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हिमतालको सम्भावित विस्फोटपछि थमे गाउँमा ठूलो बाढीको असर

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पीटीआई, काठमाडौं, १६ अगस्ट २०२४: नेपालको एभरेस्ट क्षेत्रमा भएको सम्भावित हिमतालको विस्फोटको कारणले प्रसिद्ध शेर्पा गाउँ थमेमा ठूलो बाढी आएको छ, जसले यसका आधा भन्दा बढी घरहरूमा ठूलो नोक्सान पुर्याएको छ र घरहरूलाई लेदो र मलमूत्रले ढाकेको छ, मिडिया रिपोर्टअनुसार।

तीन घर र एउटा होटेल नष्ट भएका छन्, र पाँच थप घरहरू जोखिममा छन्, स्थानीय मिडियाले जिल्ला प्रहरी कार्यालय, सोलुखुम्बुका उप-प्रहरी प्रमुख (डीएसपी) द्वारिका प्रसाद घिमिरेको उद्धरण गर्दै जनाएको छ।

यो क्षति थमेको खोला, जो दुधकोशी नदीका उपनदिहरूमध्ये एक हो, बाट भएको हो।

अधिकारीहरूले तलको क्षेत्रमा बाढीको चेतावनी दिएका छन्।

हिमालयन टाइम्स पत्रिकाले थमेचो क्युडुगका मिंगमा शेर्पालाई उद्धृत गर्दै भन्यो: “थेंगो ग्लेशियरको तलका तालहरूले आज अपराह्नमा ठूलो विस्फोट गरेको छ, जसले विशाल बाढी र भूस्खलनको कारण बनेको छ। थमे गाउँको आधा भन्दा बढी प्रभावित भएको छ।”

थेंगो तालको विस्फोटले टाशी लाप्चा पास नजिकको गाउँलाई असर पुर्याएको छ, जुन प्रसिद्ध शेर्पा तेनजिङ नोरगेको जन्मस्थल हो, जसले न्युजील्यान्डका एडमण्ड हिल्लरीसंग मिलेर १९५३ मा संसारको सबैभन्दा अग्लो पर्वत माउण्ट एभरेस्टको शिखरमा पुगेका थिए।

यद्यपि काठमाडौं पोस्टले प्रमुख जिल्ला अधिकारी देवी पाण्डेले भनिन्, “हिमतालको विस्फोटको कारण यो भएको जुन अफवाह छ, त्यो अझै पुष्टि भएको छैन।”

उनले थपिन् कि प्रभावित क्षेत्रमा वर्षा भइरहेको छ, जुन बाढीको कारण हुन सक्दछ। उनले पूर्ण क्षतिको मूल्यांकन अझै गरिँदै रहेको बताइन्।

खुम्बु उपत्यकामा, नाम्चे बजार नजिक, समुद्र सतहबाट लगभग १२,५०० फिटको उचाइमा अवस्थित यो गाउँ विश्व प्रसिद्ध एभरेस्ट आरोहीहरू जस्तै आपा शेर्पा, कामी रिता शेर्पा, र लक्ष्मी रिता शेर्पा आदिको बासस्थल हो।

दुधकोशी नदी नजिकका तलका गाउँहरूलाई सचेत गराइएको छ, उनले थपे।

“सम्भवत: ग्लेशियर पग्लिनुको कारणले नेपालको प्रसिद्ध पर्वतारोहणको थमेको गाउँ बाढी र भूस्खलनले चपेटमा परेको छ। अहिलेको स्थितिमा, यस एभरेस्ट क्षेत्रको पूर्वी नेपालमा कुनै मानव क्षति रिपोर्ट गरिएको छैन,” यात्रा लेखक विराट अनूपमले X मा पोष्ट गरे।

आठ हिमालयन राष्ट्रहरूको क्षेत्रीय अन्तरसरकारी संगठन अन्तर्राष्ट्रिय एकीकृत पर्वतीय विकास केन्द्र (ICIMOD) अनुसार हिमतालको विस्फोट बाढी, वा जीएलओएफ, भनेको ग्लेशियर पग्लनबाट बनेको तालबाट पानीको अचानक छिराई हो, जुन ग्लेशियरको छेऊ, अघि, भित्र, तल, वा सतहबाट  भएको हो।

विशेषज्ञहरूले चेतावनी दिएका छन् कि विश्व तातिने समस्याले ग्लेशियर तालहरू र त्यसका परिणामस्वरूप  ग्लोफहरूलाई ठूलो खतरा पुर्याउन सक्छ।

यस्तो अवस्थामा, गृह मन्त्रालयले रक्षा मन्त्रालयको समन्वयमा, नेपाल सेना, सशस्त्र प्रहरी बल, र नेपाल प्रहरीलाई खोजी, उद्धार र विपत्ति व्यवस्थापनका लागि निर्देशन दिएको काठमाडौं पोस्टले जनाएको छ।

शताब्दीको अन्त्यसम्ममा विश्वका आधा हिमनदी लोप हुने वैज्ञानिकहरूको चेतावनी
नेपाल, पाकिस्तान, कजाकस्तानसहित एशियाका उच्च हिमाली क्षेत्रमा हिमताल फुट्ने जोखिम बढेको र हिमताल फुट्दा यस क्षेत्रका मानिस प्रत्यक्ष जोखिममा पर्ने भन्दै सतर्कता अपनाउन सुझाव दिइएको छ।

