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With new big data centre, China strengthens Tibet surveillance

According to local media reports, it is the “first such centre at the regional level and a step toward big data integration and application sharing”….reports Asian Lite News

China is set to develop its AI and Big Data capabilities and applications, which will strengthen the existing surveillance network in Tibet.

As per Tibet Rights Collective (TRC), reports have suggested that a new centre for big data began operation in Lhasa.

According to local media reports, it is the “first such centre at the regional level and a step toward big data integration and application sharing”.

Chinese Communist Party has claimed that this will help “to boost digital services including government affairs, economic development, social governance, people’s livelihoods, market supervision, finance, border prosperity, ecological environment protection, emergency fire control and cultural tourism,” reported TRC.

In 2020, it declared that it is building the world’s highest-altitude cloud computing data centre in Tibet that “will meet the data storage needs of the country and South Asian nations like Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan”.

This comes after recent reports about DNA collection by CCP in Tibet. Chinese authorities are significantly increasing policing, including an arbitrary collection of DNA from residents in many towns and villages throughout the Tibet Autonomous Region (TAR), Human Rights Watch said in a report in September 2022, reported TRC.

These mass DNA collection drives appear to be taking place in all seven prefectures or municipalities in the TAR, which covers the western part of the Tibetan plateau, observed HRW.

According to another report published in September by The Citizen Lab of the University of Toronto, Chinese authorities may have collected roughly between 919,282 and 1,206,962 DNA samples in areas of Tibet referred to by the Chinese government as the Tibet Autonomous Region since 2016.

The report found that Chinese officers visited fields, monasteries, residential neighbourhoods, businesses, and even schools to collect “pin-prick blood samples” from Tibetans, reported TRC.

According to Students For Free Tibet, the Chinese government is building the world’s largest police-run DNA database with the help of key industry partners in the West.

The organisation also recently launched a campaign against the Chinese government’s aggressive DNA collection drive and Thermo Fisher’s involvement in the programme, reported TRC.

The objective is to let “Thermo Fisher know that their provision of DNA profiling technology to a heinous and dystopian data collection drive breaches the most fundamental human rights of the Tibetan people and must cease immediately”.

China’s State Council Information Office on Monday also issued a white paper titled “Jointly Build a Community with a Shared Future in Cyberspace”.

“To build a community with a shared future in cyberspace, we should hold to a vision of extensive consultation, joint contribution and shared benefits in global governance, and promote a multilateral, democratic and transparent international internet governance system. We strive to realize the goals of innovation-driven development, security, order, equality, respect, openness, and shared interests in cyberspace, so that cyberspace will be a community that benefits all of humanity,” the white paper said.

In 2019, Nikkei Asia had reported on how the major Chinese tech players are advancing into the region, seizing on the chance to market their artificial intelligence and big-data capabilities as the government seeks to encourage growth and tighten its grip on the area. (ANI)

ALSO READ: Tibet sees protests over Covid 19 curbs

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Kolkata Port upbeat after trials through Bangladesh ports

The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMP) in Kolkata has already started movement of cargo to and from Assam through National Waterways 1 and National Waterways 2…reports Asian Lite News

The mood is upbeat at the Kolkata Port after the successful completion of trials for movement of cargo to the northeastern states using the Indo-Bangladesh Protocol Route.

Under this plan, cargo from the ports of Kolkata and Haldia will sail to ports in Bangladesh from where they will take the land route to states like Assam, Meghalaya, Tripura and Mizoram. On their way back, the ships will carry goods from the northeastern states, both for export as well as the domestic market.

This will reduce dependence on the congested land route through the narrow chicken neck corridor that connects the northeastern states with the rest of the country. Use of the waterways will not only be faster and cheaper, but also eco-friendly.

The Syama Prasad Mookerjee Port (SMP) in Kolkata has already started movement of cargo to and from Assam through National Waterways 1 and National Waterways 2.

On Monday, Samrat Rahi, Deputy Chairman, Kolkata Dock System (KDS), SMP, hailed the successful completion of cargo movement between Tamabil and Chittagong well ahead of schedule. Tamabil is in Sylhet, Bangladesh, and very close to Meghalaya. It has a Land Customs Station to facilitate the movement of goods between the two countries.

The successful trial along this route will enable ships from Kolkata and Haldia to berth at Chittagong. Cargo will then move by road to Tamabil, about 400 km away and then cross the border in Meghalaya. Similarly, goods from Meghalaya will take the return route back to Kolkata or Haldia.

