Month: December 2020

Putting an end to all speculations and rumours over the US policy on China and Taiwan, President-elect Joe Biden signalled that it will follow Trump’s policy in the region.

The incoming Biden administration recently inducted Jake Sullivan as the new National Security Adviser, called for the intensification of Freedom of Navigation Operations (FONOPs) against China in the South China Sea (SCS), marking a potential escalation of Trump’s policy to thwart Chinese expansionist designs in the region, reported Asia Times.

“We should be devoting more assets and resources to ensuring and reinforcing, and holding up alongside our partners, the freedom of navigation in the South China Sea,” said Sullivan.

Richard Javad Heydarian, writing for Asia Times said that Biden’s top advisors are already calling for more China-checking freedom of navigation operations and strategic support for Taiwan.

China’s military activities in the area, including exercises, trainings, port visits and operations, increased by about 50 per cent to 65 per cent in 2020 from 44 in 2019, reported Asia Maritime Transparency Initiative at the Center for Strategic and International Studies in Washington DC.

China has been flexing its muscles in the region through its provocative drills in disputed SCS waters. Recently, it conducted live-fire exercises with Harbin Z-9 helicopters and advanced anti-ship missiles during simulated war games in Sanya, the southern tip of Hainan island. It had launched its first domestically-built Shandong aircraft carrier last December, reported Asia Times.

It also plans to build a new dry dock in Hainan which can dock next-generation Type-003 supercarrier of China.

The full-on offensive of China in the region has drawn the US ire with intensified FONOPs. The US warships are now passing through the 12 nautical mile radius of Beijing-occupied islands and land features across the South China Sea. The frequency of annual FONOPs has increased.

The US has also made the unprecedented decision to effectively back the maritime claims of China’s rivals in the South China Sea. Washington has also stepped up its assistance to Taiwan, which is considered by China as a renegade province that must eventually be incorporated with the mainland.

Trump administration cleared up to USD 5 billion worth of arms sales to Taiwan this year. It has approved 11 arm sale packages to Taiwan, including USD 280 million Field Information Communications System (FICS) along with sale of weapons-ready MQ-9B remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) and AGM-84H standoff land attack missile expanded response (SLAM-ER) missiles, reported Asia Times.

To counter Chinese expansionist design, US with other major regional’s powers including Japan, Britain, France and India, have also started conducting FONOPs operations in the region. (ANI)

Megastar Kareena Kapoor Khan recently showered Nora Fatehi with praises as the latter appeared on a talk show where she dished on breaking stereotypes.

The 28-year-old Canadian dancer Fatehi is known to deliver some of the most spectacular performances in the recent times, is emerging to be amongst the most bankable stars in the industry by breaking the norms and stereotypes and paving her own path of success.

On the ‘Tashan’ star’s talk show, Fatehi opened up about her journey and spoke about creating a niche for herself by breaking stereotypes.

Impressed by her confidence, Kapoor said, “I interviewed Nora Fatehi today and it was quite a revelation for me because you only see her through her songs, you tend to only know her through that.”

“But for the fact, when she came on the show and she spoke about breaking stereotypes, she spoke so well that I was so taken in by her and she seems so sensible and right, the way she was speaking so sure, I got to know her, because we have never really met,” she added.

Basking in the glory of her last chartbuster ‘Naach Meri Rani’, which continues to rule the masses even months after its release, Fatehi is currently shooting for her upcoming film ‘Bhuj: The Pride of India’ in Hyderabad. (ANI)

Congress leaders Ashok Gehlot, Ghulam Nabi Azad and others arrived at 10 Janpath on Saturday for a meeting with the party’s interim president Sonia Gandhi.

Other Congress leaders who arrived for a meeting are Anand Sharma, BS Hooda, Ambika Soni and P Chidambaram.

After months of infighting, this is the first time Gandhis are meeting the rebels.

The dissent letter writers who are present in the meeting include, Gulam Nabi Azad, Anand Sharma, Vivek Tankha, Shashi Tharoor, Manish Tiwari and Bhupinder Singh Hooda.

Sonia Gandhi has called for a meeting of senior party leaders today to formulate the party’s strategy on the current political scenario amid the ongoing farmers’ agitation against farm laws. The meeting will continue for 10 days.

In a press briefing, Congress general secretary said Sonia Gandhi will hold a meeting with party leaders for the next 10 days.

Sonia Gandhi will also discuss the scrapping of the winter session of Parliament by the central government with senior leaders comprising the party’s Lok Sabha and Rajya Sabha MPs. (ANI)

Actor Sara Ali Khan on Saturday teased her fans with a sneak peek of her upcoming song ‘Mirchi Lagi Toh’ from her much-awaited film ‘Coolie No. 1.’

