Category Archives: High Seas

Heavy surf, producing rip currents and weather advisories, kept the ocean off-limits to swimmers in most local communities, where lifeguards were on weekend duty following last weeks Labor Day holiday.

(A full update on the rip currents, plus current advisories, continues underneath the photos of todays waves.)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

A sign indicating no lifeguards on duty in Bay Head, N.J. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Lifeguards keep watch over the beach in Ortley Beach, N.J. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

Heavy surf leads to dangerous rip currents, Sept. 10, 2022. (Photo: Daniel Nee)

In Ocean County, waves whipped up by a combination of the moon phase and the remnants of Hurricane Earl, now a post-tropical cyclone hovering off the Canadian Maritimes, produced seas of more than 5-feet offshore, large waves at beaches and strong rip currents. A rip current advisory was in effect through Sunday, as well as a small craft advisory.

Entering the surf is discouraged, the advisory, which expires 6 p.m. Sunday, said.

The National Weather Service was forecasting 5-foot seas Sunday, foggy conditions at times, and continued rip currents at the shoreline.

Waves and winds should subside a bit, however, a long period easterly swell will continue, the NWS said in a statement. Therefore, a high risk for dangerous rip currents at New Jersey and Delaware beaches continues through Sunday.

By Monday, winds and waves are forecast subside further, leading the NWS to forecast a moderate risk for the formation of dangerous rip currents on Monday.

As a reminder, many beaches now have limited to no lifeguards present, the statement said.

The NWS also warned of a mild to moderate threat of coastal flooding Sunday, though mainly during the AM high tide period.

View post:

Watch: Heavy Surf Keeps Swimmers Out of the Water at Local Beaches - Shorebeat

40 years ago, the future of Star Trek was hanging in the balance. The TV series had been cancelled in 1969, and an attempted revival with 1979s Star Trek: The Motion Picture had been less than successful. The second film grudgingly greenlit by its studio on a vastly reduced budget was itself drifting into the seas of troubled production until, at the eleventh hour, director Nicholas Meyer came aboard. With Star Trek II: The Wrath of Khan, he not only saved the film, but the franchise.

The story has been repeated so often its now a cliche: Gene Roddenberry first pitched Star Trek to the NBC network as Wagon Train to the stars. Roddenberry had experience with television Westerns, having written for Bat Masterson and Jefferson Drum, and contributed an award-winning episode to Have Gun Will Travel: all part of the extraordinary proliferation of Western series and films that gained popularity in the 1950s and 1960s. Star Treks similarity to Wagon Train pretty much begins and ends with it being constructed from self-contained episodes comprising a wider narrative of forward momentum: the wagon trains journey West, and the Enterprises five-year mission. But space as a frontier would also have been an immediately graspable concept for 1960s audiences steeped in the language of the Western: a context that these days is easy to miss.

Roddenberry was hustling the studio with an eye on what was popular, and its doubtful he ever really envisaged Star Trek as a Space Western per se although Star Trek episodes did occasionally borrow Western tropes: the Enterprise crew visiting settlers scratching a living from the soil of environmentally hostile planets; gunfights (with phasers) and hokey fisticuffs; and of course, theres the wonky third-season Spectre Of The Gun, in which Kirk and Spock find themselves in an alien re-creation of the OK Corral. But Roddenberrys Star Trek was always very plot-driven the characters often reduced to pegs on which to hang the Big Ideas. By the time of The Motion Picture, he was deep down a rabbit hole of sub-Kubrickian philosophising about post-humanism and transformation: viz the merging of Ilia with Vger and then with Decker, and the ungraspable alien vastness of Vger itself. It was all, to coin a pun, alienating to audiences.

Nicholas Meyer's Star Trek would be terror on the high seas just with spaceships, and no actual sea.

Clearly some rethinking was needed. Roddenberry was kept at arms length for the sequel, and although he isnt credited for having done so, Meyer entirely re-wrote The Wrath Of Khans screenplay according to his own whims. Far from a Western or another 2001, his take was that Star Trek was Hornblower in space referring to CS Foresters hero of a dozen novels and various adaptations, most recently on ITV in the early 2000s: an adventuresome naval officer during the Napoleonic Wars. Meyer had previously penned the Sherlock-Holmes-meets-Freud novel and screenplay The Seven Percent Solution, and written and directed the HG-Wells-meets-Jack-the-Ripper time travel romp Time After Time. Conceptual mash-ups were his thing (and hes continued to write novels in which Sherlock Holmes has met the likes of The Mummy and Bram Stoker). His Star Trek would be terror on the high seas just with spaceships, and no actual sea.

