Author: Chanda Vaikar

The delayed onset of rainfall had exacerbated the water shortage situation in the city, with only 7% water remaining by the end of June. Mumbai: In the past week, heavy rainfall has contributed to an increase of 1.48 lakh million litres (ML) in water stock. As a result, the current water stock in the seven lakes has reached 23%, which will be sufficient for the next 69 days. However, the city is currently experiencing a 10% water cut starting from July 1. The delayed onset of rainfall had exacerbated the water shortage situation in the city, with only 7% water…

The Indian Air Force (IAF) has decided to ground the fleet of Russia-made MiG-21 until investigation will determine the cause of the crash of one of these fighter jets in the western state of Rajasthan earlier this month, local media reported on Saturday. The IAF has as many as three squadrons of the MiG-21’s Bison variant, among the total 31 squadrons, with a total of around 50 MiG-21 aircraft. The MiG-21 was inducted into the IAF in the 1960s, and 800 variants of the MiG-21 have been in service. The MiG-21 crash on May 8 killed three after the debris…

China is for the first time keeping at least one nuclear-armed ballistic missile submarine constantly at sea, according to a Pentagon report – adding pressure on the United States and its allies as they try to counter Beijing’s growing military. The assessment of China’s military said China’s fleet of six Jin-class ballistic missile submarines were operating “near-continuous” patrols from Hainan Island into the South China Sea. Equipped with a new, longer-range ballistic missile, they can hit the continental United States, analysts say. The note in the 174-page report drew little attention when it was released in late November, but shows…

Australia has “absolutely” not vowed to support the U.S. in a conflict over Taiwan in return for U.S. Virginia-class submarines, Australia’s Defence Minister Richard Marles said on Sunday. Australia, the U.S. and Britain this week unveiled the multi-decade AUKUS project in which Australia will buy the U.S. military submarines before joint British and Australian production and operation of a new submarine class, SSN-AUKUS. Australia’s center-left Labor government believes the A$368 billion ($244.06 billion) deal is necessary given Chinese military buildup in the region, which it has labeled the largest since World War Two. Asked on ABC television if, in return for access to the U.S. military submarines, Australia…

U.S. President Joe Biden will meet leaders of Australia and Britain in San Diego on Monday to announce a way forward for Australia to receive nuclear-powered submarines in Canberra’s biggest-ever defense project. The three countries announced the so-called AUKUS plan in 2021 as part of efforts to counter China in the Indo-Pacific region. However, questions remain over strict U.S. curbs on the extensive technology sharing needed for the project and about the length of time it will take to deliver the submarines. Australia is expected to buy up to five U.S. Virginia class nuclear-poweredsubmarines in the 2030s as part of the landmark agreement to be revealed in…

An Indian agency has stepped in to provide safety certification for most of Gatik Ship Management’s fleet, a major carrier of Russian oil to India, after Lloyd’s Register and the American Bureau of Shipping (ABS) withdrew classification for many of its vessels, records show. Mumbai-based Gatik, which has emerged this year as a significant player in Russian oil transport, also recently reflagged at least four of its vessels to Mongolia, according to data from maritime platform Lloyd’s List Intelligence. This followed the de-flagging of 36 of the Gatik-managed fleet by St. Kitts & Nevis International Ship Registry. However, Indian Register of Shippping (IRClass) data showed six…

India and China have snapped up the vast majority of Russian oil so far in April at prices above the Western price cap of $60 per barrel, according to traders and Reuters calculations. That means the Kremlin is enjoying stronger revenues despite the West’s attempts to curb funds for Russia’s military operations in Ukraine. A G7 source told Reuters on Monday the Western price cap would remain unchanged for now, despite pressure from some European Union countries, such as Poland, to lower the cap to increase pressure on Moscow. The advocates of the cap say it reduces revenues for Russia while allowing…

Tug boats have towed free one of the world’s biggest container ships, the Mumbai Maersk, which had run aground off the German island of Wangerooge in the North Sea, Germany’s Central Command for Maritime Emergencies said on Friday. “The Mumbai Maersk was towed free during a second attempt,” the Central Command said in a statement on its website. “The large container ship is to be brought to the port of destination Bremerhaven at the earliest possible time.” An offshore tug boat, a multi-purpose vessel and six assistance tugs were involved in the operation, it added. The Denmark-flagged ship was on its way from…

The death toll in the toxic liquor consumption in the eastern Indian state of Bihar has risen to 32, the state-run broadcaster All India Radio said Monday. “In Bihar, the death toll due to consuming spurious liquor mounted to 32,” the broadcaster said. “The figure is likely to increase as the condition of 14 people is critical and they are undergoing treatment in different hospitals in Motihari and Muzaffarpur.” The deaths were first reported on Saturday in East Champaran (Motihari) district, about 151 km north of Patna, the capital city of Bihar. The broadcaster quoted Kantesh Kumar Mishra, a senior…

At least 11 people were killed and 28 others injured, some of them critically, after a tractor trolley they were aboard fell off a bridge in the northern Indian state of Uttar Pradesh on Saturday, police said. The accident took place in Birsinghpur village in Shahjahanpur district, about 213 km northwest of Lucknow, the capital city of Uttar Pradesh. According to police, the victims were going to fetch water from Garra river for a religious gathering. Police said that rescuers rushed to the spot immediately after receiving the distress call. The injured have been taken to the nearest hospitals.