Latest news with #Punjab
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Health
- Yahoo
Researchers discover surprising side effect of ban on plastic grocery bags: 'We can judge it very well'
Researchers discover surprising side effect of ban on plastic grocery bags: 'We can judge it very well' The United Arab Emirates' ban on single-use plastic bags took effect in 2024, and the results are already proving that it has been incredibly effective. According to The National, the ban has not only helped limit litter and other negative environmental issues associated with single-use plastics, but it has also contributed to a slower decline in camel populations due to reduced plastic consumption. The National spoke to Dr. Ulrich Wernery, who co-authored a 2021 study on camel deaths correlated with large plastic materials in their stomachs. "There's a very good reduction in plastic bags in the UAE and we can judge it very well," Dr. Wernery said. "We do not find a lot of camel cases with plastic [bags] in their stomach. [In] the last year we've seen a tremendous, very good reduction by 60 to 80%." Around the world, single-use product bans, particularly plastic bags, are gaining popularity. In Punjab, plastic bags below a certain thickness have been banned as of 2025. Meanwhile, in the U.S., states like California have a ban on all plastic bags and encourage reusable shopping bags. Plastic consumption by wildlife is a significant concern, as exemplified by the widespread opposition to plastic straws due to their impact on marine life, including sea turtles. While the decrease in plastic-related camel deaths is a sign the UAE is moving in the right direction, other plastic items still pose a threat to these and other animals. "Dr. Wernery said that camels eating the plastic ropes used to hold their hay bales remains 'a severe problem,'" The National wrote. The hope is that broader plastic bans will be implemented, not just in the UAE, but everywhere, and plastic-related animal injuries and plastic pollution can be further mitigated. To do your part, consider switching to plastic-free alternatives for everyday items. This could include ditching single-use water bottles and investing in something reusable or bringing your own to-go containers to restaurants. Every step counts in making a change to reduce plastic in our environment. Should plastic grocery bags be banned nationwide? Absolutely No way Let each state decide I'm not sure Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. Join our free newsletter for good news and useful tips, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the the daily Crossword
Sky News
2 days ago
- Sky News
Fauja Singh: Man arrested over hit-and-run death of world's 'oldest' marathon runner
Police in India have arrested a man in connection with the death of a 114-year-old British runner in a hit-and-run accident. Fauja Singh - believed to be the oldest in the world to complete a marathon - was hit by a car on Monday while crossing a road during a trip to his birth village of Beas Pind in Punjab, India. He suffered severe head injuries and was taken to hospital where he later died. Police investigating the incident have arrested a 26-year-old man for allegedly hitting him with a car, local media NDTV reported. The accused, named by the outlet as Amritpal Singh Dhillon, said that he learnt about the death of Mr Singh through the news. During a news conference, senior police officer Harvinder Singh Virk suggested the accused was speeding at the time of the collision. His Toyota Fortuner was identified using CCTV footage and parts of the vehicle were allegedly found at the scene. Singh had lived in Ilford in east London since 1992, and become an inspiration for countless athletes by running marathons beyond his 100th birthday. His athletic achievements were made even more remarkable considering he suffered from thin and weak legs as a child - and couldn't walk until he was five years old. Singh's maiden marathon in London was in 2000, with a time of six hours and 54 minutes - 58 minutes faster than other runners of a comparable age. After serving as a torchbearer at the London 2012 Olympics aged 101, he retired.
Sky News
2 days ago
- Politics
- Sky News
Keir Starmer facing ban from Sikh events over failure to follow through with promised inquiry
Sir Keir Starmer is facing a nine-day deadline to avoid Labour MPs facing a ban from Sikh events and gurdwaras. Hundreds of Sikh groups are threatening to "no platform" Labour MPs if the government does not announce an inquiry into alleged UK involvement in the Golden Temple massacre, and other "anti-Sikh measures" carried out by India during the Thatcher era, according to a letter seen by Sky News. It comes as the Sikh Federation continues to call for the probe - saying it was promised in the run-up to the general election last year. The calls relate to questions around what part the UK and British special forces played in the 1984 killings, in which hundreds of Sikhs died after the Indian military entered the temple complex where separatists had sought refuge. Previous limited investigations under David Cameron found a single British officer provided advice to the Indian government before the raid - but there was "no evidence of UK government involvement in the operation itself". Writing to Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer on Tuesday, the Sikh Federation said it wanted a timeline of a judge-led inquiry to be confirmed by 31 July - Friday next week. The letter was sent to Downing Street ahead of a visit from Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi to the UK. There have been allegations that Mr Modi's government has attempted to stymie the separatist Sikh movement, including through repression in the UK and other countries like Canada. The allegations have been denied by the Indian government. Starmer's promise Sir Keir wrote to all Gurdwaras, Sikh places of worship, and Sikh organisations in 2022 saying "a future Labour government will open an independent inquiry into Britain's military role in the Indian army's 1984 raid on the Golden Temple in Amritsar". Angela Rayner posted on social media ahead of last year's election that "Labour stands with the Sikh community in calling for an inquiry into the historic role Britain played" in the raid on the Golden Temple. If the request for an inquiry timeline is not met by the government, the Sikh Federation told the prime minister it would "issue guidance in August on how Gurdwaras and Sikh organisations should implement the no platform policy in Gurdwaras and Sikh events that will in practice start to impact from September onwards". This guidance would apply to all Labour MPs who do not publicly support the implementation of an inquiry - including ministers. The federation's letter claims the issue was raised with Sir Keir earlier this month by a Labour MP and the prime minister "responded positively". Among the close to 500 signatories to the letter from the Sikh Federation is the Guru Nanak Gurdwara in Smethwick, West Midlands, where Sir Keir was pictured campaigning for the leadership of the Labour Party. There are thought to be just over half a million Sikhs in the UK - with analysis suggestion members of the religion tend to support Labour.
