‘ee FS SSA Mayhem unleashed: Men recover the body of a victim killed in the overnight Israeli strike at al-Maghazi refugee camp on Monday. AFPM V Russia says it has seized the town of Maryinka in eastern Ukraine REUTERS Russia took over the town of Maryinka in eastern Ukraine, which President Vladimir Putin hailed as a “success” that would mean less shelling on the nearby Russian-held city of Donetsk. “Our assault units have today completely liberated Maryinka,” Defence Minister Sergei Shoigu told Mr. Putin in a meeting. AFP‘An elephant drinks from a swimming pool at a tented camp on the boundaries of Hwange Zimbabwve on December 15. The 14,600-sq.-km park is home to:more than 450,000 s Nowy, blackened corpses, many of infant elephants, scar this landscape where the rains have been more than six weeks late andFurnace explosion at Chinese-owned nickel plant in Indonesia kills at least 13 PALU Asmelting furnace explod- ed on Sunday at a Chinese- owned nickel plant on In- killing at least 13 workers and injuring dozens of oth- ers, the police and a com- pany official said. It was the latest in a sey ries of doodlaet guiretetetits at nickel smelting plants in Indonesia that are part of China’s ambitious transna- tional development pro- gram known as the Belt and Road Initiative. Nickel is a key compo- nent in global battery pro- duction for electric vehicles. First aid: A Chinese worker injured in the explosion at a nickel smelter furnace in Indonesia is being brought to hospital. AFP At least four Chinese and nine Indonesian work- ers died when the furnace exploded while they were repairing it, the Central Su- lawesi police chief said. The blast was so power- ful it demolished the fur- nace and damaged parts of the side walls of the build- ing, the official said, while adding that about 46 work- ers were injured, including 14 Chinese nationals, some in critical condition. Investigation underway Authorities are working to determine whether negli- gence by the company led to the deaths. The accident occurred at PT Indonesia Tsingshan Stainless Steel, a subsidiary of PT Indonesia Morowali Industrial Park, known as PT IMIP, in the Bahodopi neighborhood of Morowali regency. “We sincerely apologise for this incident and we are working closely with auth- orities to investigate what caused the accident,” com- pany spokesperson said.Rescue workers in Kangdiao village following the earthquake in Jishishan county, Gansu province, China, on Tuesday. ReutersUS. launches multinational push to protect Red Sea from Houthi strikes ence France Pr Reuters MANAMA/SANAA S. Defense Secre- Ue tee ss on Tuesday an- nounced the creation of a multinational operation to safeguard commerce in the Red Sea following a series of missile and drone at- tacks by Yemen's Iran- aligned Houthis. Mr. Austin, who is on a trip to Bahrain, home to the US. Navy's headquar- ters in West Asia, said par- ticipating countries in- clude the U.K., Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Sey: chelles and Spain. The group will conduct joint patrols in the southern Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. jim their response, Houthi rebels said they they will not halt attacks in solidarity with G Collective effort: U.S. Defence Secretary Lloyd Austin addresses U.S. forces in Manama in Balrain on Tuesday. REUTERS would not halt attacks on Red Sea shipping in soli darity with Gaza. “Even if America succeeds in mobi: lising the entire world, our millitary operations will not stop... no matter the sacrif: ices it costs us.” senior Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti said on X, for- merly Twitter. Rebel spokesman Mo- hammed Abdul Salam said the “U.S-formed coalition aims to protect Israel and miilitarise the sea,” adding that “whoever seeks to ex pand the conflict must bear the consequences of those actions.” Mr. Austin. in a state- ment early on Tuesday, had said: “This is an inter- national challenge that de- mands collective action. ‘Therefore today | am an- nouncing the establish- ment of Operation Pros: perity Guardian, an important new multina- tional security initiative”. Ina virtual meeting with Ministers from more than 40 nations, Mr. Austin called on other countries to contribute as he con- demned “reckless Houthi actions.” “We're all here because many countries can direct- ly contribute to our com- mon effortsto keep strateg- ic waterways safe,” Mr. Austin said, according to prepared remarks, Still, the announcement add that the US-formed coalition aims at protecting Israel and stems’ to Israel leaves many questions un- answered, _ including whether any additional countries are willing to do what mostly U.S. warships have done in recent days — shoot down Houthi mis- siles and drones, and rush to the aid of commercial ships under attack. ‘The U.S. Navy already had a Red Sea task force that had bolstered its pre- sence in the critical water- way, and it is unclear how many countries will send additional ships or patrol aircraft following the crea- tion of Operation Prosperi- ty Guardian. On his visit to Israel on Monday, Mr. Austin had al- so confirmed U.S, was “Is- rael’s greatest friend” and would continue to provide “critical munitions, tactical vehicles and air defence systems”.Mediterranean Sea Jordan ira I SUMED > —Suez Canal : a Pipeline —— © Kuwait %». Strait of Hormuz 2 1 Egypt Bahrain . %- 4) suai aor UAE Arabia % Oman & Sudan Yemen Arabian Sea Erit "2 Bab el-Mandeb s en O Djibouti”. of A Ay Area of detail Ethiopia Cl Red Sea and Bab el-Mandeb. (Source: US Energy Information Administration)REYKJAWIK Volcano erupts in southwest Iceland after weeks of earthquakes AFP & Avolcano erupted close to an Iceland power plant on Tuesday after weeks of intense seismic activity southwest of Reykjavik. The eruption only 3-km from the evacuated fishing port of Grindavik on the Reykjanes peninsula began on Monday at around 10:17 p.m. after an earthquake “swarm” of small tremors. AFPBaffin Bay Greenland Norwegian Sea Iceland © Reykjavik United Kingdom deRecently, Kerala government employee Shaikh Hassan Khan has climbed Mount Vinson. About Mount Vinson ad e Itis the highest mountain in Antarctica. ¢ Mount Vinson rises 4,892 meters (16,050 feet) above sea level. e Itis part of the Sentinel Range of the Ellsworth Mountains, near the Ronne Ice Shelf. e There are five other tall mountains in the same area as Mount Vinson— the next five highest summits on the continent of Antarctica—which are collectively referred to as Vinson Massif. e Itis located about 1,200 kilometres from