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What Trump’s victory means for Ukraine, the Middle East, China and the rest of the world

Posted on by SAT News Desk

 Stefan Wolff, University of Birmingham

Donald Trump’s return to the White House in January 2025, combined with a Republican-led US Senate, was widely feared among international allies and will be cheered by some of America’s foes. While the former put on a brave face, the latter are finding it hard to hide their glee.

On the war in Ukraine, Trump is likely to try to force Kyiv and Moscow into at least a ceasefire along the current front lines. This could possibly involve a permanent settlement that would acknowledge Russia’s territorial gains, including the annexation of Crimea in 2014 and the territories occupied since the full-scale invasion of Ukraine in February 2022.

It is also likely that Trump would accept demands by the Russian president, Vladimir Putin, to prevent a future Ukrainian Nato membership. Given Trump’s well-known animosity to Nato, this would also be an important pressure on Kyiv’s European allies. Trump could, once again, threaten to abandon the alliance in order to get Europeans to sign up to a deal with Putin over Ukraine.

When it comes to the Middle East, Trump has been a staunch supporter of Israel and Saudi Arabia in the past. He is likely to double down on this, including by taking an even tougher line on Iran. This aligns well with Israeli prime minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s current priorities.

Netanyahu seems determined to destroy Iran’s proxies Hamas, Hezbollah and the Houthis in Yemen and severely degrade Iranian capabilities. By dismissing his defence minister, Yoav Gallant, a critic of his conduct of the offensive in Gaza, Netanyahu has laid the ground for a continuation of the conflict there.

It also prepares for a widening of the offensive in Lebanon and a potentially devastating strike against Iran in response to any further Iranian attack on Israel.

Trump’s election will embolden Netanyahu to act. And this in turn would also strengthen Trump’s position towards Putin, who has come to depend on Iranian support for his war in Ukraine. Trump could offer to restrain Netanyahu in the future as a bargaining chip with Putin in his gamble to secure a deal on Ukraine.

Pivot to China

While Ukraine and the Middle East are two areas in which change looms, relations with China will most likely be characterised more by continuity than by change. With Chinese relations being perhaps the key strategic foreign policy challenge for the US, the Biden administration continued many of the policies Trump adopted in his first term – and Trump is likely to double down on them in a second term.

A Trump White House is likely to increase import tariffs, and he has talked a great deal about using them to target China. But Trump is also just as likely to be open to pragmatic, transactional deals with Chinese president Xi Jinping.
Just like in relations with his European allies in Nato, a serious question mark hangs over Trump’s commitment to the defence of Taiwan and other treaty allies in Asia, including the Philippines, South Korea, and potentially Japan. Trump is at best lukewarm on US security guarantees.

But as his on-and-off relationship with North Korea in his first term demonstrated, Trump is, at times, willing to push the envelope dangerously close to war. This happened in 2017 in response to a North Korean test of intercontinental ballistic missiles.

The unpredictability of the regime in Pyongyang makes another close brush of this kind as likely as Trump’s unpredictability makes it conceivable that he would accept a nuclear-armed North Korea as part of a broader deal with Russia, which has developed increasingly close relations with Kim Jong-un’s regime.

Doing so would give Trump additional leverage over China, which has been worried over growing ties between Russia and North Korea.

Preparing for a Trump White House

Friends and foes alike are going to use the remaining months before Trump returns to the White House to try to improve their positions and get things done that would be more difficult to do once he is in office.

An expectation of a Trump push for an end to the wars in Ukraine and the Middle East is likely to lead to an intensification of the fighting there to create what the different parties think might be a more acceptable status quo for them. This does not bode well for the humanitarian crises already brewing in both regions.

Increasing tensions in and around the Korean peninsula are also conceivable. Pyongyang is likely to want to boost its credentials with yet more missile – and potentially nuclear – tests.
A ratcheting-up of the fighting in Europe and the Middle East and of tensions in Asia is also likely to strain relations between the US and its allies in all three regions. In Europe, the fear is that Trump may make deals with Russia over the head of its EU and Nato allies and threaten them with abandonment.

This would undermine the longevity of any Ukrainian (or broader European) deal with Moscow. The relatively dismal state of European defence capabilities and the diminishing credibility of the US nuclear umbrella would not but help to encourage Putin to push his imperial ambitions further once he has secured a deal with Trump.

In the Middle East, Netanyahu would be completely unrestrained. And yet while some Arab regimes might cheer Israel striking Iran and Iranian proxies, they will worry about backlash over the plight of Palestinians. Without resolving this perennial issue, stability in the region, let alone peace, will be all but impossible.

In Asia, the challenges are different. Here the problem is less US withdrawal and more an unpredictable and potentially unmanageable escalation. Under Trump, it is much more likely that the US and China will find it hard to escape the so-called Thucydides trap – the inevitability of war between a dominant but declining power and its rising challenger.

This then raises the question of whether US alliances in the region are safe in the long term or whether some of its partners, like Indonesia or India, will consider realigning themselves with China.

At best, all of this spells greater uncertainty and instability – not only after Trump’s inauguration but also in the months until then.

At worst, it will prove the undoing of Trump’s self-proclaimed infallibility. But by the time he and his team come to realise that geopolitics is a more complicated affair than real estate, they may have ushered in the very chaos that they have accused Biden and Harris of.(From : The Conversation )

US election: how does the electoral college voting system work?

Posted on by SAT News Desk

Richard Hargy, Queen’s University Belfast
On November 5, millions of Americans will cast their votes for president, with the vast majority deciding between Democrat Kamala Harris or Republican Donald Trump. This historic election, however, is not determined by a singular national poll, but rather a state-by-state contest. Many people outside the US, and some inside, do not understand how this complicated system works.