The Wrath Of Khan doesnt require any detailed Trek knowledge from a more general audience. You dont even need to have seen Space Seed, the 1966 first-season episode in which Khan originally appeared. Despite the Roman numeral in its title, Star Trek II is a perfect jumping-on point for people whove never boldly gone into an episode of Star Trek before. Everything you need, you already have through cultural osmosis. Oddly, theres barely even any sci-fi in it obviously, its set in space, on spaceships and, briefly, on a couple of strange new worlds, but there are no androids or robots, and aside from the Vulcans and mind-altering earwig thing (sorry, Ceti Eel), no aliens. Khan and his crew are human augments, but you dont even get much sense of that beyond Khans stated age, his distracting rock-solid cleavage, and his ability to lift people up with one arm.

Instead of technobabble, the terminology and iconography is much more obviously naval than previously. The language is instantly recognisable as that of the sea: ship, dock, admiral, plot a course, bow, stern, helm, belay that order, and these are, of course, the voyages of the Good Ship Enterprise Khan, reconfigured for the film as a mad pirate captain, tells Kirk that hes marooned him, as if on some rocky Pacific island. Kirk has a rack of what look like flintlock pistols on the wall of his ready room, not to mention a scale model of a ship in full sail. Kirk reads Dickens, but Khan has a copy of Moby Dick.

The buccaneering score evokes nothing so much as open oceans and the wind in your sails.

The new uniforms too actually The Motion Picture uniforms dyed burgundy now incorporate naval-style turtlenecks and rank insignia. And theres also James Horners extraordinary soundtrack, replacing Alexander Courages famous TV music and Jerry Goldsmiths rather martial Motion Picture theme (later used for The Next Generation) with a buccaneering score that evokes nothing so much as open oceans and the wind in in your sails. Its so massive and lush that it goes a long way to making The Wrath Of Khan seem like a huge movie, when, with the sound off, it actually looks rather small.

As Khan, Ricardo Montalban a former Mexican heartthrob who found fame in US film and television in a variety of nonsense was only on set for ten days and has surprisingly few scenes (and none with Kirk that arent over a view screen, meaning they never share the same physical space). But he feels like a serious threat because the movie tells you he is, and he looms in your memory thanks to the sheer size and eccentricity of his performance. His dialogue is ridiculous (He tasks me and I will have him!) but even when hes being quiet, theres an insane menace to him. Stories from behind the scenes suggest that the rest of the cast were coasting a bit until Montalbans mad intensity goaded them into upping their game.

And thankfully, the material was there to meet their new-found enthusiasm, Meyer leaning into the characters in a way that Roddenberry never really had. As much as its about ship battles, The Wrath Of Khan is about the interpersonal relationships and enduring friendships of the crew, particularly Kirk, Spock and McCoy, dealing with ageing and exhaustion and by the end of the film loss. Maybe that renewed focus on its actual people is the films greatest Star Trek legacy.

Well, that and KHAAAAAAAAN!

Star Trek II: The Wrath Of Khan Director's Cut is in UK cinemas and on 4K Ultra-HD now

More here:

How The Wrath Of Khan Saved Star Trek - Empire

Ideal Home Newsletter

The Home Of Great Ideas For More Than 100 Years

Thank you for signing up to . You will receive a verification email shortly.

There was a problem. Please refresh the page and try again.

Creating a nursery mural can be as involved or straightforward as you'd like it to be. But however you do it, it's a wonderful way to add charm and character to a little one's room. And, before they become obsessed with Hello Kitty or Pokemon, the Marvel Universe or Disney princesses, you get to put your unique stamp on their space, in a way they'll appreciate and even maybe add to as they grow.

'You don't need to be an artist to be able to create great mural feature walls for your kids,' says Justyna Korczynska, senior designer at Crown. 'There are many easy ways to do it. Work out a design on paper then scale up for the walls, using good masking tape to create crisp lines. Kids rooms have a license to be fun. Therefore, why not add a bit of playfulness by painting furniture to match or contrast with the walls.'

Cost needn't be a factor either. You could choose to splash out on a full-scale wallpaper mural that covers one or more walls, or you could pick a smaller peel-and-stick design that you can remove without causing damage.