“The other routes that were explored are between Mongla and Tamabil, Chittagong-Sheola and Mongla-Bibirbazar. We hope to put things in place by December,” Rahi said.

P.L. Haranadh, Chairman, SMP, also expressed his satisfaction at the development.

The Sheola Land Port is also in Sylhet and close to Karimganj, Assam. Its distance from Chittagong is about 390 km. Similarly, Bibirbazar is in the Comilla district of Bangladesh and close to Tripura. Bibirbazar is about 305 km from Mongla.

ALSO READ: BSF foils bid to smuggle cattle to Bangladesh

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13 BNP activists arrested for attack on former judge

Justice Manik came under attack in the Nayapaltan area of the capital on November 2…reports Asian Lite News

A total of 13 activists of the Bangladesh Nationalist Party have been arrested for the attack on retired Supreme Court appellate division judge, Justice A.H.M. Shamsuddin Choudhury Manik, police said on Tuesday.

While a Dhaka Metropolitan Police (DMP) official put the number of arrested at 12, officials of the elite RAB told IANS that they had arrested the 13th BNP accused on Tuesday.

Justice Manik had delivered the judgment against war criminal, Jamat leader Delwar Hossain Sayeedee, and he was targetted by the BNP for terming its founder and former military ruler BNP founder Ziaur Rahman the killer of the Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibar Rahman.

“We’ve so far arrested 12 people over the attack on the Justice and vandalism of his private car. We’ve interrogated them and scrutinised CCTV footage. We’ve got confirmation that the attack was carried out from the BNP rally,” DMP’s Detective Branch chief Harun-ur-Rashid had said on Monday at a briefing on the arrest of six members of an hacking gang.

He said Harun that said some of the arrestees were still being interrogated in their custody. “We’ll be able to extract information about whether other people were involved in the attack.”

Justice Manik came under attack in the Nayapaltan area of the capital on November 2. A group of people from a procession swooped on his car while passing near the Central Police Hospital, vandalised it, and assaulted him, and his driver and gunman.

Oppn parties target Hasina

India must up its ante as Bangladesh’s opposition parties including the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) are now gearing up to hold rallies and processions and even blockade the country in a bid to oust the current Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League government.

Bangladesh Prime Minister Hasina on Thursday said in Parliament that the opposition parties are trying to stir up political instability in her country. “When the country is in a transition period (crisis), I’ve not seen such concern among those who are in our opposition. Rather I’ve seen that they are trying how to create a political instability, taking its advantage. Is it fair to do that?” she said.

Amanullah Aman, senior member of the BNP said on October 8 that his party is planning to launch a new programme across the country targeting the government.

“If necessary, we will be martyrs but no election under (Prime Minister) Sheikh Hasina will be allowed. We will return home after ensuring the removal of this government,” Aman said.

Earlier, a report by the European Foundation for South Asian Studies (EFSAS) noted that the “behind-the-scenes role” of the Pakistani agency the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI), has hugely boosted the BNP and other radical outfits.

The Awami League has been in power in Bangladesh since January 2009.

“Bangladesh has witnessed unprecedented growth in the last 10 years. This is due because Hasina in a pragmatic way prioritised economy over ideology. Simply put, she has delivered,” geopolitical and security analyst Navita Srikant told India Narrative.

Now it is slated to exit UN’s Least Developed Countries (LDC) list in 2026,

Bangladesh, which was considered a basket case at its birth in 1971, reached lower-middle income status in 2015, driven by Hasina’s economic policies.

But the recent economic crisis in the country has provided it with a solid issue around which to mobilize people, the Diplomat said. (with inputs from Mahua Venkatesh)

ALSO READ: Shehbaz calls for judicial probe into attack on Imran

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FIR fiasco gives Imran an edge in fight with Generals

The benumbed response from the police, which refused to lodge an FIR for 96 hours after the Wazirabad shooting further added credence to Khan’s accusations. ..writes Atul Aneja

In the bitter power struggle in Pakistan between Imran Khan and the “establishment,” the former Prime Minister appears to have seized the initiative, pushing the Shehbaz Sharif government and the military into a reactive mode.

By Monday evening, Khan managed to grab a larger global space to push home his narrative that the attempt on his life last week was the handiwork of three powerful individuals—Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, interior minister Rana Sanaullah and most importantly, Major General Faisal Naseer, who belongs to the Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) – the most sacred of the holy cows in the Pakistani establishment.