Here are five things to know about the electoral college system:

1. It’s not one electoral contest, but 50 separate races

The founding fathers opted against a national popular vote where the winning candidate just has to gain a majority of votes to claim victory. They decided instead to establish an electoral college under Article II of the US Constitution.

Under this system, voters in every US state and the District of Columbia decide the outcome of a winner-takes-all contest for their state’s electoral votes. Each state is allocated a set number of electoral votes, in line with the size of its population. For example, Texas, with a population of over 29 million, has 50 electoral votes. North Dakota, on the other hand, has a population of under 800,000 and is apportioned three.

By securing a majority of the vote in a state, a candidate collects its allotted electoral college votes. There are 538 in total, with the winner needing at least 270 to secure the presidency (with their running-mate becoming vice-president). 

Maine and Nebraska are the only two exceptions to the winner-takes-all approach. These states also use their congressional districts to allocate some electoral college votes: two go to each state’s overall popular vote winner, while one goes to the popular vote winner in each congressional district (two districts in Maine, three in Nebraska).

So, when Americans mark their ballot with their choice for president, this vote is technically not awarded automatically to the candidate. Rather, it goes to the individual state’s electors. These people convene across all 50 states once the election is complete, then formally send their state’s electoral votes to the US Congress. The electors are usually state election officials or prominent party members. 

Brown University professor of political science Wendy Schiller explained the choice of an electoral college system more than 200 years ago was rooted in a distrust of citizens to make a reasoned choice: “The origins of the electoral college were not supposed to reflect voter opinion at all – it was to be a gate against making a bad choice. It was an elite bulwark against popular opinion.” 

2. It can allow for unpredictable and unruly outcomes

By its very nature, the electoral college can result in two unusual, but not improbable, scenarios. First, a candidate can win the electoral college while losing the popular vote and still become president – as happened most recently in 2000 with George W. Bush and in 2016 with Trump.

Secondly, the system allows for a situation were neither candidate wins a majority of electoral votes. If there is a 269-269 tie, a “contingent election” is held under the 12th Amendment. In this case, members of the new House of Representatives, sworn in on January 3 2025, would choose the next president. They do not vote based on individual preference. Instead, every state delegation gets one vote, with a simple majority of 26 state delegation votes needed to decide who becomes president. This has happened only twice in presidential elections, in 1801 and 1825. The House must continue voting until a president is elected.A history of the electoral college system.

3. In 2020, Trump’s supporters sought to challenge the electoral college results

State legislators can object to their state’s general election outcome during the congressional certification. This happened in 2020 when a group of Republicans objected to results in Pennsylvania and Arizona – both won by Democrat Joe Biden. After supporters of Trump stormed the Capitol building in January 2021, protesting the official authorisation of votes, Congress updated the 1800s-era Electoral Count Act to make it harder to challenge the electoral college result.

Following the 2020 election, certain electors in several swing states attempted to falsely declare Trump the winner. These included high-profile Republicans in Georgia, Michigan, Nevada, Arizona and Wisconsin. Trump’s campaign lawyer, Kenneth Chesebro, pleaded guilty in Georgia to his role in subverting the election.

There are fears of a potential repeat of this scenario in 2024, should Trump lose again. Documentation returned to state election officials has revealed that over a dozen of these individuals are returning as potential electorsthis year.

4. Criticism includes national security concerns and disinformation

Some call the electorial college system undemocratic. Others point to the “faithless elector” issue, whereby the electors within a state cast their vote against the preference of their state’s popular vote. 

Small vote margins often secure all the votes in key swing states. For example, in 2016, Trump won Michigan by just 13,080 votes (0.3%), Wisconsin by 27,257 votes (1.0%), and Pennsylvania by 68,236 votes (1.2%). This allocated Trump 46 electoral votes as well as victory in the presidential election.

This has led Brookings Institution fellows Elaine Kamarck and Darrell M. West to conclude that “false newspurveyors don’t have to persuade 99% of American voters to be influential, but simply a tiny amount in [certain states] … A shift of 1% of the vote or less based on false narratives would have altered the outcome.”

Harvard University professor of government Ryan Enostold me that foreign adversaries with an interest in the outcome of the US election are “aware of how decentralised the system is, and how chaos can be sowed by putting pressure on particular states”. 

5. Some people want to abolish it

The process remains highly contentious and can result in a more fractious political climate. Consequently, there many who want to abolish it. West, a senior fellow of governance studies at Brookings, said the US should get rid of the electoral college. He called it a relic that was established “as an elite-based mechanism to basically choose the president because [America’s founding fathers] did not trust the general public”. 

However, Barnard College professor of political science Sheri Berman had a different view, saying that if you believe different states should have some guaranteed level of representation regardless of their population, then designing a system that gives this to them could be viewed as legitimate. 

Ultimately, despite its unusual elements, Christine Stenglein, a research analyst at Brookings, believes “the electoral college is part of the US constitution, and therefore not likely to change any time soon”.