Or why not pick up a few pots of leftover paint and have a go at designing your own mural? You can paint freehand or grab some tape and mask out a geometric design. It really is a nursery decorating idea that anyone can try. Just don't be afraid to make mistakes you can always paint over them!

A big fan of pattern and bold colour, Amy Cutmore has been part of the Ideal Home editorial team for 12 years and has taken on more than her fair share of paint-based makeovers. In researching this article, she spoke to decorating experts at Crown, COAT Paints and Dunelm to get their expert take on the best approach for adding a mural to a nursery, including the right paints to use and best approaches to design.

(Image credit: Future PLC/Katie Lee)

You may be tempted to channel your local soft play centre and go big and bold with primary colours in your nursery mural. However, that could prove counterproductive, particularly when you are trying to get baby settled for the night.

'Paler colours work well in a childrens room as they tend to be more relaxingand soothing both for the child and parents,' says Justyna Korczynska. 'A background of soft blues and greens or warm pinkygreys can be a good basis from which to add more colour.'

(Image credit: Future PLC/Julien Fernandez/Amandine et Jules)

A full-scale wallpaper mural is more of an investment, but pick the right design and it can continue to spark the imagination long after your little one is out of nappies.

An enchanted forest has fairytale charm - the mural above can add atmosphere to bedtime stories from The Gruffalo to Goldilocks.

Alternatively, consider a space theme, a jungle, or boats on the high seas.

(Image credit: Future PLC/Photoword LTD)

This is a great idea if you think a mural might otherwise appear too 'random'. Take a simple motif such as triangular 'mountains' above, trees or scalloped waves, and paint your mural. Then either buy or create bedroom wall art that features the same motif and hang it around the room to consolidate the theme.

You could do the same with curtains, a rug or your choice of bedding.

(Image credit: Dunelm)

Who needs lullabies when you can get in the mood for sleep with your nursery mural? This Goodnight Moon inspired wallpaper design by Dunelm will have everyone yawning and is a quick and affordable way to add character to an entire wall.

It would work really well with grey or white walls so if you're reinventing a neutral guest bedroom as a nursery, it's. great pick.

Shop now: Floating Clouds mural, from 50, Dunelm (opens in new tab)

(Image credit: Rebel Walls)

Be inspired by the new life you've brought into the world with a mural of spring flowers growing tall on your wall. This large-format design by Rebel Walls will cover a large area quickly, so if you've left decorating to the last minute, it's a quick and super stylish option.

It's also not too 'babyish', so if you aren't a fan of cutesy designs, are toying with switching bedrooms around, or don't plan to stay in the house for years to come, choosing this design means you won't need to redecorate.

Shop now: Bumblebee wall mural in Sand, 38 per sq m, Rebel Walls (opens in new tab)

(Image credit: Sir Face Murals at Etsy)

If you're decorating a rental property, it's unlikely you'll be able to daub your own hand-painted mural on the walls without risking the wrath of your landlord. That's where peel-and-stick designs come to the rescue.

This design is made of self-adhesive wall fabric, which is more eco-friendly and resilient than vinyl, and it's printed with non-toxic, kid-safe inks. Best of all, it can be removed and repositioned easily, so you can move it to another wall or room, and it won't leave a single mark behind.

We love the idea of this relaxing view, which might take the edge off those early morning feeds.

Shop now: Large Boho Nursery Arch, from 55.58, Sir Face Graphics at Etsy (opens in new tab)

(Image credit: Future PLC)

A mural doesn't have to be complicated it can be as simple as a few diagonal lines. You could use these to zone a twin nursery or shared bedroom (yellow side for one sibling, pink for the other) or to demarcate different areas for sleep and play.

To create a sharp and neat line, we like to use Frog tape for masking.

Shop now: FrogTape Green Multi Surface Masking Tape, 6.99, Amazon (opens in new tab)

(Image credit: Crown)

Sometimes, all it takes is a simple shape or series of shapes to create the basis of a mural. A semi circle behind a cot or bed, or a series of triangular 'peaks' can form the basis of a mural that you can have fun embellishing over time.

One of my favouritemuralsfor a client was a mountain around the bottom half of her son's bedroom walls,' says Aaron Markwell,COATs Colour Curator. 'This made for a great gender-neutralmuralthat can be complemented with stickers or stencils of your child's favourite things when they are younger and "grows-up" with them.'

It's also a good way to highlight a piece of furniture, such as a changing station, cot, or nursing chair.

