Prime Minister Narendra Modi and United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday launched the Mission LiFEmovement in Gujarat's Ekta Nagar. Envisaged by PM Modi, Mission LIFE is expected to be an India-led global mass movement that will nudge individual and collective action to protect and preserve the environment, said Prime Minister's Office (PMO).

Mission LiFE will be India's signature initiative at the United Nations and other international platforms for showcasing climate action and early achievement of the Sustainable Development Goals, according to the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) statement. Earlier, Prime Minister Modi held a bilateral meeting with UN chief Guterres here.

The duo paid floral tributes at the Statue of Unity at Kevadia and the UN Secretary-General joined Prime Minister Modi at the launch of the Mission LiFE (Lifestyle for Environment) booklet, logo, and tagline. The visiting UN chief is on a three-day trip to India.

 

On Wednesday, Guterres met External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar and exchanged views on pressing global concerns and challenges in multilateralism. (ANI)

 By AFP

 

WASHINGTON: President Joe Biden will announce Wednesday he's putting the final 15 million barrels on the market from a record release of US strategic oil reserves, with more releases possible if energy prices spike, a senior US official said.

 

The order, which Biden will announce in a speech, means the president will be "making clear that the administration is prepared to undertake significant additional... sales this winter if they are needed due to Russian or other actions disrupting global markets," the official added.

 

The decision to make the biggest ever dip into the emergency oil reserves -- usually kept for responding to situations such as hurricane-related shutdowns at oil refineries -- was Biden's gambit to calm energy markets and shield the world's biggest economy from Ukraine war shocks.

 

Major energy exporter Russia was hit with US and European sanctions soon after it invaded Ukraine in February, causing turmoil in markets. In addition, the Kremlin has threatened to use its leverage over energy supplies as an economic weapon against the West, which supports Ukraine's fight to repel the invasion.

 

UNITED NATIONS: China has put a hold on a proposal by India and the US at the United Nations to list Pakistan-based Lashkar-e-Taiba leader Shahid Mahmood as a global terrorist, the fourth instance in as many months that Beijing has blocked bids to blacklist terrorists at the world organisation.

 

It is learnt that China placed a hold on the proposal by India and the US to designate Mahmood as a global terrorist under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee of the UN Security Council.

This is the fourth time in as many months that China has put a hold on listing proposals to designate Pakistan-based terrorists under the 1267 Al Qaeda Sanctions Committee regime.

The US Treasury Department designated Mahmood a global terrorist in December 2016.

 New Delhi, October 18

Less than two months after losing to Liz Truss in the race for the post of the United Kingdom’s Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak has once again emerged as the favourite to replace her with 100 Tory MPs considering a no-confidence motion against her.

As Tuss tries to douse the revolt from the 100 Conservative Party MPs with apologies, a new poll has found that more than half of Tory members asked have “buyer’s remorse” and want Truss to resign. An equal number believe that she should be replaced by Sunak. Worse, opinion polls are giving Labour Party over half the votes if there is a fresh general election, leaving the Conservatives way behind if Truss remained at the helm.

Truss is trying to claw back after the disaster of firing her friend and Finance Minister (Chancellor) Kwasi Kwarteng and replacing him with Jeremy Hunt who had backed Sunak in the contest for the post. Speaking for the first time since her entire tax-cutting agenda was reversed by Hunt, she said there have been mistakes but she would lead the Conservative Party in the next general election.

“I recognise we have made mistakes. I am sorry for those mistakes, but I fixed those mistakes. I appointed a new Chancellor, we have restored economic stability and fiscal discipline. What I now want to do is go on and deliver for the public. We were elected on the 2019 manifesto, and I want to go on and deliver that. We are in difficult economic times and now is the time to focus on delivering, making sure we are delivering on our energy package,” she added.

 

 Brussels, October 17

NATO on Monday began its long-planned annual nuclear exercises, Steadfast Noon, in northwestern Europe as tensions simmer over the war in Ukraine and President Vladimir Putin’s threat to use any means to defend Russian territory.

‘Steadfast Noon’

• NATO said ‘Steadfast Noon’ will take place in Belgium, which is hosting the exercises, as well as over the North Sea and the UK
• Drills involve fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads, but do not involve live bombs

At the same time, waves of Russia's explosive-laden suicide drones struck Ukraine's capital, setting buildings ablaze and tearing a hole in one of them while sending people scurrying for shelter or trying to shoot down the kamikazes. Several areas were targeted. Fourteen of NATO’s 30-member countries were due to take part in the exercises, which the military alliance said would involve around 60 aircraft including fighter jets and surveillance and refueling planes.

The bulk of the war games will be held at least 1,000 kilometre from Russia’s borders. US long-range B-52 bombers will also take part in the maneuvers, which will run until Oct 30.

NATO said the drill, ‘Steadfast Noon’, will take place over Belgium, which is hosting the exercises, as well as over the North Sea and the United Kingdom. The exercises involve fighter jets capable of carrying nuclear warheads, but do not involve any live bombs.