‘South Asia, particularly the Himalayas, are highly vulnerable to the changing climate and weather phenomena’

Posted on by SAT News Desk

Dr Ngamindra Dahal

Currently the Chairperson of Nepal Water Conservation Foundation (NWCF), Ngamindra Dahal, has over 25 years of professional journey in the field climate, water and disaster risk management. With hydro-meteorology as a foundational degree, he holds PhD on environmental sciences with a focus on biochar as a potential technology for achieving the dual climate goals on mitigation and adaptation fronts. He also led a professional team for studying depleting spring sources across the mountain region of Nepal. He has worked withNTNC, Ministry of Environment (Nepal), ADB, World Bank, ICIMOD and UNDP, among others. A founding member of both South Asian Meteorological Association (SAMA) and Society of Hydrologists and Meteorologists-Nepal, he is alsoExecutive Member of Climate Action Network South Asia (CANSA).Dr Dahal spoke to SOUTH ASIA TIME on the impact of climate change on livelihoods in South Asia and beyond. Excerpts of the interview:

Nepal, as well as parts of Northern India and Bhutan, braced heavy rainfall in late September causing huge loss of lives and property. Is such heavy rainfall at the end of the monsoon season normal or is it due to climate change?

This particular event was a rare but not an abnormal one. Nepal and the greater Himalayan region have received heavier rainfall than this one in the past.  This year’s event, however, remains exceptional in terms of severity of precipitations that used to occur in the southern parts of the Mahabharat belt but shifted northward over Kathmandu and its surroundings. According to Ministry of Home, 228 people were killed and over billions of public properties destroyed, which is estimated to be around 1% of the country’s GDP.  Early warning notices from the Met Office proved grossly inadequate to save lives and properties from the intense precipitations and subsequent impacts. Thus, the disaster has exposed the wider gaps between our preparedness and actual strength to respond in the situation of a real time. 

What are the key vulnerabilities of South Asian countries to climate-induced disasters like floods, landslides, and droughts?

Himalayan mountains are inherently vulnerable and fragile mainly because of their formative stages coupled with the extreme cycles of tropical climate including the powerful monsoon weather. A series of rainstorms dump 2000mm in less than 100 days that often bursts to produce heavy flood multiplied with landslides and erosions. High rates of sedimentation along the Himalayan rivers are spectacular evidences of their risks of breaching the banks and inundating the valleys and plains in the south. The colossal losses happened even after an advanced weather warning by the Met Office, and, none of the precautionary measures worked to save lives and properties in the Kathmandu Valley and the major highways connecting the capital city to the rest of the country. The meteorological data of the single storm reveal several dimensions of the extreme rainfall pattern of Nepal. First of all, the most damaging rainstorm that occurred on 28thSeptember was in Lele of Southern Lalitpur with an incredible strength of 325mm. A similar incident had hit the area in 1981 causing heavy landslides and floods. This time, the coverage of the rainfall was not limited to a pocket area but more widespread that extended to 48 hours or more. This was thereason behind the dense landslides and overflowing the riverbanks to inundate the settlements and markets in the capital. However, the scale of damages cannot be blamed alone to these extreme weather events as they were less powerful than the project scenarios. While looking back to the nature of destructions that claimed so many lives and livelihoods, it reveals that the natural hazards triggered the incident but multiplied due to badly designed and implemented development schemes. 

How is the Himalayan ecosystem, a vital resource for the region, being affected by rising temperatures and changing weather patterns?

The diverse Himalayan ecosystems are renowned for their rich diversity and sensitive responses to the changing climate. In fact, their health offer valuable information as a barometer reading. In the last three decades, they consistently show rapid decline in their richness and vitality. The impacts are more severe in the higher altitudes with alpine climate. The key drivers of the changes have been the shifting and intensifying precipitations, rising temperatures and number of warmer days. The major consequences include the growing number of landslides and avalanches, flashfloods, unprecedented cases of climate induced losses and changes in hydrological patterns accelerated by high rates of erosion and mass waste. 

How could South Asian nations cope with the changing climate?

South Asian countries face dual challenges of changing climate: first, growing climate induced hazards and, second, socio-economic vulnerability fueled by unsustainable development infrastructures including housing, settlements, agriculture and access to basic services. The projected scenarios of climate induced hazards suggest us to expect more frequent and severe events in the coming days.  Consequently, the climate impact vulnerability study of the civil infrastructure and agricultural sectors have underlined their climate resilient reinforcement. In broad terms, both the natural heritages and human infrastructure of the South Asia in general and Himalaya in particular are among the highly vulnerable region to the changing climate and weather phenomena. They also can be categorized into those occurring due to wetter monsoon between June to September and those of others that occur in the rest of months. The extreme precipitations and droughts have been the key natural hazards that would trigger the cascading risks in a sequential order. Poorly planned and built road networks, the unplanned settlements or market place along the roadside, riverside, unstable slopes or low-lying zones are the most vulnerable infrastructure due to wet monsoon. 

What role does regional cooperation play in addressing the cross-border impacts of climate change in South Asia, such as water resource management and disaster preparedness?

Given the transcendental nature of climate change impacts, regional cooperation is an essential strategy to learn, negotiate and resolve common and cross border issues such as water and flood management, air pollution and migration. The SAARC used to serve as the common platform to discuss such issues in the past. In absence of a functional SAARC since its eighteenth Summit held in 2014, no good alternatives are available for engaging government officials. This has impeded the progress towards developing a common position of the South Asian countries on the burning issues of climate change, water management and disaster risks reductions.

In the run up to COP29, what issues should Least Developed Countries (LDCs) raise with western industrialised countries that are mainly responsible for the climate crisis?

The major focus of the recent COPs has been on the ‘unfulfilled commitments’ of the industrialized countries on both mitigation and adaptation fronts. The recent stocktake of the progress revealed that the progress towards fulfilling the past commitments is disappointing. The issue of climate finance through multiple channels, namely, mitigation, adaptation and Loss and Damage (L&D) is critical for supporting LDCs’ climate actions. Promotion of the L&D as the third pillar of climate response is an urgent step that should be complemented with adequate and dedicated funding. On this front, the COP 29 should be an opportunity for the LDCs and other vulnerable nations to take a common stand for securing the funds by pressing the responsible parties for their historical emissions and concurrent commitments for the same. 