(Image credit: Future PLC/Richard Gadsby/25 Beautiful Homes)

Sure you could go for one big peel-and-stick mural. But you can have just as much fun with a series of smaller stickers. Play with scale and cleverly position your stickers around furniture an empty wall can host a larger tree, while a cot or shelf can double as a perch for animal friends.

(Image credit: Annie Sloan)

A black wall can provide the backdrop for a truly fantastical nursery mural. Artist and interior designer Lucy Tiffney created this design using Annie Sloan paints (opens in new tab). You could have a go at hand-painting your own masterpiece, or simply dare to paint your walls dark and embellish them with adhesive mofits.

'Children respond to colour,' says Annie. 'Their instinctive attraction towards brighter shades isnt hampered by a learned fear of standing out, and we should capitalise on that! Bright shades inspire, build future confidence with experimentation, and activate fertile imaginations.'

Annie goes on to explain that 'as with white, all colours go with black; but they pop against black rather than sitting more gently alongside a blank canvas of white'.

Lucy has used Annie's Athenian Black here, but Farrow & Ball's Railings is another equally dark and dramatic option.

Shop now: Athenian Black wall paint, 55.95, Annie Sloan (opens in new tab)Shop now: Railings Modern emulsion, 56 for 2.5ltrs, Farrow & Ball at B&Q (opens in new tab)

Our tips on how to paint a wall will help you apply your chosen colours with a professional finish. But before you start, take care to pick the right paint for your project.

If there's one place not to skimp on cheap paint, it's the nursery. It could start to flake, and it could contain a higher level of VOCs volatile organic compounds that are given off by the paint. These pollute the air and are known to be harmful to the environment and can trigger asthma and allergies.

Look for paint low in VOCs, such as Crown Breatheasy, or Edward Bulmer Natural Paint, which is made entirely from raw plant and mineral materials. Graphenstone makes paint that goes one stage further not only does it not emit harmful VOCs but it actually cleans your air by absorbing CO2 as it dries.

Another important consideration when choosing paint for a nursery paint is wipe-ability whether you're dealing with sticky fingerprints or crayon marks. Again, most paint brands offer paints robust enough to deal with multiple clean downs. Crown has its stain- and scrub-resistant Easyclean, while Dulux offers an Easycarerange on similar lines.

Aaron Markwell,COATs Colour Curator recommends COAT's soft sheen finish in bedrooms for young children. 'Any crayon can easily be washed off,' he explains.

Original post:

10 sweet nursery mural ideas that are playful and practical - Ideal Home

Brussels, the once- upon-hometown of Cheyenne Olivier, who is my friend and illustrator, is dotted with thousands of friteries. These are shops where you can only buy French fries, along with an option on dozens of dipping sauces. Among them is currysaus, distinguished by the unmistakable hue and fragrance of curry powder.

Indian spices

It is a commonplace that no one in India cooks with curry powder. But on the other hand, the idea of a masala, a blending of a number of contrasting spices, is fundamental to Indian cooking. The problem with curry powder, which it shares with chicken tikka masala and chai, is less the lack of authenticity than the fact that it turns an incredibly rich and diverse culinary landscape into a kind of a Golden Triangle of eating.

It is not surprising that every culinary tradition tries to find the simplest ways to incorporate other traditions into its cooking vocabulary this is currysaus, currywurst in Germany, katsu curry in Japan (but also gobi 65). What is unfortunate is that this is where, for a vast majority of the worlds cooks, Indian food seems stuck, despite the fact that most eating cultures seem to be groping towards a more vegetarian diet, and the sheer splendour of what India has to offer by way of cooking vegetables. There are thousands of Indian restaurants across the world serving undifferentiated over-spiced glop, millions of packaged tikka masalas get sold every year, and varieties of curry powder show up in almost every kitchen, but relatively few non-desi chefs, other than a small global elite, many of them British, seem to be exploring how they could transform their cooking using everyday ideas from Indian cooks.

What really excites me is not the exotic or the baroque, not the early spring asparagus flown across the high seas to be served with posto-bata (poppy seed paste) in Kolkata, nor even the possibility of serving a freshly made burrata with a perfect Alphonso somewhere in the boot of Italy (much as I would love that), but the pairing of everyday flavours from across the world. The genius of Indian cooking is precisely the ability to figure out ways to use spices to lift the most mundane ingredients to a state of grace think lauki with poppy seeds, or lotus stems in a hing and fennel flavoured yogurt gravy. In a world in which eating the seasonal and local (as our forefathers did) is increasingly an imperative, this idea of using alliums, herbs and spices to make magic out of whatever is available has the potential to do its bit towards saving the world.

