World's largest bee spotted for the first time since 1981
That might be frightening to most people, but scientists were delighted when a team of researchers recently found it in Indonesia.
It's the largest bee in the world, and scientists feared it might be extinct -- until now.
A group of researchers made a stunning "rediscovery" of the elusive critter and took the first photos and video of a living Wallace's giant bee on January 25.
The team -- composed of natural history photographer Clay Bolt, entomologist Eli Wyman, behavioral ecologist Simon Robson and ornithologist Glenn Chilton -- spent years studying the bee and slogged around in humid Indonesia forests for days before stumbling upon one.
The rediscovery has renewed hope that more of the region's forests are home to the rare species. The International Union for Conservation of Nature classifies this species as "vulnerable" due to mining and quarrying.
Only two other lucky fellows are documented to have seen it in person before. The first was British naturalist Alfred Russel Wallace, who discovered the giant bee in 1858 while exploring the tropical Indonesian island of Bacan. Entomologist Adam Messer became the second in 1981.
The team went from termite nest to nest in the forests of remote islands known as the North Moluccas, Bolt said.
They had some information about the bee's habitat and behavior from Messer's paper, and they examined satellite imagery to become familiar with the terrain. They knew the Wallace's giant bee tended to be found in the lowland forest and tree-dwelling termite nests.
Waste to Wonder Park Inaugurated in Delhi
The Waste to Wonder Park was inaugurated by Home Minister, Rajnath Singh on Thursday 21st February, near Sarai Kale Khan, New Delhi. The South Delhi Municipal Corporation has made this park by creating replicas of the Seven Wonders of the World and the replicas have been fabricated from scrap material.
"The replicas of all seven wonders of world has been built with eco-friendly, self-sustainable material, and has its own solar and wind power generation. It is open to all and we are more than happy that the park has been constructed within six months’ time and now it is a reality in Delhi. This is will also enhance the tourist’s economy," said Rajnath Singh. Lieutenant Governor, Anil Baijal, Mahesh Girri, Lok Sabha (MP) from East Delhi seat and senior officials of SDMC were present on the occasion apart from locals.
South Delhi Municipal Commissioner Puneet Kumar Goel, told that the park is ‘world’s first’ wherein waste products have been used to replicate the wonders. With solar panels, solar trees and a windmill, the park is self-sustainable. The entry fee would be Rs 50 for adults and Rs 25 for children in the age group of 3-12. However, children up to the age of three years and senior citizens will not be charged any fee.
With Supreme Court order on forest land, 4 lakh claimants set to be evicted in 3 states
The Supreme Court order of February 13, directing states to evict Scheduled Tribes (ST) and Other Traditional Forest Dweller (OTFD) whose claims over forest land have been rejected, notes that Madhya Pradesh, Odisha and Telangana are the states that rejected maximum claims, and where more than 4 lakh claimants are set to be evicted.
According to the affidavit filed by the states before the three-judge bench of Justices Arun Mishra, Navin Sinha and Indira Banerjee, at least 6,60,388 ST claimants are set to be evicted from forest land across the country. The data shows that 22,87,225 ST applicants sought claim over the forest land, meaning that 29 per cent of the STs who claimed forest land are likely to be evicted.
The data also shows that in case of OFTDs, 6,84,485 filed claims over the forest land, and as many as 4,44,493 claims were rejected by the respective state governments.
The Supreme Court has ordered that for the 17 states where rejection order has been passed, the chief secretary will ensure “eviction will be carried out on or before the next date of hearing”. The court will hear the matter on July 24. “Forest Survey of India (FSI) make a satellite survey and place on record the encroachment positions and also state the positions after the eviction as far as possible,” the order states.
Donald Trump picks envoy to Canada Kelly Craft for UN ambassador
President Donald Trump said on Friday he was nominating Kelly Craft, currently the US ambassador to Canada, to replace Nikki Haley as his envoy to the United Nations after a four-month search.
Craft, a top Republican donor from Kentucky, rose this week as a serious contender for the post based on a recommendation by Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell, a fellow Kentuckian.
Craft will not hold a Cabinet-level position, as Haley did, a senior White House official said, after Trump decided to downgrade the post. Regardless, she will need to be confirmed by the US Senate.
“Kelly has done an outstanding job representing our Nation and I have no doubt that, under her leadership, our Country will be represented at the highest level,” Trump said in a tweet announcing his decision.
Secretary of State Mike Pompeo called Craft “extremely well-qualified” and an “outstanding advocate for America’s national security and economic interests in Canada.”
Russia warns US against deploying new missiles in Europe
Russia has warned the US against deploying new missiles in Europe, threatening to retaliate in kind by targeting Western capitals with his own new weaponry.
Delivering a state of the nation address, President Vladimir Putin said the US abandoned the 1987 arms control pact to free its hands to build new missiles and tried to shift the blame for the move on Russia.
