Fake: Ukrainian Military Use Prohibited Weapons in Donbas

November 02, 2022
Donbas

Russian and separatist media claim that Ukrainian military have used white phosphorus munitions, weapons that are banned under the Geneva Convention. However, the mine fragments they have shown as evidence are of a different type of munition.

On February 19 the Donetsk television station Union reported in its newscast that near the city of Horlivka, some 56 kilometres north of the eastern Ukrainian city Donetsk, the center of the self-proclaimed Donetsk People’s Republic (DPR,  the Ukrainian side had fired white phosphorus bombs on the Russian supported militants.

India is Onboard of China's Space Station

On October 31, 2022, China successfully launched the third and last space-station module, Mengtian. This module is required to complete the building of China's space station by the end of 2022. This space station is known as Tiangong, and after the full operationalisation of this station, China would become the only third country in the world, after the US and Russia, to have their own space station.

AJEY LELE

DTE: "Can the ‘gist’ city climate plan secure a resilient future for Chennai? "

October 31, 2022

The Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) posted a draft of the city climate action plan on its website on September 12, 2022, for public view. The document consisting of 52 PowerPoint slides, was also up for a quick advisory for the public to submit their views, comments and appreciation within 20 days of posting.  Was it a decision by the civic body? Did the elected mayor approve this short notice for the people of Chennai and beyond to read and understand the technical language or the concepts and comment as feedback through emails? 

UN Press: ‘Poor Man’s Atomic Bomb’ Made of Dual-Use Biological, Chemical Material Replaces Nuclear Weapon for Non-State Actors, First Committee Told

October 29, 2022
UN logo

‘Poor Man’s Atomic Bomb’ Made of Dual-Use Biological, Chemical Material Replaces Nuclear Weapon for Non-State Actors, First Committee Told

Securing High-Containment Biological Labs Can Avert Next Pandemic

Chemical and biological weapons had become the best alternative to nuclear weapons for rogue States and non-State actors, the First Committee (Disarmament and International Security) heard today as it concluded its thematic debate on weapons of mass destruction and opened debate on conventional weapons. 

Health Security: "Disinformation and Epidemics: Anticipating the Next Phase of Biowarfare"

September 30, 2022
HS cover

ABSTRACT: While biological warfare has classically been considered a threat requiring the presence of a distinct biological agent, we argue that in light of the rise of state-sponsored online disinformation campaigns, we are approaching a fifth phase of biowarfare with a ‘‘cyber-bio’’ framing.

A STUDY OF AL-QAEDA’S TARGET-SPECIFIC NARRATIVES IN BANGLADESH

September 30, 2022

Abstract: This article examines Al-Qaeda in the Indian Subcontinent’s (AQIS) extremist propaganda in Bangladesh and how this South Asian affiliate of the Transnational Jihadist group- Al Qaeda- has dominated the extremist narrative against Bangladesh. The analyses draw on primary data from AQIS supporter channels on encrypted social media platforms such as Telegram and various “cloud-platform” websites that serve as repositories for the group’s propaganda.

SURAJ GANESAN