By taking on the military head-on, the former Prime Minister appears to have rattled the “fauj,” which realises that if Khan succeeds, it will mean a fundamental power shift. For the first time in Pakistan’s history, the military would be de facto subordinated to civilian control. Naturally, the military is bound to fight back at Khan’s endeavour to knock out the army from the pinnacle of power.

Firing a fresh salvo in the information war, Khan, on Monday went on air on CNN, parading his point of view about the assassination plot. In an interview with the well-known anchor Becky Anderson, the former Prime Minister asserted that he had been informed “from within intelligence agencies that the shooting which injured him would take place”.

The benumbed response from the police, which refused to lodge an FIR for 96 hours after the Wazirabad shooting further added credence to Khan’s accusations. Finally, when the FIR, on the insistence of Pakistan’s Supreme Court, was confusingly self-lodged by the police it excluded the three individuals that Khan had named. In the meantime, the hashtag #FIRRejected pushed by the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), Khan’s party, went viral on Twitter.

Pic credits ANI

The FIR fiasco has energized the PTI which now will, after a gap on account of the shooting incident, continue with its Long March to Islamabad. By continuing with its protest, PTI hopes to force the government to announce an early date for the national polls, and hope to come back to power once fresh elections are held.

On Monday, PTI leader Asad Umar, detailing the resumption of the party’s long march said he will lead marchers in the Faisalabad division on Friday.

PTI leader Ali Amin Gandapur will lead protesters from the southern districts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, while KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Murad Saeed will lead from the Malakand region.

“Pervez Khattak will lead the march from Peshawar and Hazara region,” he added.

In the power struggle which has spilled into the streets, Khan has taken the military head-on. On Thursday, his supporters had encircled the residence of the Peshawar corps commander after the former Prime Minister named Major General Naseer as a co-conspirator.

While he is recovering from his injuries in the Shaukat Khanum hospital in Lahore his supporters from the PTI are blocking roads in Rawalpindi, the seat of Pakistan’s military headquarters.

The former Prime Minister also hopes to draw more supporters cutting across party lines. In a series of tweets on Tuesday, Khan said that his party’s doors were open to “all democratic loving forces”.

“For the future of Pakistan the doors of PTI are open to all democratic loving forces to join our struggle for Justice, rule of law and freedom from foreign subservience — our goal of Haqeeqi Azadi.”

In the wake of Khan’s challenge, the Pakistani government has few options. Pushed on the backfoot, Pakistani interior minister Sanaullah has tried to justify the decision of not lodging the 3 names in the FIR.

“There must be some sort of evidence for the first information report (FIR) to be registered,”  Sanaullah said while addressing a Tuesday press conference. The embattled interior minister continued to insist that there was only one “lone wolf” assassin who had been arrested, closing the door on Khan’s contention that two or more individuals were involved in the attack. He also asserted that instead of a mass upsurge the Long March had mobilised only a few thousand people, whose goal was to push the country towards chaos.

There is another view that the government is likely to arrest top PTI functionaries to stall the Long March heading towards Islamabad, and even go for a media blackout—both moves difficult to implement given the current momentum shift.

ALSO READ: Shehbaz calls for judicial probe into attack on Imran

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Pakistani Prez calls for global efforts to fight climate change

To counter the negative fallouts of climate change, Alvi said that the entire nation and relevant organisations must work with the help of the international community…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistani President Arif Alvi has said that the adverse impacts of climate change are not limited at national borders and will affect the whole world, urging the international community to work together for the common interest.

“The world has become a small place and any negative development like natural or man-made disasters taking place in one part of the world would affect countries all around the globe,” the President added on Tuesday while addressing a conference in state capital Islamabad.

Pakistan contributes less than 1 per cent to global warming, but it is among the top 10 most affected countries by climate change and global warming, he said, adding that Pakistan would become one of the most vulnerable countries to bear the brunt of climate change by 2050, Xinhua news agency reported.

To counter the negative fallouts of climate change, Alvi said that the entire nation and relevant organisations must work with the help of the international community to minimise the negative impacts, highlighting that the incumbent government has been taking special measures in this regard.

He added that the recent climate-induced floods in Pakistan had affected more than 33 million people, adding that concerted efforts by all the local and international stakeholders are needed to employ all available resources for rehabilitating the floods-affected population.

Emissions hit new high

 Despite an increase in energy efficiency investment and lower energy intensity, the building and construction sector’s energy consumption and CO2 emissions have rebounded from the Covid-19 pandemic to an all-time high, a new report finds.

