Author: Amrita Sandhu

For its military intervention in Ukraine, the European Union has imposed fresh sanctions on Russia, including prohibitions on Russian energy sector investments, luxury goods exports to Moscow, and steel imports from Russia. More corporate executives who support Russia’s government have had their assets frozen, including Chelsea football club owner Roman Abramovich as well as the head of Russian state Television Network One, Konstantin Ernst, who have been included to a blacklist that already comprises dozens of wealthy Russians. What are those new sanctions? The new sanctions come after three rounds of punitive measures, including the freezing of the Russian central bank’s assets, the exclusion of some Russian and Belarusian banks from the SWIFT banking system, and the freezing of the assets of oligarchs but also top politicians, along with Russia’s President Vladimir Putin as well as foreign minister Sergey Lavrov. According to the European Commission, the penalties include “a broad restriction on new investment in Russia’s energy industry.” The sanctions will affect Russia’s oil companies Rosneft, Transneft, and Gazprom Neft, who might face a transaction ban, although EU representatives will still be allowed to acquire their oil and gas. Impact on Companies On Monday, the EU achieved a preliminary agreement upon that new measures. The assets of Abramovich and some other billionaires would be frozen under the penalties, but EU states will decide how to implement them. According to an EU official, the impact on enterprises held by blacklisted businessmen is uncertain because there are no explicit EU standards on how to determine control or ownership. The EU is attempting to improve information sharing among EU states in order to facilitate seizures, as certain members have inadequate staff and political will. The embargo on Russian steel imports was bound to influence products worth $3.6 billion. “Otherwise, the measure will have very little effect,” one EU source said, adding that the EU was in active discussions with Washington for the adoption of comparable restrictions by the US, which is home to the world’s top agencies. The EU officially agreed to revoke Russia’s “mostfavored nation” trade designation, paving the way for punitive tariffs or outright import restrictions on Russian goods.

The Indian Meteorological Department (IMD) began monitoring temperature, moisture, and rain in 1875. It is now one of the world’s largest enterprises, monitoring dozens of weather variables. This information is freely available to the public. When the IMD was founded, its mission was to “study methodically the climate patterns in India as a whole, and apply the knowledge so gained to the issuing of storm and other warnings, as well as daily predictions.” The department was assigned with forecasting the south-west monsoon after a devastating famine in 1877. Analysis by IMD The IMD uses long-term data from 1981 to 2010 to forecast normal daily temperatures and concerns heatwave warnings if temperatures are projected to exceed 40 degrees Celsius in the lowlands or 30 degrees Celsius in mountainous areas. It does so for coastal zones when the highest temperature is forecast to be higher than 4.5 degrees Celsius or above 37 degrees Celsius. However, these requirements must be completed at two stations within the IMD division. On the second day, a heatwave was declared. The Report of Weather and Climate Extremes According to a report published in the journal Weather and Climate Extremes in 2021, heatwaves killed 17,362 people in India between 1970 and 2019, with approximately 2,000 deaths in 2015. According to the National Crime Records Bureau, hundreds of people die per year country to extreme conditions. The lowest number of deaths was 530 in 2020, probably due to the COVID-19 lockdown and work limitations in that year. Because a heatwave is not a declared disaster, many of these deaths go unreported. Heat Stress Index There are two approaches for measuring the impact of heat on the human body that are more accurate than simply measuring temperature. The Heat Stress Index is the first, and it considers the effects of temperature, moisture, and solar radiation on the human. When high humidity is paired with temperature, air circulation, and radiant heat, it assesses how hot it feels. The Wet Bulb Globe Temperature is the second (WBGT). Although this assessment seems to be in the prototype phase, it takes into account heat stress that is similar to working conditions. It calculates temperature in solar radiation while taking into account wind speed, humidity (important for regular sweating), solar angle, and weather patterns. Read More : Emperor Penguins could be extinct in coming years due to climate change

President Joe Biden of the United States stated on Monday that he would be willing to take action to defend Taiwan, drawing praise from the democratic, self-governing island but fierce rebuke from China. “Yes,” Biden said during a joint press conference alongside Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida when asked if the US would support Taiwan if attacked. “We made that pledge,” Biden stated. “We support the policy of “one China.” We agreed to participate. From then, all of the subsequent agreements were made. But the notion that it can be seized simply by force is absurd. It is simply not proper.” On his first visit to Japan while taking office, He stated that such an act would never be planned or attempted. Taiwan’s foreign ministry expressed gratitude to Biden for confirming US backing for the island in the event of an invasion by Beijing. The remarks made by Biden Biden’s remarks appeared to contradict Washington’s lengthy policy of “strategic ambiguity” on Taiwan, in which the White House had been deliberately unclear about whether it would intervene if China seized the island. The goal of this policy was to keep the mainland from engaging in military action without the US going to war. Biden’s remarks, according to a White House official, do not indicate a policy shift. The US diplomatically acknowledges China’s claim that there will only be one Chinese government under it’s “one China” policy, which is a cornerstone of Washington-Beijing relations. The decreased tariff for China Mainland China and Taiwan The Taiwan Strait, which is around 100 miles in length (160 kilometres) at its narrowest point, separates China and Taiwan. China claims Taiwan as part of its territory and has pressed the democratic island to submit to its control. Biden also mentioned that lowering taxes on Chinese goods was on his mind. “We did not implement any of the tariffs that the previous government imposed and are still being considered,” he said. Biden’s remarks came after US Treasury Secretary Janet Yellen stated that such measures would be worth considering because of the possible influence on decreasing rising inflation. Read More : US Military Would Defend Taiwan If China…