The humanity is said to be facing triple crisis now (namely climate change, pollution and biodiversity loss), but the message seems to have been lost vis a vis political leaders as well as common people. In your view, what is missing in climate change communication?

On climate change issues, all the different parties have lost the golden opportunities on three fronts: developed economies could set examples by acting on mitigation measures while fulfilling their commitments of climate finance to the Least Developed Countries (LDCs) and vulnerable nations, those of emerging economies could have chosen the low emission track of development, and, the LDCs on adopting climate resilient path of development while reducing maladaptationand corruption. As a consequence, there is a situation of chaos due to blame games at the political levels thus, impending policy actions, more alarming scientific findings in absence of collective climate actions, and growing losses and damages in LDC economies as they are annually losing more than 1% GDP due to intensifying impacts of climate change.

How could Nepal cope with increasing extreme weather events?

While Nepal is annually losing more than 2% of its GDP due to climate change induced loss and damage, we need to understand that no one will help us to recover these recurrent losses except our own hard earned resources. Two major ways to survive through this crisis are, first, by making our critical infrastructure climate resilient and, second, reducing maladaptation, which is essentially addressing rampant corruption on spending development budget including unfeasible and costly political structures of the country.

International legal experts call for accountability  for civil war crimes in Nepal 

Posted on by SAT News Desk

By Bhagirath Yogi

London – A new report by a high-level fact-finding mission of international human rights lawyers has called on the Nepali state to seize the opportunity provided by a new legislation and finally provide accountability, truth, justice and comprehensive reparations to victims of the country’s decade-long armed conflict.

Addressing an event organised to launch the report at Doughty Street Chambers on Thursday, they pointed towards gaps in the Transitional Justice Law which passed in August after years of political wrangling, and urged  the government of Nepal to develop a roadmap for implementation which deliberately and sensitively removes obstacles to justice for victims from historically vulnerable or marginalised groups.

‘Peace without Justice and Accountability? – A caution against impunity in post-conflict Nepal’ calls on both Nepal and the international community to prioritise an approach to transitional justice which is in line with Nepal’s obligations under international law, constitutional law and the judgments of its Supreme Court.

The lawyers travelled to Kathmandu, Nepalgunj, Bardiya and Janakpur in Nepal in March 2024. They met victims of human rights violations committed during and since the conflict, members of the judiciary, civil society organisations, local and national government, diplomats, journalists and UN representatives, to assess the rule of law and access to justice.

Aswini Weeraratne, KC, who was part of the delegation, briefed about their visit and summarised the main conclusions of the report.

Camila Zapata Besso, a UK human rights expert, who was also part of the delegation, said that the Nepali civil war ended in 2006, yet for its victims the violations continue. “The new law provides an opportunity, but its implementation must be victims-focused and rooted in international law if it is to finally provide truth, justice and reparations for all,” she added.

The report contains an extensive analysis of the Transitional Justice Bill which has now been enacted into law. The lawyers conclude that the current law alone excludes swathes of victims from transitional justice, and permits amnesties which would prevent criminal accountability for gross violations of human rights, including those amounting to international crimes. They argue that, until an effective transitional justice process is in place, then the doors to the regular justice system should not be closed to civil war victims.

“Justice for serious human rights violations prevents recurrence, secures dignity for victims whose former abusers are made to answer for their crimes, establishes a record of past events, promotes national reconciliation and contributes to lasting peace”, said María del Rosario Arango Zambrano, a Colombian expert on transitional justice. “That is why it is so important to get these things right”.

“There are definitional issues in the law that will need to be rectified one way or the other”, said Kishali Pinto-Jayawardena, a constitutional lawyer from Sri Lanka. “Effective transitional justice will not be possible so long as the process conflates human rights violations and international crimes, excludes certain gross violations, opens the door for amnesties, and  allows for the exclusion of certain victims”.

‘Lack of Accountability’

Dr. Mandira Sharma, co-founder of Advocacy Forum and senior international legal advisor to the International Commission of Jurists (ICJ), said that despite legislative efforts, no significant accountability has been achieved.  Successive governments over the last 18 years have failed to investigate abuses, leaving thousands of victims without resolution, she said. “We will continue to advocate to amend those provisions that are not compatible with the international law and standards. We would like to support and engage in the process. The international community should monitor closely  how this process unfolds,” she added.

A report contributor, Gita Rasaili, vice chair of the Conflict Victims National Network and a representative of Nepal’s marginalized Dalit community, shared her story. She has been fighting for justice for 20 years following her sister’s murder by the army during the conflict. “Truth, justice and reparation can not be separated. We victims are still here demanding the same thing: truth, justice, and accountability,” Rasaili said, calling upon the government to implement a meaningful process that respects victims’ rights.

The report insists that the transitional justice law, enacted after years of lobbying, needs robust interpretation by the courts, proper implementation, and unwavering international oversight. Barrister Camilla noted that the legislation itself is not a solution; rather, its success hinges on the Nepali government’s commitment to uphold human rights standards and engage transparently with all stakeholders, particularly marginalized communities.

The delegation emphasized the international community’s role in ensuring Nepal’s transitional justice process aligns with global norms. Dr. Sharma warned that the government’s tendency to favor perpetrators risks derailing the effort to achieve lasting peace and rule of law. She urged the global community to advocate for transparent judicial practices, independent commissioners, and protections for civil society actors in Nepal.

