in a bid to escape the Red Corner Notice, Nijjar got involved in Gurudwara politics in Canada. In 2021, he became the president of Surrey Gurdwara by ousting his cousin Raghbir Singh Nijjar. WATCH WION LIVE HERE ×

Explained | India’s dossier details Nijjar’s history of travel, terror and thuggery

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