The Supreme Government has asked the Kerala government to respond to a claim that three crore cubic metres of clay, silt, and debris clog the beds of Kerala’s rivers, raising the water level to unsafe levels, particularly during the monsoon season. According to the petition, three crore metres of clay, silt, and debris obstruct the normal flow of rivers, causing floods. A Bench led by Justice A.M. Khanwilkar has requested the State’s response to a petition filed by Sabu Steephen, who was represented by advocate V.K. Biju, seeking emergency measures to desilt the clogged rivers before the rains arrive. Mr. Biju claimed in Supreme court on Friday that the State had experienced floods in both 2018 and 2019. Hundreds of people had died, thousands had been injured, and lakhs had been displaced. According to the petition, the economic loss has yet to be determined. The Remarks on the…

Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday that the second in-person Quad Leaders’ Summit in Japan will provide an opportunity for leaders from four countries to review the progress of the grouping’s initiatives and exchange views on developments in the Indo-pacific as well as global issues of mutual interest. PM Narendra Modi stated in his departure statement just before his visit to japan Japan on May 23-24 that he will have a bilateral meeting with US President Joe Biden during his tour, during which they will discuss further deepening of the multifaceted bilateral relations. On Tuesday, Prime Minister Modi will fly to Tokyo for his second Quad Summit in person. PM…

Srilanka has recieved 40,000 metric tonnes diesel from India again on this saturday as part of ta credit line facility for the island nation, which is experiencing its worst economic crisis in decades. India provided an additional $500 million credit line to Sri Lanka this month to assist the country pay for imports after its foreign exchange reserves plunged drastically in recent months, creating a depreciation of its currency and spiralling inflation. An Indian ship filled with vital relief supplies such as food, medications, and milk powder for the people of crisis-hit Sri Lanka is due to arrive in Colombo on Sunday, according to the embassy here. MK Stalin, the Chief Minister of Tamil Nadu, sent off the first ship carrying relief supplies to Sri Lanka from Chennai on Wednesday. The first shipment includes 9,000 metric tonnes (MT) of grains, 200 MT of milk powder, and 24 MT of life-saving pharmaceuticals…

President Joe Biden decided to devote May 21 to strengthening ties with South Korea and its new President Yoon Suk Yeol, as the two countries discuss on how to best counter North Korea’s nuclear threat at a time when true diplomacy seems unlikely. At a meeting, Mr. Biden reminded his counterpart that their alliance is built on “shared sacrifice” and that it will be pushed to new heights as the emphasis on national security is supplemented by an increased focus on commerce and technology. “Biden and South Korean leader to counter nuclear threat”. South Korea and USA Following World War II, the Korean peninsula was divided into two countries with vastly distinct cultures. In a democracy, Biden is seeing manufacturers for computer chips and next-generation automobiles in South Korea , where he is also holding talks for increased cooperation. However, in the north, a deadly coronavirus outbreak…

In a frantic effort to prepare for an extreme fuel scarcity that is expected to endure days amid the country’s worst economic crisis in decades, Sri Lankan authorities cancelled schools and asked public personnel not to come to work on Friday. Except for those who maintain critical services, the Public Administration Ministry has asked public employees not to go to work on Friday “in light of the present gasoline crisis and challenges in transportation facilities” across the country. Thousands of people have been standing for days at a stretch at fuel stations around the country, prompting state and government approved private schools to close on Friday. Srilanka is currently almost devoid of gasoline, and other fuels are in short supply. As the Indian Ocean island nation approaches bankruptcy, the administration has been battling to obtain funds to pay for the importation of petroleum, gas, and other necessities. Its economic troubles have triggered a political crisis, with huge protests against the administration. Circumstances President Gotabaya Rajapaksa swore in nine new cabinet ministers on Friday, bringing the total number of cabinet ministers to thirteen as he tries to restore stability to the administration following a succession of resignations. Four independent parliamentarians three from the ruling party, and two from the main opposition are among the new ministers. Last Monday, four members of the ruling party were named cabinet ministers. What is the…

France and Germany were the first European and North American countries to record cases of monkeypox on May 20. Monkeypox is a disease that is common in areas of Africa. Monkeypox was discovered in a 29-year-old man from the Ile-de France area, which encompasses Paris, who had not recently returned from a place where the virus was spreading, according to French health officials. Separately, the German armed forces’ microbiology institute verified the virus in a patient who developed skin sores, a disease symptom. With the number of cases identified increasing in numerous European nations, Germany’s health agency, the Robert Koch Institute, has warned travellers returning from West Africa, particularly homosexual men, to contact their doctors…

On Wednesday, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that Sweden should not expect Turkey to approve its NATO request unless “terrorists” are returned, and that Swedish and Finnish delegations should not travel to Turkey to persuade it to support their membership. Turkey’s concerns Despite Turkey’s concerns, Finland and Sweden have formally requested to join NATO, a decision prompted by Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. The admission procedure is expected to take only a few weeks. Ankara blames Sweden and, to a lesser extent, Finland of supporting Turkish government-designated ” terrorist” groups. Since Turkey embarked out a cross-border operation into Syria in 2019,…