Narvijay Yadav*Chandigrah (The Hawk): Have you ever noticed that there are very few species of birds are seen now around us? The number of avian species that we used to witness three-four decades ago has decreased to an alarming level. Many species of birds have disappeared from the urban surroundings completely. One of the major reasons behind this change is the declining number of insects and moths, as a heavy amount of chemical fertilizers and insecticides are used in farming. This trend is seen as a global phenomenon. It is estimated that 75 percent of insect species have been wiped out from the agriculture fields. These insects and moths used to be the basic food of most birds. Obviously, the birds that survive by feeding on insects have also decreased. This has happened due to the excessive use of pesticides in agriculture fields. This practice not only killed the pests but also deteriorated the quality of agricultural soil.Sadhguru Jaggi, the founder of Isha Foundation, has recently traveled to many countries to create awareness around the deteriorating condition of the soil. His ‘save soil’ movement has gained wide acceptance globally. The greedy tendency of humans has played a big role in spoiling the state of the environment. In the name of development, more than 1.3 million square miles of forest were cut in the last 25 years. The World Bank estimates that humans have destroyed 10 million square miles of forest since the beginning of the 20th century, which has also destroyed biodiversity and is the reason behind the increase in the temperature on Earth. During the Covid pandemic period, nature in many ways attracted the attention of humans to the point that if the earth is harmed, then nature has to balance in its own way.Meanwhile, notorious gangster Lawrence Bishnoi, who runs ransom, murder, and narcotics networks in Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, Chandigarh, and Delhi region, is understood to have been running his criminal network from Tihar Jail, which is considered the safest in the country. He operates his gang like a company, that too from a jail. The rest of the gangsters working at his behest are sitting in countries like Canada, Austria, and Dubai; and from there they carry out crimes in North India through their henchmen and sharpshooters. Lawrence is doing the business of murder and extortion while sitting in jail, so the question arises that how is he able to do all this from jail. Obviously, he uses his mobile in jail, because there can be no other way to communicate with the outside world. It is a very dangerous trend to have mobile phones with gangsters and notorious criminals in jails. The Jail Minister of Punjab has admitted that mobile phones are used in the jails of the state. He has announced that the jails of the state will be made mobile-free within 6 months. By the way, there is jammer technology to thwart the mobile. By installing jammers in jails, no unauthorized person will be able to use mobile phones.These days Chardham Yatra is setting new records every day. Last month alone, 1.4 million people reached Kedarnath Dham. In the last 7 months, 3.4 million pilgrims have visited Kedarnath. This is happening for the first time in the history of Chardham Yatra that such a huge crowd has reached the Shiva temple. It has been learned that pedestrians are causing road jams. It seems that people who were confined to homes for two years during Covid are now running towards the hills. In the past, many horses and mules died on the Kedarnath road. In the greed of money, many rounds were being made by the mules. The horses were not allowed to take rest and they were not given proper food and water. Dead animals were thrown into the Mandakini river. When the issue got highlighted on social media, the Uttarakhand government came into action taking action against unauthorized horse owners. Now the state government has allowed only one round of horses and mules, and on reaching the top they will be allowed to rest for at least 3 hours. This is a good change, which has been made possible due to the awareness created by animal lovers. Pilgrims should not become a reason for atrocities on innocent animals. They should walk on their own feet, otherwise what is the point of such a pilgrimage?The temperature is breaking all the previous records as the sun is shining bright.&nbsp;Heat is caused by sun rays, so if the sun rays are prevented from reaching the earth, the heat can be reduced. This is a hypothesis confirmed by a Harvard University researcher, Dr. Ye Tou. The expert says that if mirrors are installed on the roofs of the houses and in the fields, harmful radiation and heat can be avoided. The mirrors will reflect the sun's rays, allowing them to return to the sky and save the earth from heating up. The idea is good if it actually works.With the help of social media, we stay in constant touch with people sitting far away and can spread our thoughts across the world in a blink of an eye. But this has reduced our contact with the people and relatives around us, and as a result, the problem of loneliness is raising its head. This problem became even grimmer during the time of the pandemic when due to the lockdown, the face-to-face interaction had almost stopped. Loneliness not only causes boredom but has also led to an increase in the incidence of cancer, diabetes, heart disease, and premature death. Middle-age people still know how to deal with such situations, but loneliness is a big challenge for youngsters. Loneliness disrupts sleep, leading to high blood pressure, diabetes, and heart diseases. If good relations with neighbors are maintained and at least one relationship is strengthened to start with, then the problem of loneliness can be reduced.&nbsp;*The writer is a senior journalist &amp; columnist.

