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Observer
5 hours ago
- Science
- Observer
How healthy are the oceans? Ask a whale shark
On a calm morning in May, Brianna Beaulieu, a master's student in marine biology at the University of Western Australia, and several researchers from around the world boarded two research vessels bound for Ningaloo Reef on Australia's west coast. The scientists have invested months of planning to spend just a few minutes in the water collecting data on one of the ocean's most mysterious animals. Whale sharks are not whales. They are fish, the largest in the sea, growing up to 60 feet long. Yet, surprisingly little is known about their life cycle. Researchers still don't know where whale sharks mate, how often they breed or where they go to give birth. Beaulieu and her colleagues hope to gain at least some insights into these giants. A whale shark can easily be spotted from the air, cruising just below the surface of the crystal-clear waters of the Indian Ocean. In May, they gather off the reef in numbers so high that, for the half-dozen spotter planes overhead, finding them is simple. For 20 years, a team from the University of Western Australia has conducted annual fieldwork at Ningaloo Reef. Ningaloo is one of the world's longest fringing reefs, formed unusually close to shore, and is listed as a Unesco World Heritage site. At the reef, the scientists measure the lengths and dimensions of the animals and collect tissue samples for chemical analysis. They also use drones to assess the body condition of the whale sharks: Are they getting fatter? Thinner? 'Whale sharks can live for over 100 years and grow very slowly,' Meekan said. 'By monitoring them, we're not just learning about the sharks, we're learning about ocean health more broadly,' he said. 'These animals travel thousands of kilometres, so each one is like a sentinel or autonomous sampling unit moving across the Indian Ocean and returning to Ningaloo each year to tell the tale.' Much of Beaulieu's research focuses on measuring the overall health of whale sharks and the impact of human-made threats on them, including boat strikes and 'forever chemicals' in the water. Whale sharks gather at Ningaloo Reef to feed on plankton that appear each year when coral spawn. Beaulieu dives into the water, taking a compact underwater camera to document a whale shark's appearance. Her colleague Sophie Jones often joins her in the water, gripping a yard-long reference pole that provides a crucial scale to help researchers precisely determine the animal's size, while a drone captures the scene from above. The whale shark typically remains relatively calm as Beaulieu swims beneath it and holds a small ultrasound device above the surface of its skin, just behind the dorsal fin. The data, which measures skin depth and the condition of the muscles, is sent to a veterinarian to assess the whale shark's internal health and reproductive status. The encounter lasts just a few minutes, before the whale shark disappears again into the deep blue. Beaulieu and the other researchers then swim to the surface and signal for pickup. Then they do it all again. The team repeated the sequence 11 times that day: spotting, diving, documenting and collecting data. These few minutes with the whale sharks are the culmination of a year's planning, a gigantic logistical effort to shadow a giant. In the 12 days of fieldwork, the researchers documented 101 whale shark encounters — a bumper year. In 2023, after their boat broke down, they had only four. Researchers have developed tools that allow the public to contribute to whale shark science. Platforms such as Shark Guardian and Wildbook for Whale Sharks invite divers, tour operators and marine tourists to upload their photographs of whale sharks, ideally with a clear view of the area just behind the gills, where the spot patterns are most reliable. Sophisticated pattern-matching algorithms then compare these images with an international database of more than 8,000 individual whale sharks, improving the ability of scientists to monitor their movements, residency, growth and health. — The New York Times
Time of India
21 hours ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Israel's leader claims no one in Gaza is starving; data, witnesses disagree
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says no one in Gaza is starving: "There is no policy of starvation in Gaza, and there is no starvation in Gaza. We enable humanitarian aid throughout the duration of the war to enter Gaza - otherwise, there would be no Gazans." President Donald Trump on Monday said he disagrees with Netanyahu's claim of no starvation in Gaza, noting the images emerging of emaciated people: "Those children look very hungry." Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Degree CXO Design Thinking Cybersecurity Data Science Finance others MCA Operations Management Leadership Data Science Data Analytics Public Policy Product Management Project Management Others Management Healthcare Digital Marketing healthcare PGDM MBA Artificial Intelligence Technology Skills you'll gain: Data-Driven Decision-Making Strategic Leadership and Transformation Global Business Acumen Comprehensive Business Expertise Duration: 2 Years University of Western Australia UWA Global MBA Starts on Jun 28, 2024 Get Details After international pressure, Israel over the weekend announced humanitarian pauses, airdrops and other measures meant to allow more aid to Palestinians in Gaza. But people there say little or nothing has changed on the ground. The U.N. has described it as a one-week scale-up of aid, and Israel has not said how long these latest measures would last. "This aid, delivered in this way, is an insult to the Palestinian people," said Hasan Al-Zalaan, who was at the site of an airdrop as some fought over the supplies and crushed cans of chickpeas littered the ground. Israel asserts that Hamas is the reason aid isn't reaching Palestinians in Gaza and accuses its militants of siphoning off aid to support its rule in the territory. The U.N. denies that looting of aid is systematic and that it lessens or ends entirely when enough aid is allowed to enter Gaza. Live Events Here's what we know: Deaths are increasing: The World Health Organization said Sunday there have been 63 malnutrition-related deaths in Gaza this month, including 24 children under the age of 5 - up from 11 deaths total the previous six months of the year. Gaza's Health Ministry puts the number even higher, reporting 82 deaths this month of malnutrition-related causes: 24 children and 58 adults. It said Monday that 14 deaths were reported in the past 24 hours. The ministry, which operates under the Hamas government, is headed by medical professionals and is seen by the U.N. as the most reliable source of data on casualties. U.N. agencies also often confirm numbers through other partners on the ground. The Patient's Friends Hospital, the main emergency center for malnourished kids in northern Gaza, says this month it saw for the first time malnutrition deaths in children who had no preexisting conditions. Some adults who died suffered from such illnesses as diabetes or had heart or kidney ailments made worse by starvation, according to Gaza medical officials. The WHO also says acute malnutrition in northern Gaza tripled this month, reaching nearly one in five children under 5 years old, and has doubled in central and southern Gaza. The U.N. says Gaza's only four specialized treatment centers for malnutrition are "overwhelmed." The leading international authority on food crises, the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, has warned of famine for months in Gaza but has not formally declared one, citing the lack of data as Israel restricts access to the territory. Aid trucks are swarmed by hungry people: The measures announced by Israel late Saturday include 10-hour daily humanitarian pauses in fighting in three heavily populated areas, so that U.N. trucks can more more easily distribute food. Still, U.N. World Food Program spokesperson Martin Penner said the agency's 55 trucks of aid that entered Gaza on Monday via the crossings of Zikim and Kerem Shalom were looted by starving people before they reached WFP warehouses. Experts say that airdrops, another measure Israel announced, are insufficient for the immense need in Gaza and dangerous to people on the ground. Israel's military says 48 food packages were dropped Sunday and Monday. Palestinians say they want a full return to the U.N.-led aid distribution system that was in place throughout the war, rather than the Israeli-backed mechanism that began in May. Witnesses and health workers say Israeli forces have killed hundreds by opening fire on Palestinians trying to reach those food distribution hubs or while crowding around entering aid trucks. Israel's military says it has fired warning shots to disperse threats. The U.N. and partners say that the best way to bring food into Gaza is by truck, and they have called repeatedly for Israel to loosen restrictions on their entry. A truck carries roughly 19 tons of supplies. Israel's military says that as of July 21, 95,435 trucks of aid have entered Gaza since the war began. That's an average of 146 trucks per day, and far below the 500 to 600 trucks per day that the U.N. says are needed. The rate has sometimes been as low as half of that for several months at a time. Nothing went in for 2 1/2 months starting in March because Israel imposed a complete blockade on food, fuel and other supplies entering Gaza. Delivering aid is difficult and slow: The U.N. says that delivering the aid that is allowed into Gaza has become increasingly difficult. When aid enters, it is left just inside the border in Gaza, and the U.N. must get Israeli military permission to send trucks to pick it up. But the U.N. says the military has denied or impeded just over half the movement requests for its trucks in the past three months. If the U.N. succeeds in picking up the aid, hungry crowds and armed gangs swarm the convoys and strip them of supplies. The Hamas-run civilian police once provided security along some routes, but that stopped after Israel targeted them with airstrikes.