the South Pole, one of the coldest places on Earth.a Panama Canal employees wor in'a dry chamber ofthe West Lane of Pedro Miguel locks during maintenance, in Panama City in May. The Canal on December 15 sad it will increase the number of booking slots after a drought caused the crucial maritime trade route to reduce ship crossings, aswell as pushed up fees and trafic. REUTERS cu B mnOver 60 killed as migrant vessel capsizes off Libya ASSOCIATED PRESS CAIRO, DECEMBER 17 ABOAT carrying dozens of mi- grants trying to reach Europe cap- sized off the coast of Libya, leaving more than 60 people dead, in- cludingwomen and children, the UN migration agency said. The shipwreck, which took place overnight between ‘Thursday and Friday, was the lat- est tragedy in this part of the Mediterranean Sea, akeybutdan- gerous route for migrants seeking a better life in Europe. Thousands have died, according to officials. The UN's International Organisation for Migration said late on Saturday that the boat ary 86 migrants when “The central Mediterranean continues to be one of world’s most dangerous migration routes,” the agency wrote on X. The European Union's border agency said in a statement on Sunday thatits plane located the partially deflated rubber boat on Thursday evening in Libya’s search and rescue zone. ‘The migrants were in “severe danger because of adverse weather conditions, with waves reaching height of 2.5 metres,"the agency, known as Frontex, said, Alarm Phone, a hotline for mi- grants in distress, tweeted that some migrants onboard reached out tothem whothen alerted au- thorities including Libyan coast- guard, who said “they would not search forthem." The Libyan coast guard was not immediately avail- able for comment. Libya_has in recent years emerged as the dominant transit point for migrants fleeing war and Doverty in Africa and the Middle East, though Libya nation has plunged into chaos following a NATO-backed uprising that top- pled and killed longtime ruler Moammar Gadhafi in 2011. More than 2,250 people died on the central European route this year, according to Flavio Di Giacomo, an IOM spokesperson.FATT Mediterranean prs zaweiian Cee ‘nash ALGERIA Marsa scoston m “LIBYA aod EGYPT o AD eRateaCARACAS Venezuela, Guyana agree not to ‘use force’ to settle land dispute AFP The Presidents of Venezuela and Guyana pledged not to resort to force to settle the long-simmering and recently reheated dispute over the oil-rich Essequibo region. Venezuela’s Nicolas Maduro and Guyana’s Irfaan Ali shook hands after a two-hour meeting on the Caribbean island nation of Saint Vincent and the Grenadines. AFPLATIN AMERICA Disputed Essequibo region Venezuela will hold a referendum on Sunday on whether to establish a new state in the disputed Essequibo region, an oil-rich territory long ruled by Guyana, ‘COLOMBIA @labs CEKyiv a “a i t UKRAINE Kharkiv@ : ae Pea iia Kupiansk © Kreminna hee tga Bakhmut —@ UKRAINE Dnipro © Zaporizhzhia NPP. ie oe Kherson pe - Daye ; F \_____ DONETSK ‘B0km a Mykolaiv fe e ie Odesa on ae ~~ Mariupol ep 50 miles é © KHERSON = _] OBLAST ao @® Russian control L zaroriziziia before Feb 24, 2022 OBLAST @® Russian control ® Cities controlled Gere TarDenlan TM Reclaimed by Ukraine Sevastopol © | since Jun 2023 BLACK SEA CRIMEA O Heavy fighting LENGE EE © GRAPHIC NEV Sources: Institute for the Study of War, Reuters, AFPAnillustration of a juvenile Gorgosaurus, a dinosaur that lived 75 million years ago in what is now Canada's Alberta province, eating a small dinosaur. ReutersThe Ibu volcano in Indonesia’s North Maluku province erupted recently, prompting authorities to warn locals and tourists to stay away from the area. About Ibu Volcano —— ae e |tis a stratovolcano located on Halmahera Island, in the province of Maluku, East Indonesia. a SSS — e Itis one of the most isolated and least accessible volcanoes in Indonesia. e |tstands as high as 1,377 meters above sea level. e The volcano extends 16 km E-W and 13 km N-S. 6‘Mount Marapi spews ash during its eruption. a? Indonesia’s Mount Marapi erupts, Il dead, 12 missing ASSOCIATEDPRESS PADANG, DECEMBER 4 ‘THE BODIES of 11 climbers were recovered Monday after a furi- ous eruption of the Mount Marapi volcano as Indonesian rescuers searched for atleast 12 others were missing, Indonesian authorities halted Monday the search for 12 climbers after Mount Marapi volcano erupted again, unleash- inganewburstofhotashas high as 800 meters (2,620 feet) into the air, officials said. ‘Thebodiesof 11 dimbers were recovered earlier in the day — while searching for those missing — but attempts to relocate them were hindered by therenewed ac- tivity, West Sumatra’s Search and Rescue Agency head Abdul Malik said, The search operation would resume once conditions im- proved, he added. Avideo showed rescuers evacuating an injured imberona stretcher into anam- bulance tobe taken to hospital. ‘The volcano has stayed at the third highest of four alert levels since 2011, a level indicating above-normal voleanic activity, prohibiting climbers and vil- lagers within 3 kilometers (1 milles) of the peak, said Hendra Gunawan, the head of the Center for Volcanology and Geological Disaster Mitigation, ‘About 7Sclimbers had started theirway upthenearly 2900-me- ter (9.480-foot) mountain on Saturday and became stranded. ‘Auhtorities rescued 52, inducing, three on Monday. Eight of those rescued Sunday were rushed to hospital with burns, the local Searchani Rescue Agency said, Allof the climbers had regis- tered at two command posts or online through West Sumatra’s conservationagency before they proceeded with their climb, When asked about the total number of people who may be stranded, he said it couldn't be confirmed because some may have taken illegal routes. Marapi spewed thick columns of ash as high as 3,000 meters (9,800 feet) in Sunday's eruption and hot ash clouds spread for several miles. Nearby villages and towns were blan- keted by tons of wolcanic debris.Scientists Discover MAMMorn Cacue Or NATURAL HYDROGEN NEAR FRENCH-GERMAN BORDER ail of clean energy may be | Ahol UZALDERMAN PARIS,DECEMBER4 \wasan ci Gil: champagne- ‘ie hubles hatsignaled apo: tentilly mammoth cacke of. ‘called white bydrogen,cne ofthe sdeanes-buminefiekinnaure “iydogen iemagical when soar burityourelase water so there reno cnbenemissianste warm the planesaidonecf the Scientists Jacques imnon2sen- lorreseathorand prfesor atthe UUniverstyofLoreaine."Werhinic ‘we've uncovered one of the Inngestdsporit ef maralky- _genanywhereinthe word” ‘Thediscovery by Pironon and Philippe