Have you ever noticed that there are very few species of birds are seen now around us? The number of avian species that we used to witness three-four decades ago has decreased to an alarming level. 

Abusing animals for a pilgrimage is a nonsense

Ladakh: The destabilising and corrosive behaviour of the Chinese Community Party in the Indo-Pacific region is simply not helpful and some of the defence infrastructure that is being set up by China near its border with India is alarming, US Army's Pacific Commanding General Charles A Flynn said on Wednesday. The armed forces of India and China have been engaged in a tense border standoff in eastern Ladakh since May 5, 2020, when there was a violent clash between the two sides in the Pangong lake areas. Last month, it came to light that China is constructing a second bridge in an area held by it around the strategically key Pangong Tso lake in eastern Ladakh and it could help its military to quickly mobilise its troops in the region.China has also been establishing other infrastructure such as roads and residential areas in the border areas with India.China has maritime border disputes with various countries in the Indo-Pacific region such as Vietnam and Japan. When asked about his assessment of the India-China border standoff in Ladakh, Flynn told reporters in New Delhi, "I believe that the activity level is eye-opening and I think the some of the infrastructure that is being created in the (Chinese Army's) western theatre command is alarming."The western theatre command of the Chinese Army borders India.Flynn said when one sees China's military arsenal in all domains, one must ask the question why is it needed."So, I do not have a crystal ball to tell you how it (India-China border standoff) is going to end or where we will be at. I will express to you that it is worthy of asking this question and try to get their response as to what are their intentions" he noted.He said the talks that are going on between India and China are helpful."However, behaviour matters here as well. So, understanding what they are saying is one thing but the way they are acting and behaving by the way of build-up is concerning. It should be concerning to every one of us," he noted.Flynn also talked about how the behaviour of China has changed between 2014 and 2022."I was in this command from 2014 to 2018 as the commander of 25th infantry division and then the deputy commanding general of my current command (United States Army Pacific) as a two-star general. Then I left and went to the Pentagon to be the operations officer for the Army for three years and I came back a year ago," he noted.He said when he looks back on what the CCP and the PRC (People's Republic of China) were doing then to what they are doing today, it can be said that they have taken an incremental and insidious path.The destablising and corrosive behaviour that they project into the Indo-Pacific region is simply not helpful, he added."Our ability to strengthen the relationships in the region as a counterweight to those destablising activities and to strengthen the network of allies and partners and like-minded countries that care about the protection of their people, national sovereignty, land, resources, free and open Pacific Ocean and society,” he said.”I think it is worthy of us working together as a counterweight to some of those corrosive and corruptive behaviours that the Chinese do," he said.Indian Army Chief General Manoj Pande had on May 9 said China's intention has been to keep ”alive” the boundary question with India though it remains the ”basic” issue between the two countries. India and China have held 15 rounds of military talks so far to resolve the eastern Ladakh row.As a result of the talks, the two sides completed the disengagement process last year on the north and south banks of the Pangong lake and in the Gogra area.However, each side currently has around 50,000 to 60,000 troops along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in the sensitive sector.—PTI

The destabilising and corrosive behaviour of the Chinese Community Party in the Indo-Pacific region is simply not helpful and some of the defence infrastructure that is being set up by China near its border with India is alarming, US Army's Pacific Commanding General Charles A Flynn said on Wednesday.

Some Chinese defence infra near Indian border is 'alarming': US

The destabilising and corrosive behaviour of the Chinese Community Party in the Indo-Pacific region is simply not helpful and some of the defence infrastructure that is being set up by China near its border with India is alarming, US Army's Pacific Commanding General Charles A Flynn said on Wednesday.