सम्बन्धित समाचार: 

शताब्दीको अन्त्यसम्ममा विश्वका आधा हिमनदी लोप हुने वैज्ञानिकहरूको चेतावनी तस्वीर 

उकालो, २०७९ माघ २५, बुधबार : : सीएनएन
जलवायु परिवर्तनका कारण पृथ्वीको तापक्रम बढ्दै जाँदा हिमाल पग्लने तीव्र हुँदा हिमताल फुट्ने जोखिम बढेको छ। हिमताल फुट्दा विश्वका १ करोड ५० लाख मानिस प्रत्यक्ष जोखिममा पर्ने एक अध्ययनले देखाएको छ। चीन, भारत, पेरू र पाकिस्तानमा मात्रै ७५ लाखभन्दा बढी मानिस जोखिममा रहेको अध्ययनले देखाएको हो।

नेचर जर्नलमा मंगलबार प्रकाशित एक अध्ययन प्रतिवेदनअनुसार विश्वका डेढ करोड मानिस हिमतालको ३० माइल आसपास बसोबास गर्छन् र हिमताल फुट्दा उनीहरू सबैभन्दा जोखिममा पर्ने छन्।

अध्ययनअनुसार विशेषगरि नेपाल, पाकिस्तान, कजाकस्तानसहित एशियाका उच्च हिमाली क्षेत्रमा हिमताल फुट्ने जोखिम धेरै छ। यस क्षेत्रका प्रत्येक मानिस औसतमा हिमतालको करिब ६ माइल आसपास बस्ने गरेको वैज्ञानिकहरू बताउँछन्। नेपालमा पनि पछिल्लो समय हिमपहिरो जाने, हिमाल पग्लने क्रम तीव्र बनिरहेको छ।

हिमाल पग्लनु भनेको जलवायु संकटको सबैभन्दा स्पष्ट र देखिने संकेत हो। तर, विश्वले जीवाश्म इन्धन र जलवायुसम्बन्धी अन्य महत्त्वाकांक्षी लक्ष्य हासिल गरे पनि यस शताब्दीको अन्त्यसम्ममा विश्वका कूलमध्ये आधाभन्दा बढी हिमनदी नष्ट हुने यस अध्ययनले डरलाग्दो प्रक्षेपण गरेको छ।

हिमताल फुट्दा हुने सम्भावित जोखिमबारे गरिएको यो नै पहिलो अध्ययन भएको सीएनएनले उल्लेख गरेको छ। न्युजिल्यान्डको क्यान्टरबरी विश्वविद्यालयका प्राध्यापक तथा यस अध्ययनका सहायक लेखक टम रबिन्सन भन्छन्, हिमताल फुट्नु ‘जमिनभित्र सुनामी’ आउनुजस्तै हो। हिमताल फुट्नुलाई उनले अकस्मात् बाँध (ड्याम) भत्किनुसँग तुलना गरेका छन्।

उदाहरण दिँदै उनी भन्छन्, “यी हिम बाँधहरू मानव निर्मित बाँधभन्दा फरक हुँदैनन्। अमेरिकाको होभर (ड्याम)मा विशाल ताल छ। यदि होभर बाँध एक्कासि हटाइदिने हो भने त्यहाँको पानी कतै बग्नैपर्छ। यसो हुँदा तालको पानी भीषण बाढीसहित उपत्यकाको तलैतल बग्छ।”

उनका अनुसार यस्तो बाढी सामान्य चेतावनी र कुनै चेतावनीबिना नै आउनसक्छ। यसअघि पनि हिमतालहरू फुटेर हजारौँ मानिसले ज्यान गुमाइसकेका छन्। कैयौँ संरचना र सम्पत्ति नाश भएको छ। पेरूको कोर्डिलेरा ब्लांका यस्तै डरलाग्दो प्रक्रियाका लागि परिचित छ।

त्यहाँ सन् १९४१ यता हिमपहिरो र हिमताल फुट्नेजस्ता ३० भन्दा बढी प्राकृतिक प्रकोपका घटनामा १५ हजारभन्दा बढीले ज्यान गुमाइसकेको अनुसन्धानकर्ताहरूको भनाइ छ। पाकिस्तानमा पनि हिमपहिरो, हिमताल फुट्नेसहित विभिन्न विपत्तिले हरेक वर्ष धेरै मानिस प्रभावित हुने गर्छन्।

यद्यपि, पाकिस्तानमा गत वर्षको विनाशकारी बाढी र हिमनदी पग्लिनुसँग सम्बन्ध रहे/नरहेको पुष्टि हुन सकेको छैन। ध्रुवीय क्षेत्र बाहिर सबैभन्दा बढी हिमनदी रहेको देश पनि हो पाकिस्तान।

सन् २०२२ मा पाकिस्तानमा कम्तिमा १६ वटा हिमताल विस्फोट भएका थिए। गत वर्ष मात्रै पाकिस्तानको उत्तरी गिलगीत–बाल्टिस्तान क्षेत्रमा ५ भन्दा बढी प्राकृतिक प्रकोप आएको वैज्ञानिकहरूको भनाइ छ।