de Donato, both mem bers of France's respected National Center for Scientific Research, caused 2 sensation in France, where the givernment hasvorvedtobeenmeaurepean leaderinceanyerosen. ‘Therearestllmany questions akoutihefind inelinghowbest tocotractthegas Butthasaded ‘ocuesesewtere, hata oy gal afeleanenergyray be inginthe cert rthe ang ‘The dling site, where wesissuggestadepositof upto 260 million metrictons of natural hydrogen. NY oan of in the earth for the takin ‘ut making commercial ty drogen inveluesepiting water inzohyerogenard onygen,anen- unt, could be a ranger Acorting to the US Geelegcal Survey, usta salt frasiono these depos could jodi dam ancy brownies, ‘nlorainethescents said Gmilionto 260 milion metric tons_of natural_hycrogen, ‘Avoure 7Omilionmmetrctonsaf Iyckosenisproduce commer cally worldwice ach var, Researcharsddda'tgvewhite Iydiogen muct credence unt a chance discovery in Rourakébougou.asmallvillagein ‘Mal. 1887 whenaworke acc- dentally sotfiretoa weterwell lighting cigarette overt The ‘well as foundte eontan nats ‘allhydrogen anditinow used toponershopsandhemesalers localenteprereur hie peo- lear compan otapthe gas "Yeu got the cake now thequeston show doyoueate?” ‘aijlienMoatin prsitent ef Franjaise De Energi aceanet eta) company thats working ‘wth ironon snd de Donate to veo wit ydogen project. thal oesaccordingtopanin lorraine, new delling vlletaet exter nithan advanced probe that akegassamplestnmas farae Li miles below groune, vwththeaimof ecracong nau taller 2027 0 2578 “"Aemight hove areallycko gen factory hidden uncer our fet? deDombosad"s3cause forscalexdterent” YTJAKARTA Indonesia’s Marapi volcano erupts, spewing ash 3,000 m into the air AFP Indonesia's Marapi volcano in West Sumatra erupted on Sunday, spewing volcanic ash as high as 3,000 m into the air. The 2,891 m high volcano erupted at 2.54 p.m. local time. Officials have set the second-highest alert level for Marapi mountain and barred residents from carrying out any activities within 3 km of the crater. REUTERSSundown match Unmindful of the fading light, a group of youngsters engrossed in football at Puthuvype island ini Kochi, Kerala, THULASI KAKKATMAURITANIA MALI SENEGAL THE GAMBIA—— BURKINA FASO GUINEA BISSAU Cee FREETOWN COTE SIERRA D'IVOIRE GHANA LEONE wperia ATLANTIC OCEAN © Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.FREETOW Sierra Leone signs MOU with China firm for Freetown bridge Sierra Leone has signed a memorandum of understanding with China Road and Bridge Corporation and Atepa Group's architectural firm to build an 8-km bridge with an estimated cost of about $1.5 billion, the government said. The bridge will link the capital Freetown to the town of Lungi, which is an airport hub. REUTERSIndia has voted in favour of a draft resolution in the UN General Assembly that expressed deep concern over Israel not withdrawing from the Golan Heiahts. About Golan Heights « Itis a rocky plateau in south-western Syria, about 60km (40 miles) south- west of the Capital, Damascus. —————— « tis bounded by the Jordan River and the Sea of Galilee on the west, Mount Hermon on the north, the seasonal Wadi Al-Ruqqad River on the east, and the Yarmdk River on the south. * The Golan extends about 44 miles (71 km) from north to south and about 27 miles (43 km) from east to west at its widest point. - « \tis roughly boat-shaped and has an area of 1,150 square km.Agence France-Presse KYIV Russia was intensely at- tacking the Neither side has made significant breakthroughs on the battlefield for weeks, as Moscow’s inva- sion drags on for a 22nd month. In recent weeks, Russia has focused its efforts on “The enemy continues offensive actions near Av- Moscow controls the territories to north, east and south of Avdiivka, which is just 10 km from the Moscow-held city of Donetsk diivka,” the Ukrainian Ar- my said. It said Moscow’s forces had launched “more than 150” attacks on Ukrainian positions. A day earlier, Ukraine said it had “repelled” two dozen attacks around Avdiivka. Kyiv did not report gains or losses in the area. But the U.S.-based Insti- tute for the Study of War said “Russian forces made confirmed advances north- west and southeast of Avdi- ivka” over the weekend. Moscow controls areas to the north, east and south of Avdiivka, which lies just 10 km from the Moscow- held city of Donetsk. tiny village of Robotyne in August, announcing a stra- tegic victory in its counter- offensive. But Russia has attacked Robotyne since, with Ukraine appearing to struggle to hold on.weighs atrilion metrictonnes and is thiee-times lasger than New York des, driven by strong winds and currents, REUTERS ——— SSPEE I nn BEIJING China holds military drills along violence-hit Myanmar border REUTERS be China began military exercises along its border with Myanmar and urged its citizens to leave the north of that country, which has been beset by fighting since last month. Clashes have intensified in large areas of Myanmar’s northern Shan state, close to the Chinese border, forcing more than 80,000 people to leave their homes. AFP‘ands tracrecord nua rights Whati is the ruling against the |s:5 Padmashree Anzndkan "The story so far, he government policy ef the q] for the transfer of axyium seekers not considered bythe ‘Uk, of creating « mechanism Ua ioRovanda, tas been ruled as ‘Udawilby the UK, Supreme Court iby Inadiniablity lawseo! the UX's ayn sstem plays key role ncaeacrs peoplewtho emer the Kthrotgh ‘regula journeys" asch asthe! Clune. According to dae Nemorandurn cf Understandingbetween the ovo ing ch eatens he 1K ceeen agyam secker appeals and arrange for safe & ‘ranxport to Rwanda. On ara otthe refigees, Ruan Is obliged te previ exommodaton for every individual and protect them fm llereaunent and {etpulement, Randa WilDe the sole auhoet to recognise ce ne recogrise {he vfugoe statu oa individual fan Indl nov recognised, ey Wil be rovedto the county of ong Why did the Uk. chovoe wands? wand ets three solavons fr those sent out bythe UK. Irficliates ‘turing then t thei county of ergs Ielps in moving them to atid country, cornet them sew n Hovanda wih Secent housing. acess io universe hea Inautace andthe rghtto work The Uk ‘Wl bear he acctxtmodation ated rare oss, Rwanda was not the fst country to beapprnached, Former Prime Minster ‘Tony ai tempted to peraunce ‘Tanzania for asylum chs but fale. [rans colonial history allen: with the ‘aren scenari where frsed 0 partcula sections of migrant lat the real sk of refoulerment. While ‘anda has becrme hey patie of te U.K, the court highlighted