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Indian police retain service pigeons as backstop in opposition to disasters

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CUTTACK: Even in right now’s world of prompt messaging, video calls, the web and cell telephones, police in India’s jap state of Odisha are preserving a flock of service pigeons to be used when disasters sever communication hyperlinks.

Courting from the times of British colonial rule when police stations used the birds to speak with one another, the state’s service pigeon service employs greater than 100 Belgian Homer pigeons.

“We now have stored the pigeons for his or her heritage worth and to protect them for future generations,” mentioned Satish Kumar Gajbhiye, an inspector-general of police within the district of Cuttack.

Police mentioned the pigeons, which might fly at a velocity of 55 kph (34 mph), for as much as 500 miles (800 km) at a stretch, have proved a lifeline at the least twice within the final 4 a long time.

They performed a significant position after communication traces went down in 1999, when a strong cyclone hit coastal areas, in addition to in 1982, throughout devastating floods in some components of the state.

The pigeons often carry messages written on light-weight onion paper, inserted right into a capsule after which tied to a leg.

“We begin coaching the birds at 5 to 6 weeks previous, when they’re positioned in a crate and put of their shelter,” mentioned Parshuram Nanda, who takes care of the birds.

As they become old, the pigeons are taken a long way away to be freed and fly again to the shelter by intuition.

“The space is elevated step by step, and inside 10 days, they can return from about 30 km (19 miles),” Nanda mentioned.

Provider pigeons took information of the conquest of Gaul to Rome, dropped at England the information of Napoleon’s defeat at Waterloo, and have been broadly used to hold messages throughout the two world wars.

However the arrival of contemporary communications means the Indian pigeons right now determine principally in ceremonial roles throughout authorities features for nationwide holidays comparable to Independence Day and Republic Day, Gajbhiye mentioned.

Research present the pigeons can detect magnetic fields and zoom in on their vacation spot from hundreds of miles away, mentioned historian Anil Dhir, who works with the police.

“Even within the unlikely occasion that each mode of communication breaks down tomorrow, the pigeons won’t ever fail,” he mentioned.

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UNGA: China for upholding true multilateralism, enhance governance for world peace

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NEW YORK: Whereas the US has been hijacking the continued United Nations Basic Meeting (UNGA) and turning it right into a platform for touting its so-called management and peddle its “multilateral method,” Chinese language Vice President Han Zheng despatched out a transparent sign upholding true multilateralism and elaborated in a complete approach on the right way to work collectively in constructing an open and inclusive world with lasting peace and prosperity.

The senior Chinese language official additionally reiterated China’s constant place on the Taiwan query as some US-backed forces and the DPP authorities have been making some “trivial noises” at this annual gathering of world leaders, repeating their previous trick of making an attempt to show the Taiwan query into a worldwide matter.

In sharp distinction to the so-called “multilateral method” adopted by the US, which is taken into account pseudo-multilateralism as its alliance-centered mindset solely serves Washington’s hegemony, China’s method in addressing the reform and growth of worldwide governance goals to construct a neighborhood with a shared future for mankind and supply an answer for widespread challenges, consultants stated.

Defending true multilateralism

Talking on the Basic Debate of the 78th session of UNGA on Thursday, Han known as on the worldwide neighborhood to comply with the path of a multipolar world and to make world governance extra simply and equitable.

Han stated the official safety considerations of all nations must be addressed, the sovereignty and territorial integrity of all nations must be revered, and variations and disputes must be resolved in a peaceable approach by means of dialogue and session.

In terms of the Ukraine disaster, Han stated China helps all efforts which can be conducive to the peaceable decision of the disaster and stands able to proceed taking part in a constructive position for the early attainment of peace.

Han additionally put ahead a four-point proposal for tackling world affairs together with upholding fairness and justice, and sustaining peace and safety; pursuing mutual profit and delivering win-win outcomes, and reaching growth for all; staying open and inclusive, and advancing human civilization; and staying true to multilateralism and bettering world governance.

The vp stated that China will stay a member of the massive household of creating nations. As the biggest creating nation, China is a pure member of the International South, sharing weal and woe with the huge variety of creating nations, Han stated.

‘Trivial noises’ on Taiwan query

Apart from China’s method to safeguarding and selling multilateralism, a transparent message from the Chinese language chief on the Taiwan query was additionally put underneath the highlight, as a small variety of nations, together with the DPP authorities, have been making some noises on the ongoing UNGA and repeating some previous methods of hyping the island becoming a member of the UN as an unbiased consultant.