तर, केही अनुसन्धानकर्ता पेरू र बोलिभिया सहितका आन्देस क्षेत्रमा सबैभन्दा बढी चासो दिनुपर्नेमा जोड दिन्छन्। यस क्षेत्रमा कम अनुसन्धान भएको उनीहरूको भनाइ छ। जलवायु संकटका कारण पछिल्लो दुई दशकयता आन्देस क्षेत्रमा तीव्र गतिमा हिमाल पग्लिरहेको, विशाल हिमतालहरू बनिरहेको र हिमताल विस्फोटको जोखिम बढेको पाइएको छ।

यस्तै, उत्तर अमेरिकी र युरोपेली क्षेत्रका हिमाल आसपासमा पातलो मानवीय बस्ती रहेकाले यी हिमाल उच्च जोखिममा पर्दैनन्। प्राकृतिक प्रकोपका घटना यी क्षेत्रमा निरन्तर भइरहन्छ। यद्यपि, जनसंख्या कम भएका कारण यस क्षेत्रलाई कम जोखिमयुक्त मानिएको छ।

अमेरिकाको कार्नगी मेलन विश्वविद्यालयका हिमनदी विज्ञ डेभिड रोउन्सले यस अध्ययनलाई ‘शक्तिशाली अध्ययन’ भनेका छन्। तुलनात्मक अध्ययन भएकाले कसरी हिमताल विस्फोटको जोखिम छ भन्ने विषयका साथै, समयसँगै हुने आकस्मिक व्यवस्थापन रणनीतिबारे थाहा पाउन यो अध्ययन प्रभावकारी हुने उनले बताए।

विशेषगरि भारत, पाकिस्तान, पेरू र चीनजस्ता जोखिमयुक्त देशमा हिमाली क्षेत्रमा प्रकोप रोकथामका क्षेत्रमा लगानी गरी हिमताल फुट्ने स्थानका धेरै मानिसलाई बचाउन सकिने अनुसन्धानकर्ताहरूको भनाइ छ।

International, National

Empty churches turn into malls: Decline in visitors result to prevailing emptiness

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The closings stem largely from a drop in church attendance during the Covid pandemic, and fewer people, especially younger adults, affiliated with religious organisations than in the past
Ellen Rosen, NYTS,  New York, 05.08.24  : A polling station at South Phoenix Missionary Baptist Church during the Arizona state primary election in Phoenix on July 30

Lisa Tofano was baptised, confirmed and married at the Good Shepherd Lutheran Church on Lake Opeka in Des Plaines, Illinois. When she and her husband, John, visited the church last fall, however, it wasn’t to worship but rather to celebrate their 34th wedding anniversary at what the church had become: the Foxtail on the Lake, a restaurant.

The transformation was not easy: The shuttered church needed an 18-month, $6 million gut renovation, and a new 3,000sqft kitchen, before it could start offering items like paella and beef shawarma, said David Villegas, a managing partner of Foxtail, who said he had been “a bit nervous” before the restaurant’s opening in November about the reaction of former parishioners. For Tofano, though, “a church is more about the people than the building”, she said.
Across the country, the number of empty churches and other houses of worship is sharply rising, and these structures, often unique architectural gems, have become huge draws for business owners.

Eileen Lindner, a sociologist and Presbyterian minister who is a former editor of the Yearbook of American & Canadian Churches, which analyses census data on religious organisations and houses of worship, said that she expected as many as 100,000 Protestant church properties to close by 2030. That figure, which may come close to 20 per cent of all existing Protestant churches, is a significant increase over the past decade, Lindner said.

The closings stem largely from a drop in church attendance during the Covid pandemic, and fewer people, especially younger adults, affiliated with religious organisations than in the past. The decline has been happening for decades. In the late
1940s, 76 per cent of Americans said they belonged to a church, synagogue or mosque, but by 2020 that number had dropped to 47 per cent, Gallup polling found.

The result is that congregations are closing or merging with others, leaving some capacious sanctuaries and outlying buildings underused or unused altogether. Many religious organisations are having to rethink how to make the best use of their largest assets — the buildings as well as the underlying land — and give them a second life.

Madeline Johnson, who oversees research at the University of Notre Dame on properties owned by the Catholic church as well as other religious organisations, said not much is off limits for what a church could become. Of the many denominations, the Catholic church might have the most stringent restrictions, Johnson said. The church stipulates that new uses “may be profane but not sordid”. But even that limitation affords a lot of leeway.

With their vaulted ceilings and stained glass windows, the architectural forms of churches have long attracted business owners, despite structural problems that
can add significantly to renovation costs.

When a product design consulting firm, argodesign, outgrew its offices in Austin, Texas, its founders were deliberate in their search for a new space. They saw potential in an abandoned 1930s-era church with a “rose window”, a round shape often found in churches, near the city’s bustling downtown South Congress area. The structure could accommodate up to 70 employees and had a parking space for a car the team had constructed together, said Sonia Prusaitis, the general manager of the office. The firm moved into the property in 2022.

Around the world, houses of worship have been converted to restaurants, breweries, hotels, art centres, theatres and even sports complexes. Some abandoned churches have been transformed into mixed-use developments, blending retail and residential space, and affordable housing.

In 1983, the Gothic revival Episcopal Church of the Holy Communion in New York City was converted into a disco called the Limelight, known for its sometimes drug-fuelled party scene. The structure has since gone through several iterations, including a shopping mall, a gym and a market. In St. Louis, an abandoned church became an indoor skatepark called Sk8 Liborius. (It burned down last year.) And a branch of the Black Art Library in Detroit opened this year in a repurposed church.