Released at the latest round of the UN COP27 climate summit in Egypt, the 2022 Global Status Report for Buildings and Construction finds that the sector accounted for over 34 per cent of energy demand and around 37 per cent of energy and process-related CO2 emissions in 2021.

The sector’s operational energy-related CO2 emissions reached 10 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent — 5 per cent over 2020 levels and 2 per cent over the pre-pandemic peak in 2019.

In 2021, operational energy demand for heating, cooling, lighting and equipment in buildings increased by around four per cent from 2020 and three per cent from 2019.

This, according to the report from the Global Alliance for Buildings and Construction (GlobalABC), means the gap between the climate performance of the sector and the 2050 decarbonization pathway is widening.

“Years of warnings about the impacts of climate change have become a reality,a said Inger Andersen, Executive Director of the UN Environment Programme (UNEP). “If we do not rapidly cut emissions in line with the Paris Agreement, we will be in deeper trouble.”

“The buildings sector represents 40 per cent of Europe’s energy demand, 80 per cent of it from fossil fuels. This makes the sector an area for immediate action, investment, and policies to promote short and long-term energy security.”

Decarbonizing the buildings sector by 2050 is critical to delivering these cuts. To reduce overall emissions, the sector must improve building energy performance, decrease building materials’ carbon footprint, multiply policy commitments alongside action and increase investment in energy efficiency.

ALSO READ: Indian minister releases two books on Modi in Dubai

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Assembly polls a litmus test for J&K political parties

Poonch: People queue up outside a polling station to cast their votes for the seventh phase of District Development Council (DDC) elections, in Jammu and Kashmir's Poonch district on Dec 16, 2020. 31 DDC seats went to polls of which 13 are in Kashmir division and 18 in Jammu division. (Photo: IANS)

The big question is what would these parties sell? Their slogans of autonomy and self-rule have become obsolete in “Naya Jammu and Kashmir” as people have realised that for 70 years they were just fed with slogans…reports Asian Lite News

Jammu and Kashmir (J&K), infamous for being a “conflict zone”, has become a symbol of good governance in the country after the abrogation of Article 370, a temporary provision in the Indian Constitution.

After August 5, 2019 — when the Centre announced its decision to scrap J&K’s special status and bifurcated it into two Union Territories — Prime Minister Narendra Modi-led regime without creating any hype, developed roads, health, tourism and other infrastructure to make the lives easy for people in the Himalayan region.

Very importantly, the government was able to create safe and secure environment without any fear of terrorists and stone-pelters, who used to take people hostage by disrupting their normal lives.

As peace has returned, the Centre has decided to hold Assembly elections in the Union Territory. Union Home Minister Amit Shah during his recent visit to J&K announced that polls in the Himalayan region would be held soon. There is every possibility that elections in J&K will be held early next year.

What would parties sell?

Political parties, including National Conference (NC) and People’s Democratic Party (PDP), have started making preparations to jump in the poll fray. But the big question is what would these parties sell? Their slogans of autonomy and self-rule have become obsolete in “Naya Jammu and Kashmir” as people have realised that for 70 years they were just fed with slogans. They are least interested in rhetoric as they have experienced what good governance means.

As on date, J&K is moving on the path of peace, prosperity and development. Pakistan stooges who used to compel them to give up their daily chores and hit the streets to run after an illusion called “azadi” are nowhere to be seen. Mainstream politicians, who used to claim that J&K’s accession with India was not permanent, have become irrelevant.

These politicians are making yet another attempt to mislead the people by telling them that they would reverse the clock to August 4, 2019, and bring everything back. But someone needs to tell them that no one in J&K is interested in getting anything back.

People of J&K have endorsed the bold move of Prime Minister Modi-led dispensation to end the 70-year-old long status-quo and merge the Himalayan region into the Union of India completely.



Omar, Mehbooba to stay away from polls

Elections in J&K are on cards and without raising slogans politicians can’t lure the voters. Former J&K Chief Minister, Omar Abdullah has announced that he won’t contest the polls till J&K’s statehood is restored, another former Chief Minister, Mehbooba Mufti, too, has dropped enough hints about her staying away from the elections.

This means that NC and PDP want their second-rung leaders to become a part of the electoral process as they have realised that winning won’t be a cakewalk as it used to be in the past. Seeking restoration of J&K seems to be a face-saving measure as top leaders losing the elections could be a big setback for both the traditional parties in Kashmir.

Emergence of political formations like Altaf Bukhari-led Apni Party, Ghulam Nabi Azad-led Democratic Azad Party, Sajad Lone-led People’s Conference and others in Kashmir, too, have made things difficult for the NC and PDP. Both these parties are facing a daunting task.