The ‘Love Aaj Kal’ actor took to Instagram to share the clip that features her and her co-star Varun Dhawan recreating the iconic song.

‘Mirchi Lagi Toh’ is the remake of the superhit 1990’s song of the same name from the original ‘Coolie No. 1’ film. Both the film and the song originally featured superstar Govinda alongside actor Karisma Kapoor.

The teaser of the song sees Khan and Dhawan acing the signature step of the famous song in a new style.

Both the lead actors are seen dressed in shades of pink and blues.

The background of the song video featured a 90s set-up including ice-cream trucks, single-screen film theatres etc.

The original composition of the song was penned by lyricist Sameer, while the music was given by Anand-Milind. The remixing of the new version, however, has been done by DJ Chetas and musician Lijo George.

The remake of the hit 1995 film of the same name has been slated to release on Amazon Prime Video on December 25. (ANI)

Maintaining that the ATAGS howitzer was the best gun in the world with the capability to strike targets at the longest range of 48 kilometers, a top DRDO scientist said, the indigenous gun can meet Indian Army’s full requirement of 1800 artillery guns systems and there was no need for imports in this field.

Interacting with ANI during the field trials of the ATAGS which has already fired over 2,000 rounds in places like Sikkim near the China border and Pokharan near the Pakistan border, ATAGS project director and senior Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO) scientist Shailendra V Gade said the gun system is far better than the legendary Bofors in the Indian Army along with any other artillery gun in the world including the ATHOS gun offered by Israel.

The Advanced Towed Artillery Gun System (ATAGS) has been developed by the DRDO and produced by two firms Bharat Forge and Tata Advanced Systems Limited.

“The Indian Army’s requirement is for 1580 towed artillery guns and apart from that, they need 150 ATAGS and another 114 Dhanush guns. So, there is a requirement of a total of 1,800 guns. The way the ATAGS is performing and come up, I am sure that this entire requirement of 1,800 guns can be met by this gun only,” Gade told ANI.

Explaining the edge which the Indian Army would get to vet adversaries like China in a war scenario, Gade said the DRDO-developed gun is the longest firing howitzer in the world with 48 km and this will help it to be safe during a strike against the enemy.

“The enemy won’t be able to counter you as they would not be able to reach you but you can reach them at 48 kilometers. You can be eight kilometers behind their strike range but still hit them,” he said.

Asked if the ATAGS was better than the guns available with China and Pakistan, Gade said, “in fact, this is the best gun in the world because no other country has been able to such a system built on this high-technology with a high rate of firing capability.”

Comparing the advancement of the ATAGS over the legendary Bofors and the rest of the guns in the world, Gade said the ATAGs can fire five rounds in a minute whereas the others can fire only three. “The range is also very high at 48 kilometers whereas the Bofors can fire at 32kms using the same type of round. The mobility is also very high. The gun will be very reliable, maintenance-free and robust,” he said.

The Indian Army is looking at the acquisition of around 1600 artillery guns and was looking at Israeli guns ATHOS as an option for quick induction of 400 pieces.

On being asked to compare the ATAGS with the ATHOS and French Nexter guns, Gade said, “If you look at the qualitative requirements of the ATHOS and Nexter guns, the requirements of the ATAGS are very stringent. So, definitely, the guns systems are not very contemporary. If we look at the future as 2027-2030, the ATAGS is the answer for those times for the Indian Army.”

On being asked whether there was a need for India to import any howitzer from abroad in view of the presence of howitzer, Gade said, “not at all. I feel India as a country, we have developed the core competence and technology is there to meet the country’s requirements for world-class guns.” (ANI)

Taekwondo has emerged as the first choice of youth in Jammu and Kashmir’s Poonch district with a majority of the girls are taking up the Korean martial art where they are being taught self-defence, said, the coach Rajendar Singh, physical education teacher, Department of Youth Services and Sports.

Taekwondo characterized by its emphasis on head-height kicks, jumping spinning kicks and fast kicking techniques.

Talking to ANI, Singh said, “I have introduced Taekwondo 3.5 years back in Poonch with four children. People of the area do not know about Taekwondo, even being included in the Olympics game. But today I receive 30 to 40 calls on a daily basis from the parents stating that they want their kids to be trained in the martial art. The game took over most of the sports in the area.”

“My aim is to launch a maximum number of female players in the field and train them self defence. This way we can make our girls participated in the games and make our nation proud,” he said.

Talking about the challenges he faced during the establishment of the game in the border area he said that he had faced many difficulties.

