Violent face off at India-China border: 20 Indian soldiers martyred, 43 casualties on Chinese side reported

By

-

June 16, 2020

Years after the major border clash between India and China in 1967, twenty soldiers were martyred at a faceoff between both sides at Ladakh in the eastern Himalayas.

On Monday night, a small group of soldiers got into a brawl in the Galwan Valley. It is said that China brought in reinforcements, and had attacked with stones and iron rods. When the commanding officer, who was a colonel, had been gravely injured and was fallen, the Chinese had attacked by ambushing the camp with more soldiers and stones.

Both the countries are currently under de-escalation talks.

Anurag Srivastava, who is MEA’s spokesperson, said in a statement that, commanders of two sides had held talks on June 6, agreeing on a process for de-escalation. This was followed by a series of meetings on the lower levels of command to implement the consensus reached at a higher level. “While it was our expectation that this would unfold smoothly, the Chinese side departed from the consensus to respect the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the Galwan Valley. On the late evening and night of June 15, 2020 a violent face-off happened as a result of an attempt by the Chinese side to unilaterally change the status quo there. Both sides suffered casualties that could have been avoided had the agreement at the higher level been scrupulously followed by the Chinese side,” he added.

ANI tweeted that Indian intercepts put the number of Chinese casualties at 43 that includes dead and injured. Increase in Chinese chopper activity was observed to airlift casualties.

Dexamethasone, the knight in shining armour against coronavirus

By

Vaibavi Jayakumar

-

June 16, 2020

A pharmacist displays a box of Dexamethasone at the Erasme Hospital amid the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) outbreak, in Brussels, Belgium, June 16, 2020. REUTERS/Yves Herman

Dexamethasone has proven to be the first drug that could possibly save lives in the case of those suffering from coronavirus. This cheap and widely available pill could potentially cut the risk of death by one third for patients on ventilators, while it is one fifth for those on oxygen.

The low-dose steroid treatment drug has been called the biggest breakthrough in the fight against the virus that is tormenting the world, as it is part of the world’s biggest clinical trial experiment. In a trial led by Oxford University, about 2000 patients were given dexamethasone. In this trial, it cut the risk of death up to 40% for patients on ventilators while for those on oxygen, the risk was cut to 25%.

Chief investigator Prof Peter Horby said: “This is the only drug so far that has been shown to reduce mortality – and it reduces it significantly. It’s a major breakthrough.”

Researchers have called it the wonder drug, since at least 5000 lives could have been saved if it had been used for treatment from the beginning. This could also be of huge benefit to the developing and underdeveloped countries who have high numbers of COVID-19 positive patients. The UK has 200,000 courses in its inventory currently and plans to manufacture more.

Saturn’s moon ‘Titan’ shows evidence of volcanic craters

By

The Commune

-

June 16, 2020

NASA’s Cassini spacecraft located volcano-like features in polar regions on Saturn’s moon Titan. It could be the evidence of explosive eruptions that may continue today, according to a new paper by senior scientists Charles A. Wood and co-author Jani Radebaugh of Planetary Science Institute of Brigham Young University.

According to “Morphologic Evidence for Volcanic Craters near Titan’s north polar region” that appears in the journal of Geophysical Research: Planets, morphological features such as nested collapses, elevated ramparts, halos, and islands indicate that some of the small depressions in the north polar region of Titan are volcanic collapse craters. A few similar depressions occur near the south pole of Titan as well.

NASA’s Cassini mission has revealed many landforms on Saturn that are similar to Earth – sand dunes, river valleys, and lakes. These have been formed by actions of solar heating and atmospheric actions on the surface.

Mr. Wood said, “The close association of the proposed volcanic craters with the polar lake is consistent with a volcanic origin through explosive eruptions followed by collapse, as either mars or calderas. The apparent freshness of some craters may mean that volcanism has been relatively active on Titan or even continues today.”

He further added that “We can see there is also internal heat, manifest at the surface as cryovolcanoes, made from melting the water ice crust into liquid water that erupts onto Titan’s surface. These features are roughly round, with raised rims, and they sometimes overlap each other. They are consistent with the shapes of other volcanic landforms on Earth and Mars formed by the explosion, excavation, and collapse.”

Wood’s research was sponsored by a grant to PSI from NASA’s Cassini mission.

Kerala woman dies after colliding with glass door

By

The Commune

-

June 16, 2020

In a tragic incident, a woman died in Ernakulam District of Kerala, after colliding with a glass door at a bank. The woman accidentally walked right through the glass door which was closed. The glass shattered and went through her stomach resulting in her death. She was a native of Koovapady in Perumbavoor.