The process of transforming something old into something new can hit a number of bumps along the way. New structures may need zoning changes, such as when a church is in a residential neighbourhood that doesn’t otherwise permit commercial uses. For instance, Foxtail, the restaurant in Des Plaines, Ill., needed a zoning variance to sell alcohol.

A new business sometimes needs city, state or federal approval before alterations can take place if the church is a landmark structure or in a historic neighbourhood. Churches are often deconsecrated before the buildings even hit the market.

“One of the great difficulties in repurposing a church is that it’s a pretty specific type of space,” said Ari S. Heckman, a co-founder and the chief executive of the Ash hotel group, which turned a once grand old church in New Orleans into the Hotel Peter and Paul. The space has an eclectic style that merges religious vestiges with modern amenities.

“It’s hard to subdivide in a way that makes sense for a lot of uses, which may be why the original developer couldn’t make it work,” he said.

New York Times News Service
Crime, International, Regional

Bangladeshi nationals held for illegally entering India

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MP, 30 June 2024: Siliguri: The Special Task Force (STF) Siliguri, apprehended two Bangladeshi nationals from the India-Bangladesh border for illegally entering India from Bangladesh on Saturday night. 

The accused have been identified as Junait Minia (21 years) and Kabir Hossain (22 years), residents of Bangladesh. 
Police sources said that based on secret information, a special team of STF raided the India-Bangladesh border in Fulbari on Saturday night, where they arrested the accused as they illegally crossed the border without any valid document. 
During the preliminary interrogation, those arrested said that they had come to India from Bangladesh in search of work. 
The accused were produced at Jalpaiguri District Court on Sunday. Meanwhile, the STF West Bengal arrested one more Bangladeshi National named Sarif Mondal (64 years) of Dhaka, Bangladesh from Cooch Behar. 
Sources said, he had entered the North East states of India illegally from Bangladesh and later came to Cooch Behar for some illegal activity. 
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/bangladeshi-nationals-held-570012
Crime, International, Regional

One more arrest in SIM box case with Bangladesh connection

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MP, 28 June 2024, Siliguri: One more person was arrested in the SIM box recovery case in Fulbari. On Thursday night, the Detective department arrested a man named Abdul Kader from the Berubari area. While interrogating him, police came to know that he used to exchange SIM cards between India and Bangladesh.


Sabbir Ali, the prime accused of the case was arrested on May 16, leading to the recovery of the SIM boxes by the Special Operation Group (SOG), Detective Department (DD) and Police of New Jalpaiguri Police Station at a store in Jatiyakali near the India-Bangladesh border. There, they seized three SIM boxes with numerous slots, 93 SIM cards, technical gadgets, counterfeit voter and Aadhaar cards, licenses and other documents. Police have confirmed that the owner of the store, Sabbir Ali, was running an illegal telephone exchange racket by using these SIM box machines, causing a loss of revenue to the department of Telecom. Later, two more people were arrested in the case. With Abdul’s arrest a total of four persons have been arrested in the case so far. The accused was produced at Jalpaiguri court on Friday.
Courtesy & source- Millennium Post
https://www.millenniumpost.in/bengal/mamata-welcomes-jkhands-former-cm-sorens-bail-569890?infinitescroll=1 
Crime, International, Regional

बाल यौन दुरूपयोग मुद्दामा रामबहादुर बमजन दोषी ठहर: सजाय निर्धारण असार १७ गते

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सेतोपाटी संवाददाता, काठमाडौं, असार १० : सर्लाही जिल्ला अदालतले बाल यौन दुरूपयोग मुद्दामा रामबहादुर बमजनलाई दोषी ठहर गरेको छ।


सोमबार न्यायाधीश जीवनकुमार भण्डारीको इजलासले दोषी ठहर गरेको स्रेस्तेदार सदन अधिकारीले जानकारी दिए। सजाय निर्धारण भने असार १७ गतेलाई तोकिएको उनले बताए।

उनका अनुसार अन्य दुई प्रतिवादी ज्ञानबहादुर र डिगबाहदुर सफाइ पाएका छन्।

रौतहटकी गंगामाया तामाङले आफू आश्रममा बस्दा बलात्कार गरेको आरोप लगाउँदै बमजनविरूद्ध जाहेरी दिएकी थिइन्।

बालबालिका सम्बन्धी ऐनको हद म्याद अनुसार उनीविरूद्ध मुद्दा दायर गरिएको थियो। आफू बालिका हुँदा भएको यौनशोषण तथा बलात्कारविरूद्ध १८ वर्ष पुगेपछि उजुरी दिन पाइने कानुनी व्यवस्था छ। गंगामायाले यही कानुनी व्यवस्था अनुसार १८ वर्षपुगेपछि जाहेरी दिएकी थिइन्।  बमजनले २०७३ साल साउन २० गते आफूमाथि  बलात्कार गरेको उनको आरोप थियो। उक्त जाहेरी परेपछि प्रहरीले अनुसन्धान अघि बढाएको थियो। प्रहरी अनुसन्धानप्रतिवेदनका आधारमा जिल्ला सरकारी वकिल कार्यालयले बमजनविरूद्ध १२ देखि १४ वर्षसम्म कैद सजाय र मनासिव क्षतिपूर्तिको माग गर्दै मुद्दा दायर गरेको थियो।