Ben Leather, Director of the Peace Brigades International (PBI) UK, highlighted the organisation’s efforts to support human rights defenders in various countries including Nepal. He called on international community to advocate for a victim-centric approach in Nepal’s transitional justice system and  hold the government accountable for delivering justice for all victims of the conflict.

From 1996 to 2006, tens of thousands of Nepalis suffered serious human rights violations, including unlawful killing, enforced disappearance, torture, rape and other forms of sexual violence, recruitment of child soldiers, arbitrary arrest and forced displacement in a war between the then royal government and Maoist rebels. Transitional justice is key pillar of the 2006 Comprehensive Peace Agreement, but has not been implemented. The report concludes that “Justice is already overdue, and should not be denied to victims any longer.”

The Northolt 10K Run held its third annual race on Sunday

Posted on by SAT News Desk

London— The Northolt 10K Run held its third annual race on Sunday, drawing 385 registered runners, including both in-person and virtual participants. The event was highlighted by the attendance of notable guests: South Asian marathon record-holder Baikuntha Manandhar, the popular Dharan Mayor Hark Sampang, and Labour MP James Murray, who serves as the Exchequer Secretary to the Treasury.

The event, sponsored by A Star Financial, featured support from platinum sponsors Makeworth Accounting, Real Dream Consultancy, and AESN Recruitment, with SNP Plus Accounting, MOMO 365, Kirat Rai Yayokkha, and Gurkha Kitchen also joining as sponsors. Runners enjoyed unique opportunities, with entries to Nepal’s Everest Marathon and Annapurna Marathon awarded, alongside handmade trophies crafted in Nepal.

Men’s Overall Winners

  1. Elias Ahmed (#629) – 00:32:29
  2. Hari Bakhem (#503) – 00:34:10
  3. Tyler Bowcambe (#547) – 00:35:41

Women’s Overall Winners

  1. Francesca Boote (#656) – 00:39:44
  2. Manda Gurung (#638) – 00:42:16
  3. Nayane D Paula Barra Ferreira (#760) – 00:46:21

Veteran Winners

  • 40-49: Jonathan Horan (#655) – 00:36:06, Clement Berthet (#903) – 00:36:45
  • 50-59:
  • Amrit Shrestha (#915) – 00:41:05, Dhan Kumari Gurung (#751) – 00:55:08
  • 60 and Over:
  • Martin Daoud (#600) – 00:39:56 (M),
  • Gurmeet Lally (#922) – 00:57:26 (F)

Nepal Run Club Winners:

Salina Rajbhandari (#705) – 00:52:46 (F),

Hom Khatri – 38:28

Best Improvement: Suman Pradhan

A full list of winners and times can be found here.

SAFF Championship: Bangladesh and India playing today

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KATHMANDU: Former champions Bangladesh will face off against five-time champions India in the ongoing SAFF Women’s Championship in Nepal today.

The match is set to kick off at 5:30 PM at Dasharath Stadium in Tripureshwar, Kathmandu.

India can secure its position as group winner by winning today’s final Group A match.

They have already reached the semi-finals with one match to spare, following a 1-1 draw between Bangladesh and Pakistan in the previous match.

For Bangladesh, a draw today will be sufficient to reach the semi-finals.

This game holds significance not only for determining the group winners and runners-up but also for both teams’ strategies moving forward.

India currently tops the group after their 5-2 victory over Pakistan, accumulating 3 points.

Bangladesh and Pakistan both have 1 point, placing them second and third, respectively.

Both teams are eager to avoid facing the home team, Nepal, in the semi-finals. Regardless of potential matchups, winning today is a priority for both squads.

The Group A winner will face the Group B runner-up in the semi-finals, while the runner-up of Group A will compete against the Group B winner.

In Group B, Nepal leads with 4 points, followed closely by Bhutan, who also has 4 points, and Sri Lanka in third place with 3 points.

The Maldives has lost two consecutive matches and is currently without any points, leading to their elimination from the group stage before their final match.

Group B matches will take place on Thursday.

Nepal Tea Exports Surge by 36%

Posted on by SAT News Desk

Mechi, October 18, 2024 – Nepal’s tea exports have seen a significant rise in the first quarter of the current fiscal year, with a 36% increase in volume compared to the same period last year, according to the Mechi Customs Office. A total of 6,426 metric tonnes of tea were exported during the first three months.

Ganapati Kandel, Information Officer at Mechi Customs Office, revealed that in terms of value, tea exports surged by over 50%, generating Rs 1.71 billion in revenue. This boost has been attributed to reduced tea production in India, as explained by Aditya Parajuli, Chairman of the Nepal Tea Producers Association. Parajuli expressed optimism that Nepali tea exports could grow even further with greater government support and facilitation.

However, while tea exports soared, the export of cardamom declined drastically by 49% during the same period. Only 783 metric tonnes of cardamom were exported, a sharp decrease from 1,525 metric tonnes exported in the first quarter of the last fiscal year.

In addition to tea, the Mechi Customs Office reported impressive increases in the export of plywood, broom grass, and veneer sheets, while the exports of ginger, iron, Chhuri (a type of traditional knife), and vegetables showed a downward trend.

The contrasting fortunes of different export commodities reflect the complex dynamics in Nepal’s agricultural export sector, with weather conditions, international demand, and production fluctuations playing a significant role.

UK-based Genese Solution launches Its operations in Nigeria

Posted on by SAT News Desk

London – Genese Solution, a UK-based IT and cybersecurity consulting company, has officially launched its operations in Nigeria. 