the periods of ‘iciance in fivanda since 1034 and how shhumaa ight record was viewed as ‘ca fr he us, ‘Why are domestic responses mised? ‘The reason betind diferent perceptions certain tenors the UX has, intne | isthe uncertainty over the legality oF te past, moned refugees colonised arrangement and treatment ofthe unter under theguseof development | refugees niovanda. and economik grow. The MEDP According to cv sockay brangementresenates wi thiscolonial | onganiattons, double vlunearism rom Scheme of dispersing refigees. the Land wanda create asate ttanst or guaranteeing righ Wy was ruled unlawful? [npastie. The UNHCR cel tates th “The ulng was based on tW0 mir oncea refugee entersa tesritoey vat iand Issues One, the Cour of Appeals forse t hecomesthe responsstty ofthe fcndemen to Sntervene inthe High fespecive country to enaure te safety cf (Cours ruling, and wo,u'the outor | merefugee. mins ease, Me UK. cannot ‘Appeal Tudlooked imothsrealrikfor | herelieved fom ths duty even after the fylum seckerswhen moved to Rwanda. | tanser ofthe tofu to Rwanda, While Onthefist the Supreme Courtfourdthe | dhe UK. government argues ore: ‘igh Court decision tobe erred," dueto | simutaneous investment in refugees an fstahiretoconsiderthe evidence ottye | Rwanda’ eccnoms for development, the Hiskofreloulement. inde the European | doubts oer refulemore and the (Cour, iis the Like respensiiliy ava | Enplicaions to otter EU couaries a not emovingsatetoprocect the refugee | seem to end. Ts might tigger other EL fromrefoulementand ensureasslar. | nations to consider sich Gepertation Intend, the ligh Courtrocognized te | schemeslesding oa deaine i expertise and premise of Swan, Thumaniterin sandands and creating sks Second; the Supreme Cour found | fr refugees in thie-paty counties. tvidencethatarylum seekers aceareal |" Theuniter ica Research Associate at the fiskofiltreatmeatfiom reloulement. | National itce of Advanced Stu. ‘THE GIST Theanemmaresoleyotthe forthe tance af aan ‘Sets crsteedy th Uk tf hae rer ult suniowfley he Ue The Supreme out une fascismBeez rcNational. , _eCyanlka des Volcans «9 Gatuna ( a = ade i Gabil Ah i _ @Gisenyl iva : \ pakibuye Nyunpwe:torest eCyangugu — #Gikongoro -Butaree eBugarana® Burigh: Oe 50 km 0 — 30 milesBURKINA FASO AGUA NIGERIA Tat Gaps coast Cope Pee ‘Ponts Gulf of Guinea SAOTOME AND PRIVCIPE SAOTOMED @WorldAtias ATLANTIC OCEANeng tte ee eee —Ea=> ams SEE The Indian Navy recently completed its second anti-piracy patrol in the Gulf of a _-Suinea(GoS) in the Atlantic Ocean, with the Offshore Patrol Vessel INS Sumedha playing a pivotal role in this mission _——_——d. Chitral KhambhatiIceland volcano Fagradalsfjall ye --— Tunnel of magma x ) pee ’ ae t Fagradalsfjall volcano Blue Lagoon e 4 2 ‘ “Grindavik Reykjanes peninsula 10km Google 5 miles BoweJAKARTA About 250 Rohingya refugees in Indonesia sent back to sea About 250 Rohingya refugees were turned away from Indonesia and sent back to sea. The pol from the persecuted Myanmar minority arrived off the coast of Ace ince but locals told them not to land. Some of them swam ‘ashore and collapsed on the beach before being pushed back onto their overcrowded boat. AFPThe new flare-up in Myanmar Overthe past week, resistance forces have captured two towns close to the India-Myanmar border, The coordinated offensive by the rebelsis the stiffest challenge to the junta since the coup of February 2021 SUKRITABARUAH GUWAHATL NOVEMBER? ‘THE MINISTRY of External Affaies on ‘Thursday expressed" deep concer over the ‘ongoing fightingin the (Seg) ‘Myanmar tis been inflame ever since themiltarysezecpemeron Fobra 2021 the day the new patlament elcid ater: November 2020 secon nto comens. Fie Arined Organisations [EAOs) have “Rinedanmes cian soups cals Peoples Defenceforces("D] alae the coun sn(sel-decandNatooalling Canes mele (olakeonthesaltary ‘Overthepast week teresitanceforces have capeured two toyms ose thelndla= Myanmar borer ese iging Tefal ofthe ater, dar, has ested in he infoxof seme 000reigeesinto Micra. ‘When and how didthecurrentroundof ‘ightingbezin? began on October 27 with surprise at- ‘acksinshan Staten Neth Myanmar along, the border with China, by the Thece Brohethnad Altace afoot the EAs — the Mjanmar NasonalDemocatc Alane ‘Aumy (MNDAA), the T'ang National erton Army, and the Aran Ary The flensive was tamed Operation 1027 after ‘he date on which twas launches. ‘Theretance free reperted hae ‘verano than TOO itary utpostsin Shanslateand seed contil orca bor der towns and checkpoints, including The ‘ebelsare now pushingtowarsLaukalthe ‘antalofShan tae Kolanerezion where {he MNDAA hasbeen active for more than fhreedecade, ghting has aso broken out elsewhere Inte county ley variuslocal resistance forces ~ in How sthe current situation different ‘fromthe protesteand fighting ofthe last ‘woyears? Despite a brutal crackdown against the EAOs and PDFs, including carrying out aisaieson rebel gatherings, the junta has hot suceeded nestablisting contol over large prtsof the couny-Theongingsauli- prongedoffensivey theresstancefocesis sens the tiffest challenge tothe junta since the coup more than two anda half yearsano, ‘Among those who edt Mizoramafter BRikiawdar vas captured by Chin ihr, ‘issn othe Moana ad poke tel geapshie tame ter berso the pnt ces sutendred shower a Tse ie, president of the Se arse one SA hich me thecountry.sreported ohare cattoned stocthefnermenscoeenrsberny manage netshapening he deren theca espa soupare. ‘gaan Chowan. an Associate flow tthe Conor oy Hosea [Cero wers on yanmar ht ‘fsonushertncsrentofeae tet precedes anne ‘aust goupsandtheinaieya he snitayromeuntan seas spo “its mefistine dar wereseeinga proper cordinated aac oy the tee goupsin the Thee Brosherbod Alliance) Since the coup There was coorinated at- {ackin20i9tn, butted tae mh, This time they have captured an unprece- dented expanteofterntoy inthe Nort. “Thema snot beingabietorspond ith proportionate fore and as been une sbletogethetenitoryback. Fightingsprt and movaets ow among the tank and leat ‘themiary.rombasets base ete batae Jonshave surrendered without a fight” Chouchuny sl Sohiowmuch of athreatto th juntas position does Operation 1027 pose? Tnajoinstaxerent sudo October, thetheeroupshadsaidtheirobjectie as “eradicating the oppressive military dica- twnship, shared aspiration ofthe entre Myanmar populace Wile is indeed ut ddr unprecedented pressure inthe frontier fares, the junta remains in contol of the ‘Bama esrland in Central Myanmac “This (the coordinated, multipronged ‘bel offensive) seu orthem hati hy ‘heyaresruggingtorespandonthe ground, Many ofthe rads are bloke and many of theinfancy don't want to tae the is, they ate relying more and more on ar at- ks Buta atacks arco. oc se sigofthepresurconthejunaleaderstin. yen before 127, the mia commander ‘n-chief Min Aung Hlaing bad purged his Home Minister and Defence Minister, Choudhury ssid “The resstanceinShanStateappearstobe seceiving tacit support ftom China ‘Myanmar giantneihbourandbiggtrade partner Chinahasbeen pressing military ‘vernment ~ without mach sucess ~ 10 ‘Gadedeymenthendlavesof"cam cere ‘on the Ranmar.China bode, which have then aging Chinese citizens. The rebel (October 27 statementon the other hand ‘mentioned hat thy intended ‘combat he ‘widespread online gambling aud that as plagued Myanmar, particularly along the (hina Myanmar border. Inan2nalysis. the nied States institute cffeace(USP apeaeacadem established bayCongess laggedthe oe of Chinn the rebels progres, “wiilethe operation lal ook weeks of planning, i foloncd a tragic incident on ‘October 20in ch guards outsideaKokang GF (Border Guard Force ofthe Myanmar amped forces) scam compound klled ml ‘Spe Chinese and Thal nda allegedly Incdinguvercver Chinese police The i ‘iden certain infuriated China. said the ‘commentary by Priscila A pp ad jason ‘Tower “Whe the ait to pit Operation 1027 asaneflortoscre Cree nest arin the criminal compounds he Santa forces would ave risked strong ‘hinesdspprvaand posse preven steachanstvonintorer eerie Support was therfore essa he ape ths ices sh (Naaru Toning Contras oer ni Ci) What does thisstuation mean fornia?Arunachal Pradesh MYANMAR CHIN STATE a) RAKHINE STATE BANGLADES NAYPYIDAW Bay Of Bengal THAILANDeesti) een from Mount Mount Etna, Europe's most active vo Del Cane, Italy N REUTERS) 10, lights up the night sk na Walk/By Giuseppe Di Ste h eruptions as 10 & Marco Restivo/Handout v mber Mount Etna erupts: Why some volcanoes just keep spewing lava Whether it's Mount Etna in Italy, Iceland's Fagradalsfjall or Hawaii's Kilauea, active volcanoes are a natural, constant threat — and a draw for tourists. a —— ss November 14, 2023 News of volcanic eruptions only reaches the headlines when the big ones erupt — Mauna Loa, Merapi, Eyjafjallajékull or Fagradalsfjall — but at any time during a given year, there jay be as many as 50 to 80 fresh eruptions around the world. x Data from the Smithsonian Institution's Global Volcanism Program suggests that 56 volcanoes erupted in the first six months of 2023. In November 2023, shifting magma under the Earth's crust triggered hundreds of earthquakes around the town of Grindavik in Iceland, with seismologists warning the quakes could be a precursor to a volcanic eruption. Italy's Mount Etna, which is one of the world's most active volcanoes, was causing public concern as well — it started erupting the year before. So, let's take a closer look at Etna. AdvertisementWhat is a volcano’ The US Geological Survey sums it up nicely: “Volcanoes are openings, or vents where lava, tephra (small rocks), and steam erupt onto the Earth's surface.” Volcanoes can be on land and in the ocean. They are, in part, a result of their own eruptions but also the general formation of our planet, as tectonic plates move. Mountain ranges like the Andes in South America and the Rockies in North America, as well as volcanoes, formed through the movement and collision of tectonic plates. [Ee — There are four main types of volcanoes: cinder cones, composite or stratoyolcanoes..shield volcanoes and lava domes. Their type is determined by how the lava from an eruption flows and how that flow affects the volcano, and, as a result, how it affects its surrounding environment. How do volcanoes erupt? Essentially, it's a case of magma, or molten rock, below the surface of the Earth, bubbling up, rising and overflowing, like boiling milk out of a pot on a stove. The magma finds its way to vents in the volcano and gets spewed across the land and into the atmosphere. When magma erupts from a volcano, it is called lava. Volcanoes particularly active in Pacific Ring of Fire Some of the most active volcanoes are located in the Pacific Ring of Fire, which includes New Zealand, Southeast Asia, Japan and the western coast of the Americas. About 90% of all earthquakes worldwide strike within this region. ————— eeOnce upon a time, a plan to join Red Sea with Mediterranean through Israel [ARJUNSENGUPTA NEW DEL, NOVEMBER 13 ITHAS Len speculated that ae ofthe a. ‘sustchindlvelscestetnebnnae bie ‘Homine Gaia snpardcompery convo, theercaveisto ge ite thechacetobet ‘orexplorshenrtiealbutdaraleeo. omic opportunity that hasbeen talked ule sews decds buna Ssnepaisalsubiry a bene ‘Bonicaneseia ponte. fkteal pote nl funding evallenges fwbich inthe curren tac mae secre asc Ts) Salience of the Suez Theconaltioughilsth nus Suez nicopereie 1869, evolutionised gobal smarter by slowing shiping be ‘ween Europeand Aawithouthava trav aoue the continent a Aa cat eastncenxtvenLendon ane Numa Iwasagwering 4 450k (maretan 4%. ngs 2022 2 fecal yar aound26,000 esses csi the Ser anal scone rayproumately isso gooaishippng (ft) The 1063S gout "memorandum that presented a possibie alignment for the canal. ‘Thecanaleticalto theeconomy of gpl which elect sllthetol verve generated Inaddition tothe bene it ‘ngs tslo‘aleonany, Issues with the canal ‘The103 em ong 205i wide nde despSier Canalis the welds biggest ingbottenesk, ancremains perennially ‘angested In March 2921, he mammoth ag Sip Bve Ghengutstuckin the ana, Doc passage or morethan week ai fassng afc jam thai held pan est ‘mated $86 bilan gsatsevery dy ‘Aso, Egyptscentsove:thewateway us been soureofeentia foramas 7) veats now in 1956 theUK France, and Seal ataced Faypeafon Present Canal Abdel Naser deeded ty nationals the {a The Suis canal vaca te ocd Dantofbomthe 967 and 1873 Aas tans and assur Fem 167-75. ‘AWestern alternative itrevatsuncen when the fst on- snes anor thgpnglanethraghlsae ‘anssbggnsed ne te USDeparter ‘of oegy commissionedastedy to deter mie te tecinlagcal easily ofc strctingacanaltnaughisiae Conhacted By HD Maccabee of the Lawrence Lette National abcratony. the study lookedatthe possbatyousigoureda lea egies tobi avy fortecana Te figh) casifed nerotandur = suecion July, 16s, Maccabeepresenteda possbiealznmetorthecara themode Sfeenatrcien ada the erro wae decasiiedia 1955 The Ben GuatonCenal Pojer,namedalter Brae s founding = the David Ben Gurion 1886-19733. Imainconeoftnrosnbcetc ‘Rreprojecsever planned onpepe. Hurdlesin the way ‘Such peje unuldbeeremay cars plexandhugely expensive —ieweul est Fhuchissto wien teSuezcactandsohe Ista probem.Akoausngeudeatexlo- ‘ont would he serenely ky apson. ‘The proposedoute cf hebenCiuron'Canal vousover 10) kung ha hese Damani eueiomuatonsernerranard Topography: len ult may sins stl four the oer shove ete LONGER VERSION lndiorexpress.comierpanedRecently, a new island emerged near Japan's Ogasawara island chain after an undersea volcano erupted. ccs. About Phreatomagmatic eruption EE TED Anew island near Japan's Ogasawara island chain was formed by a phreatomagmatic eruption. <-ssssssstnan RS RY e tis an eruption that involves both magma and water. * Ittypically interacts explosively leading to concurrent ejection of steam and pyroclastic fragments. = es * Phreatomagmatic ash is formed by the same mechanism over a wide range of basic and acidic compositions. * Ablocky and uniform crust with low vesicle content is formed. * Deposits from phreatomagmatic eruptions are thought to be better classified and finer-grained than those from magmatic eruptions. * This is the result of higher fragmentation of phreatomagmatic eruptions. Key facts about Ogasawara Islands * The Ogasawara Islands are located in the North-Western Pacific Ocean. * [tis also known as the Bonin Islands. se TS * Itis a volcanic arc comprising more than 30 islands and islets. * The landscape is dominated by subtropical forest types and sclerophyllous shrublands surrounded by steep cliffs. * tis one of the famous UNESCO World Heritage sites of Japan.About Lake Titicaca TT; « tis the highest navigable body of water in the world. A e tis located at 3,810 metres above sea level in the Andes Mountains of South America. —_—_—_—_—_—_———_— ———— * Itlies on the border between Peru to the west and Bolivia to the east. ee ee! * Titicaca is the second-largest lake in South America (after Maracaibo). « It covers some 8,300 square km and extends in a northwest-to-southeast direction for a distance of 190 km. « Itis 50 miles (80 km) across at its widest point. « Anarrow strait, Tiquina, separates the lake into two bodies of water. SRI * The lake averages between 140 and 180 metres in depth, but the bottom tilts sharply toward the Bolivian shore. « The lake is 284 m deep at its deepest point, located in the northeastern section of the lake. e More than 25 rivers empty their waters into Titicaca; the largest, the Ramis, drains about two-fifths of the entire Titicaca Basin. * Forty-one islands rise from Titicaca’s waters, the largest of which, Titicaca Island, can be seen just off the tip of the Copacabana Peninsula in Bolivi « Lake Titicaca is a designated Ramsar Site of International Importance.esac Lava spurts and flows after the eruption of a (Civil Protection of Iceland via REUTERS/File/Ri As thousands of earthquakes rock Iceland, a volcanic eruption to follow? The Iceland Met Office has said that there is a “considerable” likelihood of a volcanic eruption occurring over the next few days. What has this got to do with earthquakes? 2, 202: Nover by Arjun Sengupta A state of emergency has been declared in Iceland, after a swarm of 800 earthquakes rocked the island country’s southwestern Reykjanes peninsula in under 14 hours on Friday (November 10) —— Around 1,400 earthquakes were measured in the previous 24 hours, and over 24,000 have been recorded in the peninsula since late October. The most powerful of these quakes had a magnitude of 5.2, and hit about 40 km from Reykjavik, Iceland's capital, on Friday. Since Friday, seismic activity has somewhat diminished but not stopped. Scientists say it is unlikely to, anytime soon. Just what is happening in Iceland? Iceland is located on the Mid-Atlantic Ridge, technically the longest mountain range in the world, but on the floor of the Atlantic Ocean. The ridge separates the Eurasian and North American tectonic plates — making it a hotbed of seismic activity.wecivicw. A report by the US Geological Survey (USGS) revealed that around 400 earthquakes have been recorded under Mount St Helens since mid-July this year. About Mount St Helens 7 : es, e Itisa volcanic peak in the Cascade Range of southwestern Washington, United States of America. EEE a e Itis part of the larger Pacific Ring of Fire. of [eT e The volcano was formed during four eruptive stages beginning about 275,000 years ago and has been the most active volcano in the Cascade Range during the Holocene. « Its eruption on May 18, 1980, was one of the greatest volcanic explosions ever recorded in North America. ad SSS eSCan go all the way to Amarnath shrine by car, Says BRO—here’s how BASHAARATMASOOD SRNAGAR NOVEMBER O PROJECT BEACON of he Border Foals ‘rganisaon (BRO) tas been woringon esoringandimproving theroad the dovarthcaveshina lest inthe cadldmaljasofloshostidteraley ‘Ouovas2 et psi va X(b- ‘ely ter) Ww) wwe: a vehicles arove allthe woytothehalycaeferhefittime ‘evr Ths came after iin Cadkat Union Minis for Ron Dauspor ap igs, ‘Suneel anew maatotheshrneenlet thisyeat ‘Access toAmarnath till now ~THEPATHTO ‘Domalt | Mbtrabe UrectaledRoad /AMARNATH ati ‘aagamorsenamag inthe ude Vat. 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BRO enters the picture ederian tad bo emit ad ‘Chancanwat othe shine were matt tained the akegovoramonts Reads Bullings (P88 departnent. asepenber "222th weenie oer the BO Tor imaitenanceand improvement. Roeficblesad hate eatingrcks on theBaltalcoutlave beer wicened Upto 1 ee Tass enough or cs ae lokup vetidestoarveat te waytothe GuestmneChunks ofice break off from an ice shelf in Antarctica. Wikimedia Commons ALIND CHAUHAN NEW DELHI, NOVEMBER 10 ‘THE RAPID melting of West Antarctica’s ice sheet due to warm waters around itis, now unavoidable, no matter how much carbon emissions are cut, according toa stud ‘sheet Saceteatetes 53metres or 174 feet —a| ee Belen oa ies Evenin abest-case scenario of limiting ‘slobal warmingtto 15 degree Celsiusabove pre-industrial levels, water in West Antarctica will continue to get warmer three timesfasterthan in the 20th century Jeading to an increased melting of the re- 1/000 mi 0 500 1,000 km CHINA ~ © Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.The Klyuchevskoy volcano, one ofthe highest active volcanoes in the world, erupts in Russia's northern Kamchatka Peninsula on October 28, 2023, Huge ash columns erupted from Euresia's tallest active volcano on November 3, forcing authorities to close schools n two townsin the region. 