Time of India
a day ago
- Business
- Time of India
Trump says he is reducing 50 day deadline for Russia deadline
U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday said he was reducing the 50 day deadline he gave Russia over its war in Ukraine, saying he was disappointed in Russian President Vladimir Putin . "I'm disappointed in President Putin," he said, speaking alongside British Prime Minister Keir Starmer ahead of their meeting in Scotland . "I'm going to reduce that 50 days that I gave him to a lesser number." Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Degree Technology CXO Product Management Data Analytics others Management MCA MBA Leadership Project Management Operations Management Public Policy Design Thinking Data Science PGDM Artificial Intelligence Finance Cybersecurity Data Science Others Digital Marketing healthcare Healthcare Skills you'll gain: Data-Driven Decision-Making Strategic Leadership and Transformation Global Business Acumen Comprehensive Business Expertise Duration: 2 Years University of Western Australia UWA Global MBA Starts on Jun 28, 2024 Get Details He did not give a new deadline.
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Sri Lotus Developers and Realty IPO to open on July 30. Check GMP, price band, and other key details
The initial public offering (IPO) of Sri Lotus Developers and Realty will open for subscription on Wednesday, July 30, and close on August 1. In the grey market, the company's shares are trading at a premium of Rs 32 over the upper price band of Rs 150, indicating a potential listing gain of 21%, with an expected price of Rs 182. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Degree Operations Management MBA PGDM Digital Marketing Healthcare Product Management healthcare Leadership Finance Project Management Public Policy Others CXO Technology Management others Data Science Data Science Skills you'll gain: Data-Driven Decision-Making Strategic Leadership and Transformation Global Business Acumen Comprehensive Business Expertise Duration: 2 Years University of Western Australia UWA Global MBA Starts on Jun 28, 2024 Get Details by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Play War Thunder now for free War Thunder Play Now Undo Sri Lotus Developers and Realty IPO GMP Cools from Earlier Highs However, the grey market premium (GMP) has cooled from Rs 51 earlier, as market participants had expected a higher issue price. Notably, the company had allotted shares at Rs 150 apiece during a private placement in 2024 to 118 individuals, including several Bollywood celebrities and high-profile investors. According to the Red Herring Prospectus (RHP), the Shah Rukh Khan Family Trust invested Rs 10.1 crore for 6.75 lakh shares, while Amitabh Bachchan acquired 6.66 lakh shares for Rs 10 crore. Hrithik Roshan and his father Rakesh Roshan hold 70,000 shares each. Veteran investor Ashish Kacholia subscribed to 33.33 lakh shares, reportedly investing close to Rs 50 crore. Live Events In total, the company raised Rs 399.2 crore through this private placement round before filing its DRHP in December 2024. Other investors included Ektaa Kapoor, Tusshar Kapoor, Jeetendra, Jagdish Master, and DRChoksey Finserv. Sri Lotus Developers and Realty IPO Fund Use The upcoming IPO is a book-building issue through which the company plans to raise Rs 792 crore. The entire proceeds are expected to support future development and expansion. Company Overview Founded in February 2015, Sri Lotus Developers and Realty is a Mumbai-based real estate company focused on redevelopment projects in the ultra-luxury and luxury segments across the city's western suburbs. As of June 30, 2025, the firm has a developable area of 0.93 million sq. ft., spanning both residential and commercial properties. The company is promoted by Anand Kamalnayan Pandit, a well-known film producer and distributor, which has helped attract interest from marquee investors and entertainment industry names. ( Disclaimer : Recommendations, suggestions, views and opinions given by the experts are their own. These do not represent the views of the Economic Times)
Time of India
2 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Tariff trouble: Multilateralism in the time of unilateral trade actions