Dr. Alon Ben-Meir
It is time for Kosovo’s Prime Minister Kurti to wake to the reality in which he finds himself and demonstrate the statesmanship and the vision to do the right thing for his country’s security, stability, and progress
New York (The Hawk): The recent flareup in Northern Kosovo brought about as a result of the local elections in the Serb-majority municipalities and the demonstration by ethnic Serbs that followed was unnecessary and most unfortunate. It should not have come to this unfortunate state where US Special Envoy for the Western Balkans, Gabriel Escobar, issued what amounts to an ultimatum demanding that Prime Minister Kurti immediately de-escalate the conflict, institute a new election, and implement the Ohrid Agreement or otherwise face consequences. Kurti seems to ignore the fact that without the full support and the backing of the US and the EU, Kosovo does not have strong enough legs to stand on. By defying the US and the EU’s attempts to normalize relations between Serbia and Kosovo, Kurti has shown severe shortsightedness which he must now correct because he must maintain good standing with his most critical allies who are committed to Kosovo’s independence, well-being, and security.
It is one thing the protect and safeguard the territorial integrity and independence of the country, as Kurti indeed has an obligation to do; it is another thing however to be fixated on four Serb-majority municipalities in the northern part of Kosovo as if the future of Kosovo is entirely depended on their unconditional subordination to the central government.
The recent elections offer a good example of Kurti’s obsession with these municipalities. The ethnic Serbs made it clear nearly two months ago (right or wrong) that they intended to boycott the elections. Nevertheless, Kurti went ahead with the elections in which only 4 percent of the population voted, resulting in the election of four Albanian mayors. Although technically the election was fair and free, it did not reflect the wishes of the overwhelming majority of the population in these areas.
What made matters worse is Kurti’s insistence that the newly-elected mayors assume their duties in the official government buildings, which further heightened the tension, precipitating the demonstration of ethnic Serbs. Kurti added fuel to the fire by dispatching the police to quell the demonstrations which turned violent and ended up causing injuries to nearly 50 KFOR peacekeepers.
Gabriel Escobar was correct to state that: “We’re seeing that choices are being made despite our partnership, and that is a signal to us, we can’t not accept that as a signal. At some point, when we want to re-establish that coordination and partnership with this [the Kurti] government, we stand ready. Because we always stand with the people of Kosovo, that doesn’t mean that we have to stand with an individual who doesn’t share that instinct to cooperate and to coordinate.”
This, of course came on the heel of the nearly tireless negotiations for the Municipalities Association agreement which Kurti refused to honor, albeit there is nothing in the agreement, which I carefully examined, that compromises Kosovo’s independence in any shape or form. But for Kurti, who is zealous about Kosovo’s independence and suspicious even of the US’ unmitigated commitment to Kosovo’s sovereignty, still balks at what the US and the EU want to achieve for Kosovo. Afterall, if Kurti casts Kosovo’s fate with the West, he must demonstrate that he is a worthy and reliable partner on whom they can count to play his role to maintain calm and cooperate in every which way in the process of normalization with Serbia.
This does not mean by any interpretation that the US and the EU favor Serbia over Kosovo; to the contrary. For them, Serbia is a significant party to this whole debacle, they seek its cooperation because Belgrade exercises significant influence over the ethnic Serbs in Kosovo and because they seek to distance President Vucic as much as possible from Russia’s Putin. This is particularly important at this juncture when the Ukraine war is raging and Putin is doing all he can to destabilize the region.
The total sum of this whole unfortunate development is that Kurti has now diminishing control over the four municipalities while frustrating his most valuable allies to a point that led the US to bar Kosovo from further participation in the NATO defense exercise “Defender 23.” If nothing else, this sad episode has only further distanced Kosovo’s integration into the EU to the chagrin of its population, whose future well-being is intertwined with the EU—a fact that Kurti, in spite of his occasional disdain toward the West, must not forget. Prime Minster Kurti, who told CNN last Tuesday that he would not surrender the country to a Serbian “fascist militia,” completely mischaracterized the reality on the ground. To further state that “we cannot have a privileged minority because Belgrade is lamenting for the loss of Kosovo in 1999 when NATO intervened to stop the genocide of the regime of (Slobodan) Milosevic,” is another misreading of what must be done now to defuse the tension and restore amicable and trusting relations with both the EU and the US. Now it is time for Kurti to wake up to the reality and accept without any reservation the three demands that the US and EU emissaries Escobar and Lajcak have clearly and ambiguously stated. He should immediately schedule new elections, withdraw the police forces to maintain calm, and execute the Association of Municipalities Agreement without any further delay. Indeed, restoring full cooperation with the US and the EU is central to Kosovo’s future as an independent country.
To be sure, Kurti has now the opportunity to show statesmanship and a clear vision as to where he wants to lead Kosovo. His country’s fate rests with the West and he must stop short of nothing to nurture and carefully guard Kosovo’s relations with the only allies that he can count on.
*Dr. Alon Ben-Meir is a retired professor of international relations at the Center for Global Affairs at NYU. He teaches courses on international negotiation and Middle Eastern studies.

The recent flareup in Northern Kosovo brought about as a result of the local elections in the Serb-majority municipalities

The Hawk

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Abusing animals for a pilgrimage is a nonsense

Preeti

The Hawk

Tag : Alarming

Abusing animals for a pilgrimage is a nonsense

Preeti

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