Traditional parties which ruled J&K for 70 years couldn’t do much for the people as their leaders used to claim that Articles 370 and 35-A were shields which protected the identity and rights of people. Their narrative and politics revolved around safeguarding these articles.

However, time has proven them wrong. After the abrogation of these contentious articles one thing has become very clear that these provisions were nothing but big impediments in the path of progress and prosperity of J&K.

Social activists install the National flag atop a clock tower during Republic Day fuction at Lal Chowk in Srinagar. (Photo Nisar Malik IANS)



Poll preparations commence

Preparations for holding elections have commenced in J&K as the revision of electoral roll is in its final stages. The officials who will be a part of the exercise are being briefed about the duties they would be expected to perform. Deputy Commissioners are meeting the representatives of the political parties to give a final shape to the preparations.

Political parties are also holding rallies and are making an attempt to reach out to the people. But the common residents are not responding in a way they should have. They seem to have their own reasons. For them J&K’s transition into a Union Territory and the Centre managing the affairs directly has proven to be a blessing.

The projects which were in limbo for the past 70 years have either been completed or are nearing completion. The Jammu-Srinagar National Highway is all set to become four-lane within next two years, the train to Kashmir is not that far away. The 500-bed children hospital in Srinagar which remained caught in different wrangles for nearly a decade has been thrown open for people. The electricity woes have ended. Unemployment issue stands addressed, and many other problems that were a part of lives for seven decades have been addressed.

Political parties face uphill task

Common people are asking political parties a simple question: what new they have to offer and even if they vote for them what’s the guarantee that they would continue the good work that the Centre has started?

Elections are an important part of any democratic setup and sooner or later these are going to be held in J&K. The ball is in the court of the political parties which have to contest the polls and become a part of the governance system. These political formations face an uphill task to convince the electorate that they would serve them and won’t give them a reason to complain.

In the Jammu region the political scenario is different. The Congress is struggling to regain its foothold as the veteran leader and former J&K Chief Minister Ghulam Nabi Azad has said goodbye to the grand old party of the country. He has floated his own party. Arvind Kejriwal-led Aam Aadmi Party is not finding any takers in Jammu region.

Bharatiya Janata Party, which won 27 seats in 2014 Assembly elections in Jammu, seems to be better placed than other political formations. Elections in Jammu region will be contested between the national parties as regional parties are non-existent.

The redrawing of Assembly constituencies has brought Jammu region at par with Kashmir vis-a-vis distribution of the Assembly seats and people of Jammu are seeing the forthcoming polls as a golden opportunity to see a leader from their region becoming a J&K Chief Minister for the first time since 1947.

The maiden Assembly elections in the Union Territory of J&K are a litmus test for the political leaders of all parties as the administration led by Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha has set new benchmark. People are expecting that whenever the politicians assume the office they should be able to live upto their expectations and build on the foundation laid by LG Sinha.

ALSO READ: India will reclaim Pakistan-occupied Kashmir: Rajnath
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The Fate of Chinese Confucius Institutes in the UK At Stake

Delegates to the 20th National Congress of the Communist Party of China - Xi Jinping.(photo:Xinhua/IANS)

UK may seal the fate of Chinese Confucius institutes soon. The demand for a ban on Confucius institutes picked up pace especially after Henry Jackson Society think tank made startling revelations in October about the hidden agenda of these institutes. In its report, the think tank stated that 30 Confucius Institutes in the UK are “trading on the reputations” of British universities while promoting the ideology of the Chinese regime … writes Kaliph Anaz

China is extremely worried about the status of Confucius institutes operating out of British universities after Rishi Sunak took over as Prime Minister. Sunak had come hard on China in July while racing for the coveted post as he promised to ban all 30 Confucius Institutes in the UK if he came to power. The Department for Education, UK has already tightened its position on Confucius Institutes stating that the Government was “committed to doing more to adapt to China’s growing impact” and encouraged people with concerns about any Confucius Institute activities to report them.

The demand for a ban on Confucius institutes picked up the pace, especially after the Henry Jackson Society Think tank made startling revelations in October about the hidden agenda of these institutes. In its report, the think tank stated that 30 Confucius Institutes in the UK are “trading on the reputations” of British universities while promoting the ideology of the Chinese regime.

“There are no offshoots of the Chinese state that are integrated more closely into British society than Confucius Institutes,” it said.