China resolutely safeguards its sovereignty and territorial integrity. The federal government of the Folks’s Republic of China is the only authorized authorities representing the entire of China, and Taiwan has been an inalienable a part of China’s territory since historic instances, Han instructed the assembly.

Nobody or pressure ought to ever underestimate the agency resolve, robust will and nice functionality of the Chinese language folks to safeguard their nationwide sovereignty and territorial integrity, he stated.

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Xi, Assad announce China-Syria strategic partnership

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HANGZHOU: Chinese language President Xi Jinping and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Friday collectively introduced the institution of a China-Syria strategic partnership, as the 2 leaders met in Hangzhou forward of the opening of the nineteenth Asian Video games, nearly 20 years after Assad’s final go to to China in 2004.

Specialists regard the transfer as being of nice sensible significance, as it would drastically help the development of Syrian individuals’s livelihoods, which have lengthy been ignored by the West.

In Hangzhou on Friday, Assad was seen along with his spouse visiting the Lingyin Temple, one of many largest Buddhist temples in China. Their shock look was warmly welcomed by native vacationers and sparked heated discussions on Chinese language social media.

In movies broadly circulating on Weibo, Assad and his spouse have been seen shaking palms and exchanging hugs with guests with large smiles on their faces – demonstrating by means of concrete actions that totally different cultures and civilizations can respect and talk with one another easily, consultants mentioned.

When assembly with Assad, Xi mentioned Syria was one of many first Arab international locations to ascertain diplomatic relations with the Folks’s Republic of China, and was one of many international locations that co-sponsored the decision to revive the lawful seat of the Folks’s Republic of China within the United Nations.

Over the 67 years for the reason that institution of diplomatic ties between the 2 international locations, the China-Syria relationship has stood the check of adjustments within the worldwide scenario, and their friendship has grown stronger over time, he mentioned.

The institution of the strategic partnership will likely be an essential milestone within the historical past of bilateral ties, Xi famous.

Zhu Yongbiao, director of the Middle for Afghanistan Research at Lanzhou College, instructed the International Occasions on Friday that the institution of the partnership is of nice sensible significance to each side, and affords huge potential for future improvement. It additionally carries symbolic that means, because it comes at a time when Syria has been embroiled in extended turmoil, significantly towards the backdrop of US sanctions.

For Syria, the institution of a partnership with China is an exit from its diplomatic isolation, highlighting the failure of the US and its allies’ efforts to overthrow Assad authorities, Zhu famous.

On the identical time, it mirrored the strategic autonomy of China’s diplomacy regardless of the US’ unilateral long-arm jurisdiction, the professional mentioned.

Throughout the assembly between each heads of state, Xi emphasised that China will proceed to firmly help Syria on points regarding its core pursuits and main issues, work with Syria to safeguard the frequent pursuits of growing international locations, and help Syria in opposing international interference, rejecting unilateralism and bullying, and safeguarding nationwide independence, sovereignty and territorial integrity.

China helps Syria in conducting reconstruction, enhancing counter-terrorism capability constructing, and selling a political settlement of the Syrian subject following the “Syrian-led, Syrian-owned” precept, Xi mentioned.

China additionally helps Syria in enhancing its relations with different Arab international locations and enjoying a better position in worldwide and regional affairs, he added.

Amid the accelerated pattern of reconciliation within the Center East, Syria was reinstated to the Arab League after it was suspended from the physique 12 years in the past.

The go to got here six months after a China-brokered deal noticed longtime regional rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran agree to revive diplomatic relations. China now turns into one in all a handful of nations outdoors the Center East that Assad has visited since 2011, media reported.

Xi and Assad’s assembly is a invaluable pillar of help for enhancing the lives of the Syrian individuals within the technique of post-war reconstruction and financial restoration, Zhu famous.

“Over the previous decade, the lives of extraordinary Syrians have been severely affected, and their plight was intentionally ignored by the West. In distinction, China has offered diplomatic and financial help, offering Syria promising prospects for strengthening cooperation,” the professional mentioned.

In January 2022, Syria joined China’s Belt and Highway Initiative. Xi on Friday instructed Assad that China is prepared to strengthen cooperation below the initiative with Syria, and in addition to extend the imports of high-quality agricultural merchandise from Syria.

Assad instructed Xi that Syria sincerely appreciates the Chinese language authorities for its invaluable help to the Syrian individuals and firmly opposes any interference in China’s inner affairs. Syria is able to be China’s long-term pal and companion, he added.