42About Dead Sea The Dead Sea, also called the Salt Sea, is a salt lake bordering Jordan to the east and Israel to the west. ee « However, the western shores southern half belongs to Israel, while the shore’s northern half is in the West Bank, an area claimed by both Israel and Palestine. ——— — It lies to the east of the Mediterranean Sea and south of the Sea of Galilee. al ——_—— —— It lies in the Jordan Rift Valley and is fed mainly by the Jordan River, which enters the lake from the north. It does not have an outlet, and so it loses its water mainly through evaporation. Its surface and shores are 427 metres below sea level, Earth's lowest elevation on land. It is 306 m deep, the deepest hypersaline lake in the world. With 34.2% salinity (in 2011), it is also one of the world’s saltiest bodies of water, though Lake Vanda in Antarctica (35%), Lake Assal (Djibouti) (34.8%), Lagoon Garabogazkél in the Caspian Sea (up to 35%), and some hypersaline ponds and lakes of the McMurdo Dry Valleys in Antarctica (such as Don Juan Pond (44%)) have reported higher salinities. It is almost ten times saltier than ordinary seawaters. This salinity makes for a harsh environment in which animals cannot flourish, hence its name. It is 50 kilometres long and 15 kilometres wide at its widest point. The Dead Sea seawater has a density of 1.240 kg/L, which makes swimming in its waters similar to floating. 8iq This aerial view shows a burnt forest in the Evros region, near the village of Dadia in Greece, on October 26, 2022. The European Union has said that the Dadia fire was the largest in Europe's recorded history, ravaging more than 900'sq. km of land in three days, including a large chunk of a biodiverse ecosystem, and destroyed swathes of pasture land. AFP cm B >What is the history of this idea? ‘The earliest proposal to bringing the two seas of Thailand together came from the That monarch Narai the Great of the Ayutthaya Kingdom in 1677. Almost 200 years before the opening of the Suez Canal across the isthmus that joined Africa and Asia revolutionised the maritime commerce of Europe, King Narai had envisioned a canal across the Isthmus of Kra. Kra-Kanal = oe Prolelivafian und Lage i im Hauptschifffahrtsnetz ‘Sud- chinesisches Meer Golf von see ~ Thailand Indischer Ozean siadlichste Projekivariante heutige Varianten des Kenalprojekis Ratt Ronee 2 3 Wiese Map showing the proposed routes of the Kra Canal. (Wikimedia Commons)Express Explained Thailand's Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin (left). The doodle of a map of Thailand with a part of the peninsula highlighted, which Srettha posted recently on X (right). (Photo: Wikimedia Commons) A ‘land bridge’ across Thailand’s Kra Isthmus: What is this centuries-old idea, resurrected again? The initial idea was of a 90-km canal joining the Andaman Sea and Gulf of Thailand. Now it is a China-backed economic corridor with ports on both sides. The project could take away the critical value of the Strait of Malacca — but is it doable? November 2, 2023 by Alind ChauhanSe NTT) CLIMATE] NEPAL'S MOUNTAINS LOSE ‘ONE-THIRD OF THEIR ICE’: POTENTIAL IMPACT NEPAL'S SNOW-capped mountains have lost close to one-third of their ice in over 30 years due to global warming, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said on Monday after a visit to the area near Mount Everest, the world's highest peak. Climate scientists say the earth's temperature has in- creased by an average of 0.74 degrees Celsius over the past 100 years, but warming across South Asia's Himalayas has been greater than the global averages. Glaciers in Nepal, wedged between two ma- jor carbon polluters — India and China — melted 65% faster in the last decade than in the previous one, the UN chief said ina video message after visiting the Solukhumbu region. “am here today to cry out from the rooftop of the world: stop the madness," he said, calling for an end to the "fossil fuel age" with the warning that melting Antonio Guterres in Lalitpur, Nepal, on Sunday. AP glaciers would mean swollen lakes and rivers sweeping away entire communi- ties, and seas rising at record rates, Glaciers in the Hindu-Kush Himalaya could lose up to 75% of their volume by century's end due to global warming, sci- entists said in a report pub- lished in June this year, causing dangerous flooding and water shortages for 240 million people who live in the mountainous region. Climbers returning from Everest have said the moun- tain was dryer and greyer now. "Record temperatures mean record glacier melt. Nepal has lost close to one- third ofits ice in just over 30 years," Guterres, who is on a four-day visit to the coun- try, said. He also urged countries to limit global temperature rise to 1.5 degrees Celsius to avert "the worst of climate chaos". REUTERSExercise KAZIND-2023 Indian Army and Indian Air Force contingent departed for Kazakhstan to participate in the a 7* edition of Joint Military 'Exercise KAZIND-2023'. = The exercise will occujfin Otar, 2023. ‘azakhstan from 30*" October to 11" November, — = The exercise between India and Kazakhstan began as "Exercise PRABAL DOSTYK" in 2016. After the second edition, it was renamed "Exercise KAZIND" and upgraded to a = company_level exercise. This year, i was further Upgraded to a bi-service exercise with the inclusion of the Air Force component. ——_— © In this edition, both sides will practice counter-terrorism operations in a sub- conventional environment under a United Nations mandate.oarajuicial ilings bythe Macro THE GIST ‘Moreover, tsb someans certain hat Me. Machado, fom the Verte Venemie pty, woud allowed wtakeon The fden aémintation had Present peedta en yen Srl sancne gsit the ourrys 0 gs andi inde merchange fr Dre ie acs for condi ee naar ‘tesore Yona 224 What has caused the recent thaw in U.S.