As was the case with the Chamoli accident in February, when a Himalayan mountain's slope collapsed and crashed into the valley below. It sparked off a chain reaction of devastation that claimed the lives of over 200 people and ruined hydro-electric infrastructure worth hundreds of millions of dollars.You may have seen some of the shared mobile phone footage at the time. A terrifying wall of sludge is rushing downslope, sweeping everything in its path away. A full analysis of what transpired has now been released by an international collaboration of more than 50 researchers. It uses a variety of data sources, including satellite photos and field observations. It's a depressing read with numbers that, to be honest, are nearly unfathomable The accident occurred near the summit of the 6km-high Ronti Peak in the Chamoli region of Uttarakhand, India. A 500-meter-wide, 180-meter-thick chunk of glacier-covered rock suddenly gave way. According to the researchers, about 27 million cubic...
China's activities, notably the expansion of its nuclear weapons, have put the "rules-based international order" at jeopardy, according to Nato. It was the first time Nato had put China at the top of its priority list. China responded by stating that its defense policy is "defensive in nature" and urging Nato to "dedicate more of its energies to promote dialogue." In a statement, China's envoy to the European Union said, "Our pursuit of defense and military modernization is justifiable, rational, open, and transparent." It went on to say that Nato should take a "rational" approach to China's development and "avoid using China's legitimate interests and rights as an excuse to influence bloc politics, foment conflict, and fuel geopolitical competition." On Monday, Nato issued a statement at the conclusion of a one-day conference in Brussels. It was Joe Biden's first NATO meeting as President of the United Sta...