The exercises were planned before Putin sent Russian troops to Ukraine in February. Russia usually holds its own annual maneuvers around the same time.

Meanwhile the drones Russia used to pound Kyiv appeared to include Iranian-made Shaheds. Previous Russian airstrikes on Kyiv were mostly with missiles. Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Monday's barrage came in successive waves of 28 drones — in what many fear could become a more common mode of attack as Russia seeks to avoid depleting its stockpiles of long-range precision missiles. — Agencies

 

United Nations, (PTI) UN Secretary General Antonio Guterres has said that he fully supports Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s remark to Russian President Vladimir Putin that this is "not an era of war", emphasising that all efforts towards creating conditions for a solution to the Ukraine conflict under the UN Charter and international law will be "very much welcomed." Speaking to PTI here ahead of his visit to India, Guterres also said he is "very concerned” with escalation in the Russia-Ukraine war, “especially when escalation causes a large number of civilian victims, obviously it only worsens what is already a very difficult situation." Russian President Putin ordered a "special military operation" against Ukraine on February 24. The raging conflict has further heightened economic stresses, especially on food and energy.

"I think that what" Prime Minister Modi "said to Russian President Putin that this is not the time for war is absolutely true. No time is the time for war. But this time in particular is not the time for war. So, I fully support that,” Guterres said.

"And of course, all efforts that can be made in order to create conditions for a solution, a solution in respect of the UN Charter and international law, will be very much welcome,” Guterres said ahead of his three-day visit to India starting Tuesday.

 PTI

London, October 18

Sri Lankan author Shehan Karunatilaka has been named the winner of the 2022 Booker Prize for his second novel ‘The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida', described by judges as a whodunnit and a race against time, full of ghosts, gags and deep humanity.

Karunatilaka, 47, became only the second Sri Lankan born to win the prestigious GBP 50,000 literary prize at a ceremony in London on Monday night, after Michael Ondaatje who won for ‘The English Patient' in 1992.

‘The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida' tells the story of the photographer of its title, who in 1990 wakes up dead in what seems like a celestial visa office. With no idea who killed him, Maali has seven moons to contact the people he loves most and leads them to a hidden cache of photos of civil war atrocities that will rock Sri Lanka.

“What the judges particularly admired and enjoyed in ‘The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida' was the ambition of its scope, and the hilarious audacity of its narrative techniques,” said Neil MacGregor, Chair of the 2022 Booker judges.

“This is a metaphysical thriller, an afterlife noir that dissolves the boundaries not just of different genres, but of life and death, body and spirit, east and west. It is an entirely serious philosophical romp that takes the reader to ‘the world's dark heart' — the murderous horrors of civil war Sri Lanka. And once there, the reader also discovers the tenderness and beauty, the love and loyalty, and the pursuit of an ideal that justifies every human life,” he said.

Karunatilaka, who was born in Galle in 1975 and grew up in Colombo, says that Sri Lankans specialise in "gallows humour" and make jokes in the face of crises as a coping mechanism. His debut novel from 2011, ‘Chinaman', won the Commonwealth Prize.

‘The Seven Moons of Maali Almeida', published by the independent press Sort of Books, explores life after death in a noir investigation set amid the murderous mayhem of a Sri Lanka beset by civil war. In 1990 Colombo, war photographer Maali Almeida is dead, and has no idea who killed him. He has seven moons to try and contact the man and woman he loves most and lead them to a hidden trove of shocking photos.

Karunatilaka and this year's other shortlisted authors, NoViolet Bulawayo, Percival Everett, Claire Keegan and Elizabeth Strout, were all in attendance at the Roundhouse in London, with Alan Garner attending virtually.

The first fully in-person event since 2019 brought together Booker writers past and present with a diverse range of readers and celebrated talent from across the cultural spectrum. This year's judging panel included academic and broadcaster Shahidha Bari; historian Helen Castor; novelist and critic M. John Harrison; and novelist, poet and professor Alain Mabanckou.

“This year's Booker judges have formed an incredible team. At their final meeting they were sad to disband, and to be separated from the books that had kept them company,” said Gaby Wood, Director of the Booker Prize Foundation.

“The 170 novels they read originated in many parts of the globe. ‘We're going to show that you can find a diamond anywhere in the world,' said one of the judges.

Finally, their longlist of 13 undiminished in spirit, they settled on a single gem: a book they were excited to press into the hands of readers everywhere,” she said.

Camilla made one of her first public appearances since she became Queen Consort and singer Dua Lipa delivered a rousing speech.

“I often wonder if authors realise just how many gifts they give us. Touring commitments take me all over the globe and life is often hectic. Sometimes, just to survive, I need to adopt a tough exterior. And at these times, it is books that soften me,” said the pop star.