Addressing the event on Wednesday,  Country Director for the UK’s Department for Business and Trade (DBT) for Nigeria, Mark Smithson said that he was  delighted to celebrate Genese Solution’s expansion into Lagos.  “The UK technology sector is a global success story, and in June 2023, we became the third country in the world to see our tech sector valued at over $1 trillion. The UK is home to 150 unicorn companies, more than Germany, France, and Sweden combined. We welcome Genese Solution’s contribution to Nigeria’s booming tech sector,” he added.

Anjani Phuyal, Founder and CEO of Genese Solution, expressed his excitement about the company’s new Lagos branch. “This is our first office in Africa, and we plan to expand into other countries in the region soon. With our focus on providing advanced cloud solutions and driving digital transformation, we aim to make a meaningful impact on Nigeria’s growing IT sector. We’re also eager to leverage our cybersecurity expertise to support our clients in Nigeria and beyond.”

Mr Phuyal said that Genese Solution recognised the immense potential of Nigeria’s dynamic tech sector and was committed to harnessing the country’s supportive environment to deliver innovative, tailored solutions that meet evolving market needs. “Our decision to launch in Lagos aligns with Nigeria’s National Digital Economy Policy and Straegy, which prioritises the use of digital technology for economic diversification. In addition to offering value IT consulting, we will support key policy pillars by collaborating locally and staying informed on Nigeria’s dynamic digital economy,” he added. He also extended his gratitude to the British Deputy High Commission (DBT) in Lagos, and everyone who supported the company’s journey into Nigeria.

At the event, Niranjan Kunwar, Chief Technology and Information Security Officer of Genese Solution, emphasised the need to treat cybersecurity as a critical business risk, not just an IT issue. He stressed the importance of proactive cybersecurity management for long-term business success in today’s digital landscape. “Information and communication technologies are key to modernising and accelerating Nigeria’s economic development. With experience working with stakeholders globally, Genese Solution is here to support Nigeria’s digital transformation,” he said.

Genese Solution Nigeria brings a wealth of expertise to the local IT sector, offering services in cloud solutions, DevSecOps consulting, and cybersecurity. The company is committed to pioneering innovation and upholding the highest standards of excellence, a press statement issued by the Company said.

 Genese Solution is embarking on a strategic expansion across Africa, with Nigeria as the hub, through in-depth market research, regulatory adherence, and attention to cultural nuances. Genese Solution’s adaptability and clear timelines are crucial to ensuring the success of its African expansion strategy. The company’s entry into the Nigerian market marks a significant step in providing valuable digital transformation solutions both locally and globally, the statement said.

The launch event, hosted at the British Deputy High Commission in Lagos, on Wednesday was organised by the UK Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The event drew an esteemed gathering of Nigerian industry leaders, IT experts, and community figures, highlighting the strategic importance of this expansion.

‘Poverty has worsened in South Asia at a higher rate than the global average during the COVID-19 pandemic’ – World Bank

Posted on by SAT News Desk

A new report by the World Bank, Poverty, Prosperity, and Planet 2024: Pathways Out of the Polycrisis, reveals that approximately 8.5 percent of the global population—equating to 692 million people—are currently living in extreme poverty, defined as surviving on less than $2.15 per day. While this marks a significant reduction from the 37.9 percent living in extreme poverty in 1990, the report raises concerns about a slowdown in progress, with 2020 to 2030 potentially becoming a “lost decade” for poverty alleviation.

The stagnation in poverty reduction is attributed to several overlapping crises, including slow economic growth, increased fragility, climate change, and heightened global uncertainty. The report highlights the need for urgent action to address these issues to prevent further regression in poverty levels.

South Asia Hit Hardest

The report shows that poverty has worsened in South Asia at a higher rate than the global average during the COVID-19 pandemic. In 2024, 75.6 percent of South Asians—approximately 1.48 billion people—are living on less than $6.85 per day, a poverty line typically used for upper-middle-income countries. This figure is significantly higher than the global average of 43.6 percent, with South Asia accounting for nearly 42 percent of the world’s population living under this threshold.

The World Bank uses three poverty benchmarks: $2.15 per day for extreme poverty, $3.65 for lower-middle-income countries, and $6.85 for upper-middle-income countries. In 2024, an estimated 1.7 billion people (21.4 percent) live on less than $3.65 per day, and about 3.5 billion people (43.6 percent) survive on less than $6.85 per day.

Future Goals at Risk

Despite progress since the 1990s, the report warns that the number of people living in poverty has remained relatively steady due to population growth. If economic growth continues to lag and inequality is not addressed, the World Bank’s goal of reducing extreme poverty to below three percent of the global population will not be achieved for many decades.

The report stresses that while it is essential to continue efforts to reduce global poverty and promote shared prosperity, it is equally important to consider environmental sustainability in these efforts.

Ajay Rai Re-elected to International Transport Workers’ Federation Executive Committee

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Morocco – Ajay Kumar Rai from Nepal has been re-elected as a member of the World Executive Committee of the International Transport Workers’ Federation (ITF) during the federation’s 46th World Congress, currently taking place in Morocco. Rai, who will serve another five-year term until 2029, was first elected to the executive committee in 2018 at the ITF’s World Congress in Singapore.

The ITF, a historic organization founded 128 years ago and based in London, operates in 149 countries and represents nearly 20 million transport workers globally. It spans across nine major sectors, including civil aviation, maritime, railways, road transport, ports, tourism, and urban transport. The federation collaborates with key international bodies such as the International Labour Organization (ILO) and the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) to develop labor laws, protect workers’ rights, and empower trade unions worldwide.