१४ वर्षदेखि १६ वर्षसम्मका बालिकालाई बलात्कार गरे १२ देखि १४ वर्षसम्मको कैद सजाय हुने कानुनी व्यवस्था छ।

गंगामायाले पहिलोपटक झण्डै ६ वर्षअघि काठमाडौंमा पत्रकार सम्मेलन गर्दै आफूमाथि बमजनले बलात्कार गरेको आरोप लगाएकी थिइन्। त्यसपछि सेतोपाटीले तीन महिना लामो अनुसन्धानपछि २०७५ साल पुस ११ गते बमजनका कर्तुतको फेहरिस्त तयार पारेर एकैसाथ चार स्टोरी प्रकाशित गरेको थियो।

सेतोपाटीमा समाचार प्रकाशन भएपछि आफ्ना छोरी, छोरा र बावु बेपत्ता पारेको भन्दै पाँचपरिवारले त्यतिवेलै प्रहरीमा उजुरी दिएका थिए।  बमजन विरूद्ध विभिन्न प्रहरी कार्यालयमा आफ्नो आश्रममा बस्ने पाँच अनुयायीलाई बेपत्ता पारेको, तीमध्ये कम्तीमा एक जनाको हत्या गरेको लगायतका आरोप छन्। 

उनलाई प्रहरीले गत पुस २४ गते बूढानीलकण्ठबाट पक्राउ गरेको थियो। पक्राउ परेका बमजनमाथि प्रहरीको केन्द्रीय अनुसन्धान व्यूरोले विभिन्न कसुरमा छानबिन गरिरहेको छ।

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Authorities Confiscate More Than Rs 33 Million in Cash

https://kalimpongonlinenews.blogspot.com/2024/01/authorities-confiscate-more-than-rs33.html

‘Buddha Boy’ Bomjan to face rape trial at Sarlahi district court 

https://kalimpongonlinenews.blogspot.com/2024/01/buddha-boy-bomjan-to-face-rape-trial-at.html


रामबहादुर बमजनको बयान लिएपछि पुर्पक्षका लागि थुनामा पठाउने

https://kalimpongonlinenews.blogspot.com/2024/01/blog-post_14.html


पक्राउ परेका बमजनले आफ्ना आश्रममा चलाएको हत्या, हिंसा र

https://kalimpongonlinenews.blogspot.com/2024/01/blog-post_11.html

प्रहरीद्वारा रामबहादुर बमजन पक्राउ
https://kalimpongonlinenews.blogspot.com/2024/01/blog-post.html
International, National, Politics

Buzz: Indian drones and ammunition used by Israel in Gaza arsenal

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 ‘Indians always remind us that Israel was there for them during the Kargil War. Israel was one of the few countries that stood by them and provided them with weapons’
An Israeli soldier on a tank near the Israel-Gaza border on Monday. There is no suggestion that the tank was provided by India.: Reuters picture

Anita Joshua, TT, New Delhi , 26.06.24 : A former Israeli ambassador to India has said speculation in the international media about Indian drones and ammunition being used by Israel in Gaza may well be true considering the gratitude New Delhi feels towards Tel Aviv for its assistance during the Kargil War 25 years ago.

“Indians always remind us that Israel was there for them during the Kargil War. Israel was one of the few countries that stood by them and provided them with weapons. The Indians don’t forget this and might now be returning the favour,” Daniel Carmon told Israeli news network Ynetnews.

Iran was quick to pick on this and the official news agency, IRNA, flashed it on Sunday as “India sent great deal of arms to Israeli regime: Zionist media”.

While there has been some chatter about India sending weapons to Israel for a while now, the decision of Spain to prevent a cargo ship originating from Chennai from docking at one of its ports en route Israel in May has added fuel to the fire.

“The ship, originating from the city of Madras in India, was carrying 27 tonnes of munitions destined for the IDF (Israel Defence Forces), against the backdrop of the war with Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah on the Lebanon border. The incident highlights the fact that India has been providing significant military assistance to Israel since October 7,” the Ynetnews report said.

Before this report, the South China Morning Post had quoted analysts as saying that the shipment on the Danish-flagged ship, the Marianne Danica, which had sought permission to dock at Cartegana, Spain, was most likely from a “third-party vendor”.

In February, Shephard News, which specialises in global defence news, had reported that “the first private UAV manufacturing facility in India has delivered more than 20 Hermes 900 medium-altitude, long-endurance (MALE) UAVs to Israel”.

“Hyderabad-based Adani-Elbit Advanced Systems India Ltd, a joint venture company between India’s Adani Defence and Aerospace and Israel’s Elbit Systems, became the first entity to manufacture the UAVs outside of Israel,” it added.

Ynetnews, quoting an Indian news report, said India was supplying Israel with advanced Hermes 900 drones manufactured in Hyderabad. “The report said the factory, established by Israel to supply these drones to the Indian military, converted 20 of them specifically for the IDF due to the shortage created during the war.”

In both these instances there was no official confirmation or comment from India and Israel.

In March, Israeli newspaper Haaretz had reported that the IDF used 70-year-old munitions and shells intended for training in India in Gaza. Faced with weapons shortages, the IDF, according to the report, has been using munitions dating back to the 1950s.