Arab News
2 days ago
- Climate
- Arab News
Deadly monsoon rains kill 245 in Pakistan as flood, landslide warnings escalate
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's disaster agency on Wednesday warned of continued torrential rains, flash floods and landslides in the country's northern and central regions, as the nationwide death toll from this monsoon season climbed to 245, with over 600 people injured. The alert follows weeks of heavy rains that have triggered house collapses, urban flooding and glacial lake outburst floods (GLOFs), phenomena linked to rapid glacier melt, with children making up nearly half of all fatalities. 'Heavy rains may generate flash floods in local streams of Chitral, Dir, Swat, Shangla, Mansehra, Kohistan, Abbottabad, Buner, Charsadda, Nowshera, Swabi, Mardan, Murree, Galliyat, Islamabad and Rawalpindi,' the Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) said in a statement. 'Urban flooding is also likely in low-lying areas of major cities including Gujranwala, Lahore, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Nowshera and Peshawar.' The PMD also warned that glacier lake outburst floods remained a growing threat in high-altitude areas, exacerbated by accelerated ice melt driven by global warming. It urged the public to avoid travel to mountainous regions, especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Gilgit-Baltistan, Azad Kashmir, and Murree, due to the heightened risk of landslides. According to the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA), this monsoon season which began in late June, at least 135 deaths have occurred in Punjab, including 63 children, followed by 59 in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, 24 in Sindh, 16 in Balochistan, six in Islamabad, three in Gilgit-Baltistan, and two in Azad Kashmir. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has directed authorities to accelerate relief operations in flood-hit regions. Local media reported that search efforts were still underway for a father and daughter whose car was swept away in a flash flood in Islamabad's upscale Defense Housing Authority (DHA) neighborhood. Earlier this week, key travel routes such as the Karakoram Highway and Babusar Top were closed due to heavy landslides, blocking access to northern Pakistan. The monsoon typically delivers 70–80 percent of South Asia's annual rainfall between June and September. While crucial for agriculture, the seasonal rains also bring destruction in countries like Pakistan where infrastructure is weak, drainage systems are poor and climate resilience remains underfunded. Pakistan, home to more than 7,000 glaciers, ranks among the most climate-vulnerable countries despite contributing less than one percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. It has already experienced increasingly erratic weather in recent years, including record-breaking heatwaves, droughts, and severe storms. In 2022, unprecedented monsoon rains combined with glacial melt submerged nearly a third of the country, killing more than 1,700 people and displacing over 8 million. The disaster inflicted $30 billion in damages and prompted global calls for climate reparations. In May this year, at least 32 more people were killed during sudden rainfall and hailstorm incidents.
The Independent
2 days ago
- Politics
- The Independent
Pakistan jails eight senior members of Imran Khan's party over 2023 protests
An anti-terrorism court in Pakistan has sentenced eight members of Imran Khan 's party to 10 years in jail each for inciting protests that targeted military sites following the former prime minister's arrest in 2023. Mr Khan faces a separate trial on similar charges, with prosecutors accusing him and fellow PTI party leaders of instigating the unrest that saw protesters attack government and military sites, including the army's headquarters in Rawalpindi and a senior commander's residence in Lahore. Tuesday's ruling has no direct bearing on Mr Khan's ongoing trial, Reuters reported. The convicted PTI members include officials of the party's previous provincial government in Punjab such as Yasmin Rashid, Ejaz Chaudhry, Mehmoodur Rashid, and Umar Sarfraz Cheema. The trial was held behind closed doors in a prison in Lahore city. The sentencing of its eight prominent members is the latest in a wave of prosecutions targeting Mr Khan's PTI following his ouster in 2022. Defence lawyers plan to appeal, citing inconsistencies in the rulings against people charged with the same offences. 'It's surprising that six people were acquitted while eight were convicted, even though they were all charged under the same allegations,' defence counsel Burhan Moazzam said. Among those acquitted was PTI vice chairman Shah Mehmood Qureshi. The former foreign minister remains in custody on separate charges. After Mr Khan's arrest on corruption charges on 9 May 2023, thousands of his supporters stormed military installations in a dramatic escalation of unrest triggered by his ouster the previous year. The ensuing clashes left 10 people dead in the capital city of Islamabad and led to the arrests of around 4,000 people. Mr Khan's supporters, who accused the powerful military of orchestrating his ouster through a no confidence vote, targeted an airbase, multiple cantonments, the residence of a senior general, and the army headquarters after the leader was forcibly removed from a courtroom and taken into custody. Mr Khan, 72, completes two years in prison next month. He faces around 150 charges, ranging from corruption to terrorism. His party claims all the cases filed against him are politically motivated.