-Venezuela ties? What role did the ongoing war between Russia and Ukraine play in the relief of sanctions against the Lain American country? Why Was Machado disqualified from public office? ononth the effects ofthe energy tls secretion pwiany |, [Geng from dhs conf. Another , srl held oPbvr the electorate and.” Wihinweshs cd theFebriry dimension tothe re engagement were the mento reverse the 222 nes, the ier ponies over Ve patel ela thervad abead? Dutterfardine stance, sochas _agnnteatondepithedtop ‘ty mphcstons of oxcow'bachigggl@e veesudaneppocicn hat rected gerard for Present Nature tobe ict maotte wth fits Latin American alles nthe soneplaing c tvony n yg x warcines, apper Caracas the courte withthe 2 deepen caf bere is inthe arias foam saci onthe verament "elfsngato marvin st eS Sen ‘energy crisis issuing from the xe ‘incon agate country Sd minngiidasras mn ectange br - Presid Nese Mire condi fee 3 and fai dlectioas in Venezuela in 2004. whol Tn office nce 2013, would ais Commatachic bas wen rane COSINE Nmaancppestn Why now? ier Madar has inset bs Bronce Tar ofthe expiration the ed uaze by erational hat the gna of seengerment vcs Wag neg at is tt wn4 & « sCaribbean Sea, Grenada SBIG SHOT x ‘Archaeologists and residents gather around rock paintings atthe Ponta das Lajes archaeological site in a rural area of Manaus, Bazi, on Saturday. The archaeological site was exposed following a drought in the Negro Rive, unvelling rock paintings that, according to archaeologists date back between 1,000 and 2,000 years. -A2/PT| cw 210° C A CIFIC 9s CEAN |iEAST. CHINA SEA PHILIPPINES SEA SOUTH D CHINA PHILIPPINES M SEA THAILAND P * ANDAMAN SEA NORTH - PACIFIC OCEAN a on RY INDONESIA = INDIAN 2 OCEANAbout East China Sea ES * [tis an arm of the Western Pacific Ocean, located in East Asia. TT * Itcovers an area of roughly 1,249,000 square kilometers (482,000 sq mi). [tis situated between the eastern coast of China, including the Shanghai coast, and the southwestern coast of Japan, including the Ryukyu Islands. e The Korean peninsula, China, Japan, and Taiwan lie within or border the East China Sea. Seer e The East China Sea and the South China Sea together form the China Sea ae It connects with the Japan Sea via the Tsushima Strait and the South hina Sea via the Taiwan Strait. —_—_— — Its northern extension between mainland China and the Korean Peninsula is the Yellow Sea. —=> ential * Itis largely a shallow sea. The western edge of the sea is a continuation of the shelf that extends between the South China Sea and the Yellow Sea: Rivers: The Yellow River (Huanghe) and the Yangtze River (Changjiang) discharge into the East China Sea, providing much fresh water and suspended particles. « Weather is dominated by the monsoon wind system, the result of differential heating between land and water. « Islands: The sea contains several islands, with the most significant being the Ryukyu Islands, which are part of Japan, and the Diaoyu Islands (known as the Senkaku Islands in Japan), which are a source territorial dispute between China and Japan.About Bering Sea « [tis a marginal sea in the northernmost part of the Pacific Ocean, separating the continents of Asia and North America. « To the north, the Bering Sea connects with the Arctic Ocean through the Bering Strait, at the narrowest point of which the two continents are about 53 miles (85 kilometres) apart. « tis bordered by the US state of Alaska to the east and northeast, the Kamchatka Peninsula and the Far Eastern region of Russia in the west, and the chain of the Aleutian Islands in the south. « The boundary between the United States and Russia passes through the sea and the strait. * The Bering Sea can be divided into two equal portions: a shallow area along the continental shelf in the northern and eastern parts of the sea, and a deeper area in its southwestern part. * The Bering Strait is a relatively shallow passage, averaging 100 to 165 feet (30 to 50 metres) in depth. * Canyons: o There are about 16 submarine canyons in the Bering Sea. Situated in the sea’s center is a large underwater canyon known as the Zhemchug Canyon. It is also the world’s largest and deepest submarine canyon. * Rivers: The two rivers that drain into the sea are the Anadyr and the Yukon Rivers. « Islands: © In addition to the Aleutian and Komandor groups, there are several other large islands in both the sea and strait. © These include Nunivak, St. Lawrence, and Nelson islands in Alaskan waters and Karagin Island in Russian waters. world. Each year, millions of birds and hundreds of thousands of mai e Springtime in the Bering Strait brings one of the largest migrations in a mammals follow retreating sea ice north through the Bering Strait.ARCTICOCEAN L Sg as . \ fe, BEAUFORT SEA _- a = A, cHUKCHI tL TNO ont 5, fir SEA ye 4 re ay 2 Oe ‘ ~ Sy ae NE ie ~ i BE ALASKA fe (UNITED STATES) CANADA t \ BERING SEA an, XS Thee . O20 400 mi PACIFIC OCEAN 0 200 400km ~ © Encyclopaedia Britannica, Inc.Soaring Tensions Between Kosovo And Serbia The European Union (EU) and the US along with diplomats from Germany, France, and Italy are calling on Kosovo and Serbia to restart their dialogue in an effort to reduce the escalating tensions between the two nations. = > Kosovo and Serbia both aspire to join the EU, but they have been to ld to resolve their differences first. Western powers are pushing for the implementation ofa 10-point plan proposed by the EU to resolve political crises. a eo Akey point of contention is the establishment of the Association of Serb- Majority Municipalities (ASM) in Kosovo, which has faced legal challenges. = > Conflict between two countries dates back to 2008 when Kosovo unilaterally declared independence from Serbia. Kosovo's independence has been recognized by a significant number of countries but Serbia does not recognize Kosovo's sovereignty which led to border disputes.Place in News TTT (Capital: Porto-Novo) > MEA said India is Benin's largest trade partner and significant investor. > Political Boundaries > Burkina Faso (northwest), Nigeria (east), Togo (west), Niger (North), Atlantic ocean ALGERIA tia CAMEROON i \ f \ 1 \ (South). I i > Bight of Benin is a bay in | MAURITANIA z = MALL Atlantic Ocean bordering t NigeR aio Benin. i i i F i “ae > Niger River forms Benin’s j GUINEA border with Niger. \ ETenaM NIGERIA \ DwVOIRE—— .PorTO-NOvO ceNTAAL oz wn ont \ Ve => Atakora Mountains in the northwest, form a continuation of the Togo 24%& 25% October, 2023 Mountains fo south. > Other major rivers: Mono, Couffo, and Oueme. > Highest point: Mount Sokbaro > Lowest point: Atlantic OceanAbout Gulf of Guinea: ——— e Itis the northeasternmost portion of the tropical Atlantic Ocean, located off the western coast of the African continent. e [tis found at the junction of the Prime Meridian and the Equator at 0°0’N and 0°0'E. e The area covers 2.3 million square kilometers, with approximately 6,000 kilometers of coastline. e [thas anarrow continental shelf. e [thas warm tropical waters with relatively low salinity because of the ri that drain into it and also due to the high rainfall in the region. e Its major tributaries are the Volta and Niger rivers. e Coastline: o The 16 coastal countries that are situated along the Gulf of Guinea are Angola, Benin, Cameroon, Cote d'Ivoire, Democratic Republic of Congo, Republic of Congo, Guinea, Equatorial Guinea, Guinea-Bissau, Gabon, Nigeria, Ghana, SAo Tomé and Principe, Togo, and Sierra Leone.