The incident happened at Bank of Baroda’s branch in Perumbavoor. This was captured by the CCTV visuals.

The lady, 46-year Beena Jiju Paul, had gone to the branch and suddenly she rushed outside as she remembered that she has left the key at her vehicle parked outside. In the process, she forgot the glass door was closed. While she dashed right on the door, the glass crumbled into the pieces. She fell down and in a while got up but with profuse bleeding. After around four minutes people were seen taking her to hospital. The lady seemed to have fainted by then and a police officer was seen entering the bank.

According to the Perumbavoor Police, Beena passed away at the Perumbavoor Taluk Hospital where she was admitted after the tragic incident. The Perumbavoor Police have registered a case of unnatural death.

SIPRI says China and Pakistan have more nuclear war heads, India lags behind

By

The Commune

-

June 16, 2020

According to the Stockholm International Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), India has lesser nuclear warheads stands at 150, less than that of China and Pakistan with the both having 320 and 160 respectively.

The think tank of SIPRI said in its statement “China is about to have a significant modernization with respect to the nuclear arsenals. For the first time, China is trying to develop a nuclear triad that include land and sea-based missiles and nuclear-capable aircrafts”. It also added further that India and Pakistan too are growing their nuclear forces slowly and with diversity.

There are nine nuclear-armed states that together possess about 13,400 nuclear weapons at the start of 2020. These nine states are: United States, Russia, The United Kingdom, France, China, India, Israel, Pakistan, and The Democratic People’s Republic of Korea (North Korea).

The above estimate has resulted to be decreased from 13,685 nuclear weapons, at the beginning of 2019. The 51^st edition of the SIPRI yearbook showed that the conditions in International Stability are continuously deteriorating since 2019 due to the unstable conditions of each country respectively.

India rips Pakistan apart at UNHRC, asks to introspect its own violations

By

The Commune

-

June 16, 2020

India has slammed Pakistan yet again for raising the Kashmir issue at the UNHRC. India asked Pakistan to “introspect its own gross human rights violations before offering unsolicited advice to anybody”. India expresses its serious concerns about Pakistan’s behavior and its audacity of accusing others.

First Secretary of India’s Permanent Mission Senthil Kumar while exercising the right of reply at the 43^rd session of UNHRC called out Islamabad for misusing the rights and asked it to look into its own human rights situation first, pointing out the state sponsored violence, forced mass displacement, enforced disappearances, torture camps, detention centres and military camps in Balochistan.

Mr. Kumar said “It is unfortunate that Pakistan continues to maintain its track record of misuse of the Human Rights Council and its mechanism. It is a matter of serious concern that Pakistan being the only country in South Asia of effecting a state-sponsored genocide would have the audacity to accuse others of it”. He further demolished the Pakistani side saying “It is questionable that a country of serious credibility issues would talk about human rights and self-determination. This country emerged out of religious fundamentalism and bloodshed and its history rigged with assassinations, coups and puppets running.”

India also highlighted the blatant misuse of blasphemy law in Pakistan and brought to light the religious persecution of 2 Hindu girls from Sindh, 1 Christian girl in Lahore, 1 Ahmadi lady in Chaleki, 2 professors from Khairpur and the murder of 65 transgenders since 2015. about the 47,000 Baloch people and 35,000 Pashtuns, who disappeared long back, and have not been found till date.

Mr. Kumar said that revocation of Article 370 did not have any external ramifications and the people there have marched ahead despite Pakistan’s nefarious attempts to derail peace and prosperity.

China accuses activists in Hong Kong of brainwashing students

By

The Commune

-

June 16, 2020

Beijing in an attempt to undermine the protests happening in Hong Kong has said that activists are brainwashing students to fight for democracy.

A local media in Taiwan recently quoted an article published by China’s Hong Kong and Macau Affairs office where the spokesperson had accused Demosisto, Hong Kong’s pro-democracy political party of brainwashing and manipulating students to protest against China’s national security law. He also blamed the schools for deviating from “one country two systems” policy.

Alan Leong, the Chairman of the Civic Party said that the Chinese Communist Party was looking for scapegoat for the agitation in Hong Kong. He said “it [China] blames the education system, foreign interference, and Hong Kong independence but it will never lame itself”.