He, however, added that Russia still wants friendly relations with Washington and remains open to arms control talks.
Signed in 1987 by then US president Ronald Reagan and Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, the Intermediate-Range Nuclear Forces treaty banned ground-launched missiles with a range of between 500 and 5,500 kilometres.
Venezuela crisis: Maduro to close border with Brazil
Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro has announced he is closing the border with Brazil on Thursday night as a row over foreign humanitarian aid continues.
The embattled leftist leader went on TV to say that he was also considering shutting the border with Colombia to stop the opposition bringing in relief.
He denies any crisis and calls the aid delivery plans a US-orchestrated show.
Opposition leader Juan Guaidó is leading a convoy to the Colombian border from the capital Caracas.
Mr Guaidó declared himself interim leader during anti-government protests last month and is recognised by dozens of foreign states, including the US.
Scuffles broke out and tear gas was fired when the convoy of buses and cars was briefly stopped by security forces on a road near Mariara, west of Caracas, but they later moved on.
Govt approves air travel entitlement to CAPF personnel on Delhi-Srinagar-Delhi, Jammu-Srinagar-Jammu sectors
The Home Ministry has approved entitlement of air travel to all personnel of Central Armed Police Forces, CAPFs. The Ministry approved the entitlement of air travel on Delhi-Srinagar, Srinagar-Delhi, Jammu-Srinagar and Srinagar-Jammu sectors to all the personnel of CAPFs.
The decision will immediately benefit approximately 7 lakh 80 thousand personnel of the CAPFs in the ranks of Constable, Head Constable and ASI who were otherwise not eligible earlier. This includes journey on duty and journey on leave, that is while going on leave from Jammu and Kashmir to home and return.
This facility is in addition to the existing air courier services for CAPFs that have been steadily extended in all sectors by the Home Ministry to help the jawans cut down on travel time during their journey to and from home on leave.
In Jammu and Kashmir Sector, it may be recalled that Air Courier Service for CAPFs jawans was approved for the Jammu-Srinagar-Jammu sector. Subsequently, the Service was extended to cover Delhi-Jammu, Jammu-Srinagar, Srinagar-Jammu and Jammu-Delhi sector in December 2017.
Water flowing to Pakistan from eastern rivers will be diverted to J-K, Punjab: Gadkari
Union minister Nitin Gadkari on Thursday said the Narendra Modi-led central government has decided to stop its share of eastern rivers water flowing to Pakistan in the wake of the deadly Pulwama terror attack.
“Under the leadership of Hon’ble PM Sri Narendra Modi ji, Our Govt. has decided to stop our share of water which used to flow to Pakistan. We will divert water from Eastern rivers and supply it to our people in Jammu and Kashmir and Punjab,” Gadkari tweeted.
A ministry official, however, has clarified that Gadkari has only reiterated what he has been saying in the past. “He is talking about diverting India’s share of Indus water which was going to Pakistan – and he has always been saying this,” the official said.
Gadkari said the construction of dam has started at Shahpur- Kandi on Ravi river. “Moreover, UJH project will store our share of water for use in J&K and the balance water will flow from 2nd Ravi-BEAS Link to provide water to other basin states,” he added.
US, China top officials begin fresh round of negotiations to reach trade deal
Top trade officials from the US and China have started their latest, and possibly the last round of talks in Washington to negotiate a comprehensive trade deal before their self-imposed deadline of 1st March. The Chinese delegation is led by Vice- Premier Liu He, while US Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin chaired the talks on behalf of the US.
During the two-day talks, China is expected to announce a large purchase of US agricultural and energy products. Beijing will propose buying an additional 30 billion US dollars annually of American farm products such as soybeans, corn and wheat.
US President Donald Trump and his Chinese counterpart Xi Jinping during in December last year had agreed to temporarily pause their trade war and arrive at a trade deal by 1st March.
Ladakh region of J&K receives season's heaviest snowfall
The Ladakh region of Jammu and Kashmir has received the season's heaviest snowfall yesterday. The nearly 10 inch thick snow disrupted normal life in Leh. Air services were also suspended due to snowfall. MeT office has forecast a cloudy sky for today. AIR correspondent reports that, in the wake of season's heaviest snow fall in Ladakh the district administrations of Leh and Kargil have reviewed the preparedness for any eventuality. Leh Hill Council CEC Jamyang Tsering Namgyal held emergency meeting with key district officials to make sure that food essentials and fodder for animals are in reach of every village. The traffic is restricted on the high passes in Leh. To avoid accidents, controlled blasts at avalanche prone areas on higher reaches were also considered. People are advised to clear the snow on rooftops and on trees to avoid any damages. While the power and water supply mechanisms , health services are on caution, the SDRF is put on high in the district in case of rescue and relief operations are required.