“Then there was the case of ‘the Indian munitions’. No one is sure why they earned this moniker. Legend has it that these were American munitions that came from emergency storehouses in India. Some of these left the factory in 1953, a decade before the first M109. Whatever their source, ultimately the soldiers had to try to accurately fire 70-year-old munitions. According to the US army, the maximal shelf life for such explosives is 40 years in optimal storage conditions of up to 30 degrees Celsius,” Haaretz reported.
International, National, Politics

India’s role in G7 Summit: An Overview

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Annwesha Chhetri, EOI, 17 June 2024 : The Group of 7 (G7) Summit, held in the picturesque town of Fasano, Italy, concluded on June 15, leaving a significant impact on global policy and international relations. Hosted by Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni, this summit focused on the two major geopolitical conflicts weighing on the international community: the war in Ukraine and the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Apart from the member countries, many other countries, including India, were invited to the Outreach Session. This was India’s 11th and Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s 5th consecutive participation at the G7 Summit. Traditionally, this group of seven countries has been a forum for some of the world’s most advanced economies to discuss and coordinate on economic policies, trade, security, and other global issues. India’s repeated invitations signal a recognition of its rise in economy, strategic importance, and leadership potential in tackling global challenges. PM Modi’s presence at the summit reflects India’s pivotal role in shaping global discourse. Therefore, India is getting a platform once again to address critical global issues, strengthen bilateral ties, and assert its role as a major player in international affairs. This year’s summit focused on themes such as economic resilience, climate change, health, security, and technological innovation—all the areas where India has a valuable contribution to make.
During the summit, PM Modi shed light on India’s economic reforms and investments like “Make in India” and “Digital India.” These initiatives aim to transform our country into a global manufacturing hub and a leader in digital innovation. With the global economy recovering from the impacts of the COVID- 19 pandemic, India’s robust growth trajectory presents an attractive proposition for foreign investment and trade partnerships. A major highlight of this summit was the launch of the Just Energy Transition Partnership (JETP). Coal accounts for nearly 70% of India’s electricity. This initiative aims to help India transition from a coal-based energy system to more sustainable and low-emission technologies. Hence, JETP is designed to provide financial support, technology, and expertise to facilitate this transition, which is expected to address both environmental concerns and economic dependencies related to coal. PM Modi also reiterated India’s ambitious climate targets, including achieving net-zero emissions by 2070 and increasing the share of renewable energy in its energy mix. He also elaborated on the “Ek Ped Maa ke Naam” campaign and urged the leaders to take part in India’s Mission LiFE initiative. Therefore, by collaborating with G7 countries, India will not only contribute to global climate goals but also support its own sustainable development agenda.
“Pharmacy of the World,” India has been a key supplier of affordable vaccines and medicines to developing countries during the pandemic. PM Modi called for strengthening global health infrastructure by ensuring equitable access to vaccines and enhancing research and development capabilities. 
India becomes a key player in the Indo-Pacific strategy, ensuring stability and security and countering China’s expanding influence. The European Union says that Beijing’s large subsidies, especially in green energy and technology, lead to very cheap products that flood the global market, making it difficult for the West to compete. “G7 countries agree on how to handle China,” a Japanese government source told AFP.
PM Modi said that India will collaborate with all countries to make artificial intelligence (AI) transparent, fair, secure, accessible, and responsible. As a founding member and lead chair of the Global Partnership for AI, India is leading the launch of the “AI Mission” with the mantra “AI for All.”
Therefore, this G7 Summit provided India with a platform to advance its economic, environmental, health, technological, and geopolitical agendas. By engaging with the world’s leading economies, India is not only strengthening its international standing but also paving the way for sustainable development and inclusive growth. 
As the world navigates through complex challenges, India’s role in shaping a resilient and cooperative global order is becoming more crucial than ever. On the sidelines of the G7 Summit, PM Modi held bilateral meetings with French President Emmanuel Macron, UK PM Rishi Sunak, Japanese PM Fumio Kishida, and Ukraine President Volodymyr Zelenskyy. He also interacted with US President Joe Biden, German Chancellor Olaf Scholz, Canada PM Justin Trudeau, and Pope Francis. After concluding the visit, PM Modi thanked the people and government of Italy for their “war m hospitality” and said, “Had a very productive day at the G7 Summit in Apulia. I interacted with the world’s leaders and discussed various subjects. Together, we aim to create impactful solutions that benefit the global community and create a better world for future generations,” in a post on X. 
(The views of the author are personal)

International, National

40 Indians Killed, 50 Injured In South Kuwait Building Fire

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PTI, New Delhi, Jun 12, 2024 : Around 40 Indians were killed and over 50 injured in a devastating fire that broke out at dawn in a building housing around 195 migrant workers in southern Kuwait’s Mangaf area, officials said on Wednesday.

     
The total number of people killed in the Al-Mangaf building is 49 and 42 of them are learnt to be Indians; the remaining ones are Pakistani, Filipino, Egyptian and Nepali nationals, they said.
     
“In an unfortunate and tragic fire incident earlier today in a Labour housing facility in Mangaf area of Kuwait, around 40 Indians are understood to have died and over 50 injured,” the Ministry of External Affairs said in a statement late on Wednesday night.
     
Prime Minister Narendra Modi, who described the incident as “saddening”, reviewed the situation at a meeting with External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, NSA Ajit Doval, Foreign Secretary Vinay Kwatra and Principal Secretary to PM PK Mishra among others.

Following the meeting, the prime minister announced ex-gratia relief of Rs 2 lakh to the families of the deceased Indian nationals from the PM Relief Fund and directed that the government should extend all possible assistance.
     