Zhang Xiaoming, the Deputy Director of the Hong Kong and Macau Affairs Office, had said on June 8 that the new national security to be imposed on Hong Kong will be like “installing anti-virus software”. The security law allows for mainland security agents to establish themselves in Hong Kong. This is the first of its kind development in the Hong Kong region. It is feared that it will undermine the “one country two systems” principle and running counter to the Sino-British joint declaration. The declaration was signed in 1984 by Beijing and Britain where the two governments agreed that China would take control of Hong Kong from 1997 with city-state retaining a high degree of autonomy.

Nepal students rise in protest against Oli government for corruption and handling of COVID19 pandemic

By

The Commune

-

June 16, 2020

Hundreds of students took to the streets of Kathmandu on Monday to protest against the Oli government for corruption and slammed the government for its “inefficient handling” of the COVID19 pandemic.

The students highlighted the corruption charges of the KP Sharma Oli government demanding strong action to be taken.

The also accused the government of not providing support to local businesses who have been badly affected by the pandemic.

They have asked for PCR tests to be done and implement a four-tier approach for all at risk, and protect health workers along with legally binding protection against stigma and discrimination of COVID patients and adequate relief measures for daily wage workers, returnee migrants and other marginalized communities.

At Baneshwor in Kathmandu around 500 students took part in the protest and demanded more accountability and transparency.

Rajnath Singh: “India Nepal relations bound by Roti-Beti, nobody can break it”

By

The Commune

-

June 16, 2020

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Monday while addressing party workers of Uttarakhand through a virtual rally said that border road built in the Lipulekh region lies well within in the Indian Territory. He added that the ties between both the countries are bound by roti-beti and that no power in the world can break it. He said that differences between the 2 countries would be sorted out through dialogue.

The road starting from Ghatiabagarh, ends at Lipulekh pass, the gateway to Kailash-Mansarovar. The road is set to reduce the pilgrimage time to a week. The new road makes this route the shortest and the least expensive way to reach Mount Kailash, a sacred pilgrimage spot for the Hindus.

India China tensions escalate, 5 Chinese soldiers killed reportedly, 1 officer and 2 soldiers lost on Indian side

By

The Commune

-

June 16, 2020

5 Chinese soldiers along with one commanding officer and two soldiers of the Indian Army were reported to have died in fresh clashes at the Galwan Valley. One of the soldiers martyred on the India side was Mr. Palani from Kadukalur village, Ramanathapuram in Tamil Nadu.

The statement by the Indian Defence Ministry said that a violent face-off took place last night during the de-escalation process with casualties. While the first statement mentioned only the loss on the India side, the statement that came in 16 minutes later mentioned that that there were casualties on both side without revealing the number of soldiers killed on the Chinese side. It added that the two sides are currently meeting at the venue (reportedly Patrol Point 14) to defuse the situation.

The Global Times (English version of China’s state newspaper Xinhua news) confirmed that 5 soldiers were lost and 11 were injured on the Chinese side.

Going by the latest update, it is being said that the casualties on the India side could go up.

It is being reported that there was no bullets fired. The clash was with stones and clubs.

Tensions have been on the rise along the Line of Actual Control in Ladakh due to differences in “perception of border” leading to scuffles. Soldiers at Pangong Tso in Ladakh and Naku La in Sikkim had faceoffs. Both the armies have deployed more men and military equipments in the region. India has been developing its border roads faster than before. India had built the road bridge in Galway valley between Durbuk and Daulat Beg Oldi to replace the earlier wooden bridge in easter Ladakh despite Chinese opposition. India had made it clear to the Chinese side that it will carry on with border infrastructure development.

The Commune

Violent face off at India-China border: 20 Indian soldiers martyred, 43 casualties on Chinese side reported

Dexamethasone, the knight in shining armour against coronavirus

Saturn’s moon ‘Titan’ shows evidence of volcanic craters

Kerala woman dies after colliding with glass door

SIPRI says China and Pakistan have more nuclear war heads, India lags behind

India rips Pakistan apart at UNHRC, asks to introspect its own violations

China accuses activists in Hong Kong of brainwashing students

Nepal students rise in protest against Oli government for corruption and handling of COVID19 pandemic

Rajnath Singh: “India Nepal relations bound by Roti-Beti, nobody can break it”

India China tensions escalate, 5 Chinese soldiers killed reportedly, 1 officer and 2 soldiers lost on Indian side

NATIONAL NEWS

“Indian Muslim” Student In Qatar Says She Doesn’t Feel ‘Belonging To...