After the assembly, the 2 heads of state witnessed the signing of plenty of cooperation agreements, together with the joint development of the Belt and Highway Initiative, financial improvement exchanges, and technological cooperation.

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Canada has Indian diplomats’ communications in Sikh chief’s homicide probe: report

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The Canadian authorities has amassed each human and indicators intelligence in a months-long investigation of a Sikh activist’s homicide, which it has alleged was achieved by India, CBC Information reported on Friday.

The unprecedented tensions flared up on Monday after Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau mentioned Ottawa was “actively pursuing credible allegations” linking Indian authorities brokers to the homicide of Hardeep Singh Nijjar, 45, exterior a Sikh temple in British Columbia in June.

The 2 nations, whose relations have been fraying lately over the difficulty of Sikh separatists, have since introduced tit-for-tat explulsions of senior diplomats and issued tit-for-tat journey advisories.

Indian PM Narendra Modi’s authorities denied any hyperlinks to the alleged homicide. Whereas calling on India to cooperate with the investigation into the homicide, Canada mentioned on Thursday it will not launch its proof.

Conventional Canadian allies have to date taken a comparatively cautious method to the matter. Analysts say that is partly as a result of the US and different main gamers see India as a counterweight to the rising affect of China.

In the present day, quoting Canadian authorities sources, CBC Information mentioned the “intelligence contains communications involving Indian officers themselves, together with Indian diplomats current in Canada”.

It added that the intelligence “didn’t come solely from Canada” and a few was additionally supplied by “an unnamed ally within the 5 Eyes” alliance — an intelligence-sharing community that features the US, the UK, Canada, Australia and New Zealand.

 

 

The Canadian publication went on so as to add that the slain Sikh chief “reportedly had been warned by the Canadian Safety Intelligence Service that he was in danger”.

The report additional mentioned that “in a diplomatic disaster that unfolded progressively behind the scenes, Canadian officers went to India on a number of events searching for cooperation” within the investigation of Nijjar’s loss of life.

CBC Information mentioned that Canada’s Nationwide Safety and Intelligence Adviser Jody Thomas was in India over 4 days in mid-August. One other five-day go to this month overlapped with a “tense assembly” between the 2 nations’ premiers, it added.

The report quoted Canadian sources as saying: “When pressed behind closed doorways, no Indian official has denied the bombshell allegation on the core of this case — that there’s proof to counsel Indian authorities involvement within the assassination of a Canadian citizen on Canadian soil.”

“I can guarantee you that the choice to share these allegations on the ground of the Home of Commons … was not achieved flippantly,” CBC quoted Trudeau as stating yesterday after attending the 78th UN Common Meeting in New York. “It was achieved with the utmost seriousness.”

In the meantime, the US is in contact with Indians at excessive ranges and Washington is giving India no “particular exemption” within the matter, its nationwide safety adviser Jake Sullivan mentioned on Thursday.

America has been searching for to strengthen its relationship with India. President Joe Biden hosted Modi for a state go to on the White Home earlier this yr.

Requested whether or not US concern over the incident may disrupt that course of, Sullivan mentioned the US would rise up for its ideas, no matter what nation is affected.

 

 

“It’s a matter of concern for us. It’s one thing we take severely. It’s one thing we’ll hold engaged on, and we’ll do this whatever the nation,” Sullivan advised reporters on the White Home.

“There’s not some particular exemption you get for actions like this. Whatever the nation, we’ll rise up and defend our primary ideas and we may even seek the advice of intently with allies like Canada as they pursue their legislation enforcement and diplomatic course of.”

Sullivan famous that the US was in contact with each nations concerning the subject. “We’re in fixed contact with our Canadian counterparts … and now we have additionally been in contact with the Indian authorities,” Sullivan mentioned.

Earlier, John Kirby, spokesman for the White Home Nationwide Safety Council (NSC) had mentioned it supported Canada’s efforts to analyze the killing and inspired India to cooperate within the probe.

Individually, one other NSC spokesperson, Adrienne Watson, had denied stories that the US had “rebuffed” Canada over the matter.

Australia had expressed “deep concern” over Canada’s accusations whereas Britain mentioned it was in shut contact with its Canadian companions concerning the “critical allegations”.

Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar had a day in the past termed the rising wave of Hindutva or Hindu nationalism a “matter of deep concern” for the worldwide group.

The Overseas Workplace had additionally mentioned the accusation confirmed that New Delhi’s “community of extra-territorial killings” had gone world whereas Overseas Secretary Syrus Qazi mentioned Pakistan was not shocked by the Canadian accusation.

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