Karunatilaka's GBP 50,000 prize money and newly designed trophy were presented to him by last year's winner Damon Galgut, along with a designer-bound edition of his book and the GBP 2,500 given to each shortlisted author. As the winner, the Sri Lankan author can expect instant international recognition and a dramatic increase in global sales.

 

 

 

 AP

Canberra, October 17

Around 34,000 homes could be inundated or isolated in Victoria state as a flood emergency continues across parts of Australia's southeast, an official said on Monday.

Victoria is the worst-affected state with some towns experiencing the highest river peaks in decades. The states of New South Wales and Tasmania were also experiencing flooding in an emergency that began last week.

Federal Emergency Management Minister Murray Watt said Victoria faced “some serious flooding” with more rain forecast for late this week.

“It's quite likely we'll see a flood peak happen and waters recede, followed by another peak, as different river systems come together,” Watt told Australian Broadcasting Corp.

“So this is a very serious situation and the reports I'm getting is we could be looking at up to 9,000 homes inundated in northern Victoria and potentially close to about 34,000 homes in Victoria either inundated or isolated,” Watt added.

Two people drowned and two were reported missing in Victoria and New South Wales in the past week.

Tim Wiebusch, chief operating officer at Victoria State Emergency Service, estimated 85 per cent of Rochester had been flooded by the overflowing Campaspe River at the weekend.

The northern Victorian town of Kerang is likely to be isolated for up to seven days when the Loddon River peaks on Wednesday or Thursday, Wiebusch said.

“Whilst we have a number of communities where rivers are starting to recede, there are still many rivers and communities that are under threat of major flooding in these coming days,” Wiebusch said.

Many schools and roads were closed across southeast Australia and thousands had evacuated their homes.

 

 AP

Beijing, October 17

The overarching theme emerging from China’s ongoing Communist Party congress is one of continuity, not change.

The weeklong meeting, which opened Sunday, is expected to reappoint Xi Jinping as leader, reaffirm a commitment to his policies for the next five years and possibly elevate his status even further as one of the most powerful leaders in China's modern history.

A look at what's happened so far, and what's to come:

MORE OF THE SAME

This is not an inflection point for the party. That happened 10 years ago when it named Xi as leader, though it wasn't evident at the time.

Since then, Xi has reoriented China both domestically and internationally. The military has staked claims to disputed territory while diplomats have become more assertive, saying China won't be bullied by the U.S. and others.

Xi has brought back stronger state control over the economy and society, expanding censorship and arrest to stifle dissent. An unprecedented crackdown on corruption has brought down hundreds of senior officials, including some potential political rivals.

All of that is here to stay was the message from a one-hour and 45-minute party report that Xi delivered to the opening session on Sunday, extolling the party's efforts toward what he calls the “rejuvenation” of the nation.

ELEVATING XI

Xi has already swept away competitors and consolidated power. The question is whether he will gain even more power — and how.

Practically, he has placed himself in charge of the military, foreign policy, the economy and most other matters through a series of party working groups that he heads.

Symbolically, his ideology, known as Xi Jinping Thought, was enshrined in the party congress at the previous congress in 2017.

Another amendment to the constitution is on the agenda for this week's congress. No details have been divulged, but analysts say it could further raise his status in the party.

THE NEW LEADERS

It is customary for the party to unveil its top leadership for the next five years the day after the congress closes, with the small group named to the Politburo Standing Committee identified for the first time when they parade out on stage.

Xi is widely expected to be at the top, getting a third five-year term. That would dispense with an unwritten agreement for party leaders to step down after two terms.

The others named to the Standing Committee, which currently has seven members, could offer clues to Xi's future and the direction of policy.

He is expected to stack the committee with loyalists. Analysts wonder whether China's economic slump will force him to temper his enthusiasm for a state-run economy and include supporters of a more market-oriented approach.

No obvious successor was picked for the current Standing Committee in 2017, signaling that Xi was eyeing a third term. Doing so again would suggest he plans an even longer stay.

WAIT FOR THE WEEKEND

With most of this week's sessions behind closed doors, none of this is likely to be known until the weekend. Any amendment to the constitution would typically be announced at the closing session on Saturday, and the new leadership paraded out on Sunday.

ZERO-COVID BLUES

For many Chinese, weary of pandemic restrictions that have disrupted lives and the economy, the more immediate question is whether there be any easing after the party congress.

The answer is probably not immediately, and changes when they do come will most likely be gradual.

The Communist Party is always eager to portray the country in a positive light around the congress and avoid any societal disruptions — and a major COVID-19 outbreak would be one.

But even after the congress, it will remain uncertain how widely COVID-19 will spread if travel and other restrictions are eased, so party officials remain cautious about opening up.

Plus there's always another major event to worry about. As a follow-up to the party congress, China's legislature will meet next year, probably in March. Many Chinese are preparing to hunker down at least until after that.  

 At least 28 people were killed in a coal mine explosion in northern Turkey, Health Minister Fahrettin Koca said on Friday evening, adding that 11 others pulled out alive were being treated in hospital