External Affairs Minister spoke to his Kuwaiti counterpart Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya on phone and urged him for the early repatriation of the mortal remains of those killed.
     
“Spoke to Kuwaiti FM Abdullah Ali Al-Yahya on the fire tragedy in Kuwait. Apprised of the efforts made by Kuwaiti authorities in that regard. Was assured that the incident would be fully investigated and that responsibility will be fixed,” Jaishankar said on ‘X’.
     
“Urged the early repatriation of the mortal remains of those who lost their lives. He emphasized that those injured were getting the requisite medical attention,” he said.
     
Minister of State for External Affairs Kirti Vardhan Singh is urgently travelling to Kuwait following a direction from PM Modi to oversee assistance to Indians injured in the fire and to ensure early repatriation of mortal remains of those killed.
     
The officials cited above said most of the Indian victims are from Kerala.
     
“The fire mishap in Kuwait City is saddening. My thoughts are with all those who have lost their near and dear ones. I pray that the injured recover at the earliest. The Indian Embassy in Kuwait is closely monitoring the situation and working with the authorities there to assist the affected,” Modi said on ‘X’.
     
In its statement, the MEA said the Indian embassy in the Gulf nation is ascertaining the full details from the Kuwaiti authorities.
     
“Those injured are presently admitted in five government hospitals (Adan, Jaber, Farwaniya, Mubarak Al Kabeer and Jahra) in Kuwait and receiving proper medical care and attention,” it said.
     
“According to hospital authorities, most of the admitted patients are stable,” it said.
     
Following the incident, Ambassador of India in Kuwait Adarsh Swaika immediately visited the incident site and also the hospitals to ascertain the welfare of the Indian nationals.
     
“The embassy continues to coordinate with local authorities to assist Indian nationals who have been injured in this unfortunate incident and extend all possible support. The embassy is receiving full cooperation from the Kuwaiti authorities,” the MEA said.
     
“Our Embassy in Kuwait continues to remain in touch with local authorities to provide relief to those affected. The Embassy has established a helpline +965-65505246 (WhatsApp and regular call) for family members to get in touch,” it said.
     
The fire in Al-Mangaf building was reported to authorities in Al-Ahmadi governorate at 4.30 am and most of the deaths were due to smoke inhalation, Kuwaiti media reported, adding the fire started in a kitchen.
     
Kuwait’s Interior Ministry in a statement confirmed that the death toll reached 49.
     
Construction firm NBTC group rented the building for the stay of more than 195 workers, most of them Indians from Kerala, Tamil Nadu and northern states, the Kuwaiti media said.
     
The NBTC group is partly owned by an Indian, officials said.
     
Kuwait’s Interior Ministry said criminal evidence department personnel are currently working on identifying the victims and revealing the cause of the fire.
     
It said strict measures will be taken against building owners who violate laid down norms.
     
“Unfortunately, we received a report of a fire at… exactly 6:00 am (0300 GMT) in the Mangaf area,” Major General Eid Al-Owaihan, head of the Interior Ministry’s General Department of Criminal Evidence said.
     
Kuwait’s health ministry said the injured were admitted to several hospitals, with 21 of them sent to Al-Adan Hospital, six to Farwaniya Hospital, one to Al-Amiri and 11 to Mubarak Hospital.
     
“Amb @AdarshSwaika visited the Al-Adan hospital where over 30 Indian workers injured in today’s fire incident have been admitted. He met a number of patients and assured them of full assistance from the Embassy,” the Indian embassy said on ‘X’.
     
“Almost all are reported to be stable by hospital authorities,” it said.
     
The Indian embassy said it is in touch with Kuwaiti law enforcement authorities, fire service and health department for necessary action.
     
Interior Minister of Kuwait Sheikh Fahad Al-Yousuf Al-Sabah ordered an investigation into the fire incident and issued directions to apprehend the owner and janitor of Al-Mangaf building.
     
“What happened today is a result of the greed of the company and building owners,” Al-Sabah was quoted as saying by Kuwait Times.
International, Sikkim

Buddha Air Conducts Feasibility Study for Kathmandu to Pakyong Flights

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SUJAL PRADHAN, EOI, GANGTOK, JUNE 11, 2024 : A team from Buddha Air visited Pakyong Airport on Tuesday to conduct a feasibility study for launching flight operations between Kathmandu and Pakyong. 

The visit included a presentation by the Air Traffic Controller and an airport tour led by Airport Director S.K. Singh. 
The three-member team from Buddha Air included Uday Krishna Shrestha, Om Pradhananga, and Jiwan Basnett. Buddha Air plans to operate two daily flights: one from Kathmandu to Pakyong and another from Kathmandu to Pakyong via Guwahati. 
The flight from Kathmandu to Pakyong will take about one hour, while the flight from Pakyong to Guwahati will take around 35minutes.
As per reports, the proposed fare for Kathmandu to Pakyong is expected to be between Rs. 6,000 and Rs. 7,000, but Singh has requested Buddha Air to reduce it to Rs. 5,000 to Rs 6,000.
The airline is confident there will be enough passengers on these routes. Buddha Air is already operating flights from Kathmandu to Varanasi and is seeking permission for a new route from Janakpur to Ayodhya. 
The tentative timing for the new flights is between noon and1.30 pm. The flights will use ATR 500aircraft which can accommodate 85 to 90 passenger
International

Nepal Army removes remains of 5 humans 11 tonnes of garbage from Everest region

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PTI, KATHMANDU, JUNE 6, 2024 : Nepali Army has removed the remains of five climbers and 11,000 kgs of waste from the high-altitude Everest region as part of their almost two-month-long ‘Mountain Cleaning Campaign 2024,’ the fourth such expedition since its launch in 2019.