Officially, Confucius Institutes promote the Chinese language and run classes in culture, from calligraphy and cooking to tai chi. They also sponsor educational exchanges and hold public events and lectures. These institutes are open to the general public.

But the think tank’s report has made an `expose’ about the hidden agenda of institutes. The report found that just four out of 30 Confucius Institutes embedded within UK universities stuck to their alleged purpose of teaching language and culture. It said the majority of institutes were conducting other activities, including trying to “shape how China is understood in the UK” and ­attempting to forge links with British business and technology. It also highlighted concerns that the institutes are exercising an increasing interest in British politics and political lobbying.

It further said that some in the UK have hosted pro-China receptions in Parliament, organised diplomatic events and flown politicians to China. It also claimed some British politicians received funding from Confucius Institutes, without naming them.

It may be mentioned here that prior to Sunak, Liz Truss had adopted an increasingly hawkish position on China in recent months, with the country to be formally designated a “threat”.

The revelations by the Henry Jackson Society report have sent jitters to the Chinese leadership because it fears that the expose will adversely affect the diplomatic relations between the two countries. Some experts said that this will certainly motivate the UK government to formally abandon the “golden era” of relations with China, as proclaimed by David Cameron in 2015. Sam Dunning and Anson Kwong, the report’s authors have requested the UK Government to amend its upcoming Free Speech Bill for higher education providers to include certain terms that could make the continuing existence of Confucius Institutes in the UK untenable. They said that “in general [Confucius Institutes] are subject to People’s Republic of China speech restrictions”.

In their report, they also accused China of exploiting the name of ancient philosopher Confucius to “whitewash the [Chinese Communist Party’s] reputation and give it a foothold” in respected universities around the world. However, it said it was hopeful that ministers would soon realise the scope of China’s intentions for the institutes and that they are “not mere tools of soft power”.

While the issue is still being debated in the UK, Sweden has already shuttered all Confucius Institutes in the country as relations with China continue to deteriorate. In the US, out of the 118 Confucius Institutes set up over the past few decades, 104 have now closed or are in the process of closing.

The School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) in London, which opened the UK’s first Confucius Institute in 2005, cut ties with the scheme last year.

Chinese experts who have been closely watching unfolding developments in Confucius institutes, have attributed this to differences of opinion in UK circles about these institutes. “Out of their own interests, the UK security unit wants to pile more pressure on Sunak, in a bid to force him to fulfil his election vow and display a tough stance toward China,” Cui Hongjian, director of the Department of European Studies at the China Institute of International Studies, told the Global Times.

“The China policy within the British government has long been divided. The security sector tends to advocate a hard-line position on China, while the economic and diplomatic units would like to see a more balanced policy towards China.”

They however claimed that Confucius Institutes have long served as a bridge and bond between China and other countries including the UK in education and cultural communication and exchange. And the operation and management of the Confucius Institutes is open and transparent.

President-Xi-Jinping-and-PM-David-Cameron-launch-Manchester-Airports-new-route-to-Beijing-with-Hainan-Airlines (File)

Chinese observers feared that Washington may push Sunak to follow the US in containing China in this regard with the G20 summit just around the corner.  Chinese experts targeted UK Security Minister Tom Tugendhat accusing him of being a proponent of anti-China sentiment among the British political circle. According to them, he along with his Sinophobic China Research Group was sanctioned by the Chinese government in March 2021 for maliciously spreading lies and disinformation. In recent years, Tugendhat has repeatedly made foul remarks on issues related to China’s internal affairs such as Hong Kong and Xinjiang but failed to provide any evidence.

These experts however warned that playing tricks on the Confucius Institutes is not a good idea for Sunak. Especially considering that China is one of the UK’s largest trading partners, it is difficult for Britain to achieve economic recovery without sound ties with China. Such a trial balloon is pretty dangerous. 

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Shehbaz calls for judicial probe into attack on Imran

Shehbaz Sharif.(photo:instagram)

The letter written by Shehbaz Sharif, states that after the attack on Khan, violent protests have erupted across the country putting the lives of citizens at risk…reports Asian Lite News

Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has requested the Chief Justice of Pakistan, Umar Ata Bandial, to constitute a judicial commission to probe the attack on PTI Chairman Imran Khan during the partys long march in Wazirabad last week in which the former Prime Minister reportedly sustained bullet injuries in his leg, media reports said.

The letter states that after the attack on Khan, violent protests have erupted across the country putting the lives of citizens at risk, Dawn reported.

It highlighted that the FIR of the incident has still not been registered, the crime scene has not been secured and the container on which the shots were fired has not been taken into custody for forensic analysis.