As nations frantically pursue trade deals with the US, many governments and trade experts have raised concerns regarding unilateral tariffs potentially violating the Articles of the General Agreement on Tariffs and Trade (GATT), which serve as the foundation for the World Trade Organisation (WTO). The US government holds the view that the WTO regime has been unfair to their economy, and to redress the imbalance caused by trade helmed by WTO rules, the US needs tariff protection and fair market access to other countries. While many rue the powerlessness of the WTO, a germane question to ask is how come the multilateral trading system came to be seen as a villain or, worse still, a side actor in the saga of international trade. Souring on rules based free trade Any international body created by countries needs to reconcile the conflicting urges towards national sovereignty versus international welfare and fair play. In fact, before the founding of the WTO in 1995, there were fierce debates, especially in developing countries, about the potential surrender of economic sovereignty. A notable Opposition leader in India and ex-Prime Minister had stated at that time, 'It is the West's attempt to transgress on our sovereignty.' Prior to 1995 and later, the developed countries, including the US, led the charge in convincing developing countries that such surrender would lead to more trade and economic betterment. In the past decade, however, the US and some developing countries have openly expressed doubt about the benefits and efficacy of the WTO. The latest actions of the US government in imposing tariffs, based on its perception of national interest and negotiating strength, were waiting to happen. The current US administration only acted upon the thoughts that have been circulating for more than a decade. The fact that the dispute settlement understanding under the rules of the WTO is ineffective due to a defunct appellate body shows it up as an ineffectual organisation. Its claims to set and enforce a rules-based order for the world trade ring hollow. The consensus-based approach wherein even one dissenting member can defeat a proposal is another hurdle in effective multilateral action. Explore courses from Top Institutes in Please select course: Select a Course Category Degree healthcare MBA Artificial Intelligence Others MCA Product Management Project Management Public Policy Design Thinking Technology Leadership Healthcare Finance CXO Data Science Data Analytics PGDM Data Science Operations Management others Digital Marketing Management Skills you'll gain: Data-Driven Decision-Making Strategic Leadership and Transformation Global Business Acumen Comprehensive Business Expertise Duration: 2 Years University of Western Australia UWA Global MBA Starts on Jun 28, 2024 Get Details A bystander in world trade If one looks at the history of international organisations, the WTO's failures have parallels in the League of Nations, which was formed after the First World War. While the League of Nations was primarily a political body, less concerned with trade, its demise does hold lessons for all international bodies. Leaving aside the onerous terms of peace imposed on Germany after the First World War, the League collapsed as it depended upon the consensus of all members and did not have an enforcement mechanism for its decisions. While it is early to foretell a similar collapse of the WTO, there is no doubt that recent events have reduced it to a bystander in world trade. The Future: A new multilateral trade regime Even as countries negotiate with the US for 'tariff deals,' they should not lose sight of the need of reviving and strengthening a rules-based world trade order. In the absence of a credible rules-based world trade regime, disruptions like the current one can happen with unpredictable frequency. A breakdown in international trade law would create chaos and a decline in trade as well as global prosperity. It remains to be seen which countries in the world will take the initiative to build a new WTO and how far they would succeed in convincing the others. Over the years, the jurisprudence and institutional knowledge generated by the WTO, together with bodies like the World Customs Organisation, have served international trade well. They cannot be allowed to go in vain. Live Events Examples are common standards on classification, valuation, origin of goods, agreement on technical barriers to trade, and agreements on subsidies and countervailing measures, to name a few. Even though they are not perfect tools, they have considerably reduced arbitrariness in trade governance across the world. The three pet peeves of some governments against the WTO seem to be a lack of a mechanism to set right trade imbalances, an inordinately long dispute resolution process, and dysfunction in its appellate body. Add to that the need for consensus in decision-making, which makes decisions on contentious issues a near impossibility. Yet another gap is the WTO's irrelevance in the global monetary system, components of which do impact global trade. Perhaps a reimagined multilateral trade organisation, which is much stronger and more agile and alive to its members' concerns than the WTO, is needed. The unilateral trade actions , reactions by some governments, and recent disruptions clearly underscore such a need. The writer is an independent trade expert.