“I have faced many social barriers in my efforts. Since this is a border area, people do not allow their girls to play in grounds or participate in any games. So I have convinced people, removed their misconceptions and suggested to them that they should allow their girls to learn self-defence. I believe feel that I have been successful in convincing them. Two years back there were no girls but today I have more than 50 girls students who are practising self-defence here,” Singh said.

Rabiya Anjum a Taekwondo trainee said, “I have been playing Taekwondo for one and a half year. I am a gold medallist. Today I am standing in front of you just because of my coach Rajendra Singh. A large number of children participate in Taekwondo than other games. Mainly the girls participate in the game more because this helps them in self-defence. We are thankful to our coach who encouraged us towards this martial art training. Since we live in Poonch which is a maximum border area we used to face many difficulties but today we are not afraid of anything.

Asif Hussain another trainee said, “I have been practising Taekwondo for three years. I have participated in the state level, national level and international championships too. I am a black belt holder dan one from South Korea. Since our coach introduced the game in Pooch it becomes very popular in the area. There are 400 children registered in the sports in which 100 children are gold medallist at the state level, 20 to 30 children have played at national and 11 children have participated in international levels so far. (ANI)

Severe cold wave conditions are likely to persist at various places over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi, said the India Meteorological Department (IMD) on Saturday.

“Cold wave to severe cold wave conditions at many places very likely over Punjab, Haryana, Chandigarh and Delhi; at a few places over West Uttar Pradesh; at isolated places over East Uttar Pradesh and Rajasthan and cold wave conditions at isolated places over Jammu division, Himachal Pradesh, Uttarakhand, Bihar and Madhya Pradesh during the next 24 hours and decrease thereafter,” IMD stated in its bulletin.

“No significant change in minimum and maximum temperatures over parts of Northwest India during next two days and rise by two to three degrees Celsius in minimum temperatures and four to five degrees Celsius in maximum temperatures during subsequent three days. Fall in minimum temperatures by three to four degrees Celsius over parts of Central and East India during the next two days and no significant change thereafter. Fall in minimum temperatures by two to three degrees Celsius over Maharashtra during the next 24 hours and rise by two to four degrees Celsius thereafter,” IMD added.

Dense Fog in isolated pockets very likely over Himachal Pradesh, Assam and Meghalaya and Nagaland, Manipur, Mizoram and Tripura during the next 24 hours, according to IMD’s morning bulletin.

The minimum temperature in the national capital dropped to 4.4 degrees Celsius on Friday morning and the cold wave condition will continue till Saturday, informed a top official from IMD.

Delhiites may get relief from the cold wave around December 20.

It is considered to be a cold day when the minimum temperature drops below 10 degree Celsius and cold wave happen when it is below 4.5 degrees. (ANI)

Beijing’s week-old ban imposed on Australian coal by Commerce Ministry backfired as the industrial parks are facing sudden blackouts resulting into non-fulfilment of the overseas orders thereby eating into its GDP growth.

While electricity is at a premium in the world’s second-largest economy and more than 80 Australian vessels with coal had been ‘held up’ off Chinese ports. These hold about 8.8 million tonnes but despite reports about individual ports granting entry to some ships most sit at sea waiting for a U-turn from Beijing on its coal ban, which ultimately is affecting the economy of China, reports Asia Times.

Frank Chen writing for Asia Times reported that sudden blackouts in industrial parks are raising speculation that Beijing’s ban on Australian coal imports is starting to backfire.

China is hauling Australia over the coals for its leading role in the Covid-19 blame against China as the origin of the pandemic, as well as Canberra’s’ policy to lockout Chinese tech giants such as Huawei from its 5G rollout.

The power shortage would eat into its GDP growth and industrial output after growth recovered back to positive territory in the third quarter, said an official with Shanghai’s Industry and Information Technology Commission who requested anonymity to Asia Times.

Manufacturers and exporters are searching for alternative power supplies to keep production lines running as overseas orders are piling up.

Exports from the economic powerhouse, whose GDP is on a par with those of Spain and Turkey, have bounced well above pre-Covid-19 levels, with October’s exports up 20 per cent year-on-year, reported Asia Times.

Many regions in China like Zhejiang, Jiangsu, Henan, Hubei, Hunan, Jiangxi, and Inner Mongolia are grappling with power shortages. Many small and medium businesses in the eastern Zhejiang province have reverted to work-from-home arrangements.

Moreover, it’s difficult for China to change its policy overnight regarding the import of coal from Australia.

“Power plants have in the past years retrofitted their equipment to use quality Australian coal but they cannot switch to domestic alternative overnight simply because comparable pure thermal coal is not easy to source,” noted one post on the blog. (ANI)