“Nor was a medico-legal examination of PTI Chairman Imran Khan conducted,” it read.

The letter added that the investigation into the incident was being “mishandled” and in its aftermath a “derogatory campaign” has ensued against the PML-N leadership and the state institutions, Dawn reported.

Imran Khan.(Photo:Imran Khan/Instagram)

Earlier, Pakistan Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah said that Khan wanted the FIR of the Wazirabad attack according to his demands, Express Tribune reported.

“He [Imran] cannot get an FIR registered and wants to bring about a revolution,” said the minister.

Sanaullah said that there “must be some sort of evidence” for an FIR to be registered and if one is to go by the PTI’s demands, then someone can even register a case against the Chief Justice, Express Tribune reported.

He added that till now, only one suspect has been taken into custody and there are no other suspects.

Recalling the attack on Ahsan Iqbal, Sanaullah said that the suspect had the same kind of motivation as he was “self-motivated” and not linked to any political or religious group.

ALSO READ: Pakistan to launch crackdown on PTI top brass

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SPECIAL: US, Europe Face Major Economic Crisis

Rajan Menon

US-based academic Dr Rajan Menon says recession in the US and a major economic crisis in Europe may occur as a result of the Russia-Ukraine war … Interview by Abhish K Bose

Dr Rajan Menon is the Director of the Grand Strategy Program at Defense Priorities based in Washington DC. He is also the Emeritus Anna and Bernard Spitzer Chair in Political Science at the City University of New York.  He is a Senior Research Scholar at the Saltzman Institute of War and Peace Studies at Columbia University and a Global Ethics Fellow at the Carnegie Council on Ethics in International Affairs. He has authored books including ‘ Conflict in Ukraine: The unwinding of the post-cold war order, Energy and conflict in Central Asia and the Caucasus, Russia, the Caucasus and Central Asia. 

In an interview with Asian Lite’s  Abhish K. Bose, he discusses the repercussions of the Russian invasion of Ukraine in Europe and other parts of the world.

Dr Rajan Menon

ABHISH K BOSE: Russian troops are suffering significant losses, and countries across the world are dealing with acute food shortages, a meteoric rise in inflation and other challenges brought in by a severe conflict that has no sign of subsiding soon. What will be the long-term economic ramifications brought about by the war on the economy of Europe? 

Rajan Menon: Food prices have actually declined for the past several months, in part due to the grain export agreement between  Russia and Ukraine that was mediated by the  UN and Turkey in July. But so long as the war continues, food exports from Ukraine could be blocked again. Adding to this western banks’ raising of interest rates and the appreciation of the dollar will increase food import prices,  making it especially hard for poor countries. All indicators point to the possibility of the economic situation in Europe and the UK getting worse, and they are already bad. There is technically  (DEFINED AS TWO-QUARTERS OF DECLINING GROWTH ) no recession in the US now, but the federal reserves raising of interest rates to tame inflation, now higher than it has been in 40 years, could bring one about, though that remains to be seen.

Russian President Vladimir Putin addresses the Eastern Economic Forum plenary session in Vladivostok, Russia on Sept. 7, 2022. (Kremlin press release/IANS)

ABHISH K BOSE: As per the statistics of the United Nations refugee agency, since February 24th, a third of Ukrainians who number over 41 million, have been forced out of their houses.  The UN agency data says that more than 6.6 million Ukrainian refugees have been registered across Europe. What will be the additional burden these migrants cause on the economy of Europe?

Rajan Menon: The recent  Russian attacks on Ukraine’s energy and water infrastructure have once again increased refugee flows from  Ukraine, and at a time when the countries with substantial numbers of Ukrainian refugees —Poland, Germany, and the Czech Republic —are finding it hard to take in more. On top of that, Ukraine’s government, facing electricity and water disruptions have asked  Ukrainian refugees not to come back for now. As Europe’s economy gets even worse the refugee burden will become harder to bear.  

ABHISH K BOSE: The war and the resultant sanctions which made an adverse impact on the Russian economy thereby restricting Russia’s access to western financial markets are also causing trouble for Russia.  The sanctions also restricted Russia from obtaining essential goods and materials.  How long Russian economy will take to recover from the aftereffects of the war?

Rajan Menon: It’s impossible to state with any certainty how long Russia’s economy  will  take to recover . For now , though  the sanctions have undoubtedly  caused  pain, the Russian economy  is benefiting  from high oil and  gas prices  and  stepped-up imports  of  Russian and energy  by China , India , and  Turkey.  Energy  is critical  to Russia’s economy : IT accounted for  45% OF Russia’s state budget  in 2021 and close to the  same proportion of  its total  export earnings. 