Rai, who has been a leading figure in Nepal’s labor movement for over 32 years, currently serves as the Chief Advisor of the Nepal Transport Workers Union. He began his union career in the informal transport sector and later went on to lead the Nepal Transport Workers Union as President for three terms, spanning 15 years. His advocacy on behalf of Nepalese workers has earned him international recognition.

Shiva Lamsal, President of the Nepal Press Union, praised Rai’s re-election as a significant milestone for Nepal’s labor movement, further strengthening its influence on the global stage.

The ITF World Congress, attended by nearly 2,000 labor leaders from around the world, will conclude on October 19. In addition to Rai’s re-election, British national Stephen Cotton was unanimously re-elected for a third term as the ITF’s General Secretary. The newly elected members of the World Executive Committee will elect the federation’s President on October 19.

Groundbreaking Study Explores Postnatal Mental Health of British South Asian Mothers

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London— Experts from the University of Nottingham have played a key role in a pioneering study investigating the postnatal mental health of British South Asian mothers. The ROSHNI-2 study, published today in The Lancet, is one of the largest trials to explore the effectiveness of psychological interventions for this group.

Led by Professor Nusrat Husain from the University of Manchester and supported by Professor Richard Morriss and his team from the University of Nottingham, the study recruited over 4,000 women across the UK. It focused on British South Asian women, a group often underrepresented in mental health services.

The study introduced the “Positive Health Programme,” a culturally adapted group therapy for postnatal depression, and compared it to the usual care provided by general practitioners. Results showed that more women in the Positive Health Programme group recovered faster and more significantly than those in the usual treatment group. The findings highlight the importance of culturally sensitive care for British South Asian women, who face barriers like language, family engagement, and cultural perceptions of mental health.

These results provide critical insights for healthcare policy makers, with recommendations to make culturally tailored treatments more accessible to underserved communities.

For more information, see the full study in The Lancet.

London Mayor announces capital’s annual Diwali on the Square celebrations

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London— The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, has today announced that the capital’s annual Diwali on the Square celebrations will return to Trafalgar Square on Sunday 27 October. 

The free family-friendly celebration of the Festival of Lights will bring together Londoners and visitors in the heart of the capital to enjoy a fantastic programme of dance, music, activities and food from 1-7pm. 

Delivered in partnership with the volunteer-led Diwali in London committee, and supported by headline sponsor Remitly, the event will showcase the very best of culture from London’s Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities.

The afternoon opens with a burst of colour and music as 200 traditionally dressed dancers are set to perform in the centre of Trafalgar Square.

 

There will be a variety of market stalls and free, family-friendly activities to enjoy. These includes dance workshops, yoga and meditation, comedy from Soho Theatre, Sari and Turban tying and the Glimpse of Goddesses stall where visitors can find out more about Hindu goddesses. New this year is the Bhajan singing space where groups will perform throughout the day.

Visitors can also enjoy South Asian food, with a range of caterers serving up delicious traditional and fusion vegan and vegetarian cuisine.  

The Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, said: “Diwali on the Square is a fantastic family celebration of light and colour. It brings together Londoners and visitors of all backgrounds to mark the symbolic victory of light over darkness, good over evil and knowledge over ignorance with a packed programme of entertainment. As global tensions continue to affect us all, Diwali’s central messages of peace and hope are more pertinent than ever. By uniting to celebrate our diversity, we are showing why our capital is the greatest city in the world, as we continue to build a better London for everyone.”

Parul Jani, of the Brahmin Society North London, and Chair of Diwali in London Committee 2024, said: “On our 23rd year of Diwali on Trafalgar Square, always supported by the Mayor of London, wishing everyone a very Happy Diwali right from the heart. Jai Siya Ram.”

Dashain Festival Concludes with Kojagrat Purnima Celebrations in Nepal

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KATHMANDU: The festival of Bada Dashain, one of the largest Hindu festivals celebrated in Nepal and globally known as Dushera or Durga Puja, officially concludes today with Kojagrat Purnima. This day marks the final opportunity to receive blessings through the ritual of putting ‘tika’ and ‘jamara,’ symbols of Navadurga’s protection and prosperity.

Ashwin Shuklapaksha Chaturdashi, which occurred during sunrise today, coincides with Purnima, which began at midnight, making it an auspicious day for devotees. Kojagrat Purnima, celebrated tonight, also marks the traditional evening fast that will continue through Thursday, October 17.

The ritual of applying ‘tika’ and ‘jamara,’ which started on Bijaya Dashami, serves as a significant practice during Dashain, symbolizing the blessings received from Navadurga from Ashwin Shukla Pratipada to Nawami. Families and relatives, both near and far, visit each other during this period to exchange blessings, making Dashain a time for familial reunions and community gatherings.

The normally quiet days of Maha Ashtami and Maha Nawami gave way to increased activity in Kathmandu and across the country since Bijaya Dashami. Following the public holiday for Bada Dashain, government offices resumed operations on Tuesday.

Dengue Cases Surge in Nepal, Infecting Nearly 20,000 People

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Kathmandu, Oct 16: Dengue is spreading rapidly across Nepal, with 19,599 confirmed cases reported nationwide, according to the latest data from the Epidemiology and Disease Control Division (EDCD). The mosquito-borne disease has claimed nine lives and affected 76 districts.

Kathmandu has the highest number of cases at 3,103, followed by Kaski (2,847), Tanahu (2,107), and Parbat (1,562). Other affected districts include Chitwan (971), Lalitpur (827), Gorkha (588), Baglung (610), Bhaktapur (355), and Syangja (335).