     
The Army team found four dead bodies and one human skeleton of the climbers from its arduous cleaning expedition that covered Mt Everest, the highest mountain at 8848.86 metres, Mt Lhotse, and Mt Nuptse areas near the Everest Base Camp.

     
The aim of the ‘Mountain Cleaning Campaign’ is to keep a check on human-made pollution in the mighty Himalayas, especially in the fragile and vulnerable high-altitude region, in the era of changing climate, the army had said while announcing the 2024 campaign on April 7.

     
That day, the start of the Spring Climbing Season for Everest, the Army had announced to bring back 10 tonnes and five bodies lying at Mt Everest by its 12-member team led by Maj Aditya Karki. The team was to be assisted by an 18-member Sherpa team.

     
The expedition was flagged off on April 11.

     
Chief of the Army Staff Prabhu Ram Sharma, during an event to celebrate the successful closing of the 55-day campaign here on Wednesday, the World Environment Day, said: “Despite the adverse weather and conditions, around 11,000 kgs of garbage, four human corpses, and one skeleton were collected during this campaign.”

     
On the occasion, the Army chief also honoured members of the mountain cleaning campaign, including supporting Sherpa guides, for their valuable contribution to collecting the garbage and human remains.

     
The biodegradable waste was brought to Namche Bazaar below the Everest Base Camp and handed to the Sagarmatha Pollution Control Committee (SPCC) for proper treatment.

     
The non-biodegradable waste and bodies/skeleton was brought to Kathmandu.

     
The Nepal Army collaborated with the Ministry of Forest and Environment, the Tourism Department and the Nepal Mountaineers Association for the Everest region’s cleaning campaign.

     
The cleaning team also successfully climbed Mount Everest, MyRepublica portal reported, adding that since the campaign was launched in 2019, as many as 12 dead bodies and 180 metric tonnes of garbage have been collected from these mountain areas, including the Mt Everest peak.

Health, International

Sober 50-year-old kept appearing drunk. Then doctors found her UTIs were to blame

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MiamiHerald, 3 June 2024 : For years, a Canadian mom would have an occasional glass of wine or drink around the holidays, but she maintained a mostly sober lifestyle. She eventually leaned into her religious beliefs and stopped drinking alcohol altogether. Then, she walked into an emergency room drunk. 
Beginning two years earlier, the 50-year-old woman had odd cases of sleepiness where she would get so drowsy she would fall asleep “suddenly while getting ready for work or preparing meals,” according to a June 3 case report published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal. 
She went to her primary care doctor and the emergency room multiple times while barely awake, her speech slurring and the smell of alcohol emanating from her breath, according to the case report. 
She was adamant that she was sober, and her family corroborated that no one had seen her consume any alcohol, doctors said. 
During her first visit to the emergency room, her alcohol level was a 39 when the normal level was below 2, according to the case report, but her liver enzymes remained completely normal. But by later visits, that value reached 62, more than 30 times normal levels. 
Nothing appeared abnormal on brain scans, and she was repeatedly referred to an addiction specialist and psychiatrists over seven doctors visits in two years, doctors said. 
Later, the patient told doctors about recurring urinary tract infections she had been experiencing for years. She was prescribed strong, wide-range antibiotics to stop the infection, and these seemingly drunk episodes would occur afterward, according to the case report. 
During her last emergency room visit, doctors confirmed she also had an urinary tract infection, and a diagnosis was proposed. 
Her body was brewing alcohol inside her gut. “Auto-brewery syndrome is a rare syndrome of endogenous alcohol fermentation. 
A 1948 report of a boy with a ruptured stomach whose contents smelled of alcohol was the first to describe gut fermentation,” according to the case report. 
“A 2020 systematic review identified 20 patients reported in the English medical literature since 1974.” 
The syndrome occurs when the microorganisms in the gut that are capable of fermenting carbohydrates into alcohol are able to outgrow the “good” bacteria in our gastrointestinal system, doctors said. 
When someone takes antibiotics for an infection, the drugs aren’t always able to target bad bacteria alone, and bacteria in the gut can also be affected, usually resulting in doctors recommending a probiotic or to eat yogurt while taking a round of antibiotics. 
In extreme cases, antibiotics kill so much of the good bacteria that keeps the gut balanced that the bad, fermenting-capable fungi and microorganisms flourish. 
“In our patient, we suspect her recurrent antibiotics for UTI and dexlansoprazole use (a prescription drug used to treat heartburn and reflux symptoms) led to gut dysbiosis with potential contribution of genetics, resulting in auto-brewery syndrome,” according to the case report. 
The condition can be hard to treat as the microorganisms, in this case a fungus, can live in the body naturally without any harmful effects, doctors said. 
“Auto-brewery syndrome carries substantial social, legal and medical consequences for patients and their loved ones,” doctors said. 
In previous cases, people have been accused of driving under the influence only later to find out they have auto-brewery syndrome. 
For this mother, a combination of antifungal medication, a lower carbohydrate diet and a change to her treatment for UTIs led to an end of the drunken spells, according to the case report.