Russia-Ukraine war pictures.(photo: https://www.facebook.com/zelenskiy.official)

ABHISH K BOSE: Following Russia’s invasion of Ukraine global oil prices increased to record heights.  What will be the impact the war has on the oil imports of Russia vis a vis the  European countries?

Rajan Menon: The European Union ban on Russian  oil imports  will take effect  on DEC 5 but as OF SEPT the  EU was still buying about  One million barrels of Russian oil  per day .For Europe , the much bigger problem is the effects  on the slashing  of Russian natural gas exports, which  provided 40% of Europe’s imports  before  the  war began on FEB 24.

ABHISH K BOSE: According to the reports Putin is facing the biggest challenge in his career since he became the President following the continuation of the war. How long can he pull it off with a debilitating economy and increasing opposition from the international community?

Rajan Menon: No one can answer this  question , but  the  worse Russia fares in the  war, the more tenuous  Putin’s political position becomes because he owns  this  war and  his  fate is tied to  it. That  said, so  far I see no sign of a split within the leaderships nor protests  from  below  (which  there have  been) that  are so large  that  the  Russian government, which  has formidable coercive  powers , cannot contain.

Dr Rajan Menon

ABHISH K BOSE: What will be the environmental hazards caused as a result of the war? Going by the nature of the war, the environmental imbalances created by the war could be irredeemable. Especially the catastrophic nature of the impact of the war in a highly industrialised country such as Ukraine can create havoc. Please explain your views on this.

Rajan Menon: The war itself will release carbon dioxide and  other global warming gases into the air because they  are  produced  when  large urban areas  suffer massive  destruction, which they  have  in  Ukraine. In the long term the energy price surge created by the war  may hasten a global move to  green energy  (though that will take  a long time  before  it amounts to a revolutionary  shift), but in the  short term  countries  are, in the aftermath  of the Ukraine  war, rushing to lok in imports of  oil, natural gas and , in the  case of India and  China , for example, even coal, which , per unit, emits much more CO2 than  do  oil and natural gas. 

ABHISH K BOSE: The war is estimated to cause a heavy impact on the world economy which includes weaker economic growth, stronger inflation and a long-standing assault on the supply chain. What do you think about this?

Rajan Menon: Europe’s economic crisis, the possibility  of a recession  in the US, and lower -than expected growth rates in China are bound to  have  knock-on effects  on the global economy  given that  these three areas account  for around  45% of global  GDP.

Dr Rajan Menon
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Indian-American bags Amazon Research Award

The tool designed by Prabhakar would be utilized to minimise disruptive changes to user experience of machine learning-based software systems as the product is refined and retrained over time…reports Asian Lite News

Pavithra Prabhakar, an Indian-American professor of computer science at the Kansas State University, has received an Amazon Research Award to design a tool that minimises negative user experiences.

Prabhakar, who is the Peggy and Gary Edwards chair in engineering, was one of 74 recipients of the awards from Amazon, which also includes an unrestricted gift, access to more than 300 Amazon public datasets, and Amazon Web Services’ artificial intelligence and machine learning services and tools.

The tool designed by Prabhakar would be utilized to minimise disruptive changes to user experience of machine learning-based software systems as the product is refined and retrained over time.

“The broad objective of the project is to automatically characterize how much two versions of machine learning-based systems are similar or different,” Prabhakar said.

She further said even though these systems are regularly retrained to achieve superior performance, it does not often translate to a better user experience.

“This can be mitigated by equipping the design team with an automated tool that could highlight where and by how much the systems changed between different versions, thereby aiding the team in making decisions regarding the acceptability of the changes from a user experience perspective,” Prabhakar explained.

The automated tool will benefit design teams in making critical decisions about improving user experience of machine learning-based intelligent software systems, a Kansas State University press statement said.

Prabhakar obtained her doctorate in computer science and a master’s degree in applied mathematics from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, followed by a Center for the Mathematics of Information postdoctoral fellowship at the California Institute of Technology.

She was named a Michelle Munson-Serban Simu Keystone research scholar and received the dean’s award for excellence in research from the Carl R Ice College of Engineering.

Prabhakar’s research has been recognized with several prestigious awards, including the NSF CAREER award, Office of Naval Research Young Investigator Award and the Marie Curie Career Integration Grant from the European Union.

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