Dr. Sher Bahadur Pun, of the Shukraraj Tropical and Infectious Disease Hospital, said the risk of dengue rises during the post-monsoon period, with cases spiking immediately after Dashain, indicating community-level transmission.

From April 2023 to January 2024, over 52,000 people were infected, with 20 fatalities reported.

Bomb Threats Target Multiple Flights, Prompt Security Drills at Airports

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In the past 48 hours, ten flights, including an Air India aircraft carrying 211 passengers from Delhi to Chicago, were the target of bomb threats received via social media, prompting security agencies to launch counter-terrorism drills at various airports across India.

On Tuesday, seven bomb threats were sent through the social media platform X, while three bomb threats were received for international flights departing from Mumbai on Monday. All the threats, later determined to be hoaxes, caused significant disruptions and heightened security protocols.

Among the targeted flights were Air India Express IX765 (Jaipur to Bengaluru via Ayodhya), SpiceJet SG116 (Darbhanga to Mumbai), Akasa Air QP1373 (Bagdogra to Bengaluru), Air India AI127 (Delhi to Chicago), IndiGo 6E98 (Dammam to Lucknow), Alliance Air 9I650 (Amritsar to Dehradun), and Air India Express IX684 (Madurai to Singapore).

Following the threats, cybersecurity agencies suspended the X account responsible for sending the bomb alerts, according to reports by PTI.

In one incident, Singapore scrambled two F-15 combat jets to escort Air India Express flight IX684, which was traveling from Madurai to Singapore. The aircraft was kept away from populated areas until it landed safely at Singapore Changi Airport around 10:04 PM on Tuesday. Investigations into the threat are ongoing.

Top Security Responses to Bomb Threats:
SpiceJet SG116: The aircraft landed safely at Mumbai Airport, where it was directed to an isolation area for inspection.
Akasa Air QP1373: The flight landed safely at Bengaluru’s Kempegowda International Airport after receiving a bomb threat.
Air India AI127: This flight was redirected to Canada’s Iqaluit Airport following an online security threat.
IndiGo 6E98: The flight from Dammam to Lucknow was diverted to Jaipur after receiving a bomb threat.
Alliance Air 9I650: Security checks were carried out on the Amritsar-Dehradun-Delhi flight at Dehradun Airport as a precautionary measure.
Air India Express IX684: The flight from Madurai to Singapore was delayed, awaiting clearance from Singaporean authorities.
Additionally, on Monday, bomb threats were made against three international flights departing from Mumbai. No suspicious items were found on any of the aircraft after thorough security checks.

Mumbai Police Investigation
The Mumbai Police issued notices to a teenager, his father, and another individual from Rajnandgaon, Chhattisgarh, for questioning in connection with the threats against Monday’s flights. An Air India flight bound for New York was diverted to New Delhi, while two IndiGo flights were delayed. In separate incidents, two IndiGo flights—one bound for Muscat and another for Jeddah—also received bomb threats, leading to their relocation to isolation bays for further inspections.

Authorities, including the Bureau of Civil Aviation Security (BCAS), are working closely with Indian cybersecurity agencies and law enforcement to trace the origins of the threats and ensure the safety of air travel.

[With agency inputs]

UN Warns Disasters Could Derail Economic Progress in Asia Pacific Region

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MANILA, Philippines — Disasters, fueled by increasingly severe storms and other natural hazards, are putting more lives at risk and could undermine decades of economic progress in the Asia Pacific region if governments do not significantly increase investments in disaster mitigation, a senior United Nations official warned Tuesday.

Kamal Kishore, U.N. Assistant Secretary-General and head of the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction (UNDRR), delivered this message at the opening of a regional conference on disaster mitigation in Manila. Hosted by the Philippines—one of the world’s most disaster-prone nations—the three-day conference gathered ministers and officials responsible for disaster response and prevention from across the Asia Pacific.

“Disasters are now affecting record numbers of people and threatening their lives and livelihoods,” Kishore told the hundreds of delegates. “Left unchecked, these disaster risks threaten to derail the development aspirations of the Asia Pacific region and push back progress that has taken decades to achieve.”

Kishore stressed the need for countries to allocate regular funds within their national budgets for disaster risk reduction and to increase the proportion of foreign aid dedicated to prevention, rather than merely response. While investments in disaster mitigation have reduced death tolls, the U.N. official cautioned that much more needs to be done to protect the region’s most vulnerable populations.

The conference discussions focused on enhancing disaster-warning systems, sharing advanced technology, and constructing more resilient infrastructure, homes, and workplaces. The Philippines, located along the Pacific Ring of Fire, faces an average of 20 typhoons and storms annually, as well as frequent earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. delivered a keynote speech emphasizing the heightened threats brought on by climate change, which have made the country’s disaster-prone landscape even more vulnerable. “With better access to financing, technology, and data, the most vulnerable states could build better resilience,” he said.

European Union Commissioner for Crisis Management Janez Lenarcic, who attended the conference, echoed the need for global collaboration. “None of us will be able to face these new challenges alone,” he told The Associated Press. “These disasters know no boundaries.”

Since 2020, the EU has contributed over 80 million euros ($87 million) to disaster preparedness efforts in the Asia Pacific. Lenarcic urged wealthier nations to increase their contributions, while emphasizing that Europe also has much to learn from the region’s extensive experience in disaster resilience.

As the Asia Pacific region continues to face increasingly severe natural hazards, the conference underscored the urgent need for sustained and collaborative efforts to mitigate the devastating impacts of disasters.