Read the original here:

What the world can learn from the Indian kitchen - Cond Nast Traveller India

The Indian Express UPSC weekly news express covers some of the most important topics of current affairs news from this week to help you prepare for UPSC-CSE. Try out the MCQs and check your answers provided towards the end of the article.

India soars ahead of UK to become worlds fifth biggest economy

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies III- Inclusive growth and issues arising from it.

Why in news?

India has become the worlds fifth-largest economy after it overtook the United Kingdom in end-March 2022, according to the latest calculations by Bloomberg.

Key takeaways

India leaped past the UK in the final three months of 2021 to become the fifth-biggest economy. The calculation is based in US dollars, and India extended its lead in the first quarter, according to GDP figures from the International Monetary Fund.

The news comes close on the heels of Prime Minister Narendra Modi urging countrymen to resolve to become a developed country by 2047 the centenary of Indias Independence. As such, moving past one of the biggest economies in the world, especially one that ruled over the Indian sub-continent for two centuries, is a major milestone.

The Indian economy is forecast to grow more than 7% this year. A world-beating rebound in Indian stocks this quarter has just seen their weighting rise to the second spot in the MSCI Emerging Markets Index, trailing only Chinas.

On an adjusted basis and using the dollar exchange rate on the last day of the relevant quarter, the size of the Indian economy in nominal cash terms in the quarter through March was $854.7 billion. On the same basis, UK was $816 billion.

UK GDP grew just 1% in cash terms in the second quarter and, after adjusting for inflation, shrank 0.1%. Sterling has also underperformed the dollar relative to the rupee, with the pound falling 8% against the Indian currency this year.

The IMFs own forecasts show India overtaking the UK in dollar terms on an annual basis this year, putting the Asian powerhouse behind just the US, China, Japan and Germany. A decade ago, India ranked 11th among the largest economies, while the UK was 5th.

Comparing India and UK

Population size is one of the most fundamental differences between the two countries. As of 2022, India has a population of 1.41 billion while the UKs population is 68.5 million. In other words, Indias population is 20 times that of the UKs.

There is such a stark difference between the population of the two countries, GDP per capita provides a more realistic comparison of income levels because it divides a countrys GDP by the population of that country. It is not surprising to note that the income of an average Indian is far lower.

Low per capita incomes often point to high levels of poverty. It is noteworthy that at the start of the 19th century, the UKs share in extreme poverty was considerably higher than Indias. However, as things stand today, the relative positions have reversed even though India has made giant strides in curbing poverty.

Arguably, the end goal of higher GDP and faster economic growth is to have better human development parameters. The Human Development Index is a composite of health, education and standard of living parameters. Despite its secular improvement, India might still take a decade to be where the UK was in 1980.

A crucial element of becoming richer as a country is the quality of life available to citizens. The Universal Health Coverage (UHC) Index is measured on a scale from 0 (worst) to 100 (best) based on the average coverage of essential services including reproductive, maternal, newborn and child health, infectious diseases, non-communicable diseases and service capacity and access. While faster economic growth and the governments policy focus on healthcare schemes since 2005 have made a distinct improvement for India, there is still a long way to go.

Point to ponder: As such, while India should own the tag of the worlds fastest-growing economy, it is important to understand that being so is just the necessary condition for Indias prosperity, not the sufficient one. Comment.

1. MCQ:

Economic growth in country X will necessarily have to occur if (UPSC-CSE 2013)

(a) there is technical progress in the world economy

(b) there is population growth in X

(c) there is capital formation in X

(d) the volume of trade grows in the world economy

Floods in Pakistan

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies I: Important Geophysical phenomena such as earthquakes, Tsunami, Volcanic activity, cyclone etc., geographical features and their location-changes in critical geographical features (including water-bodies and ice-caps) and in flora and fauna and the effects of such changes.

Why in news?

While Europe, China and some other regions of the world are experiencing a severe drought, Pakistan is facing one of the worst floods in its recent history. Reports say about 110 of the 150 districts in the country are affected by the flooding. Pakistans National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) said on Sunday that over 1,000 people were confirmed dead in the floods so far.

Key takeaways

The current flood is a direct result of an extremely wet monsoon season this year. The same southwest monsoon that brings the bulk of Indias annual rainfall causes rain in Pakistan as well.

The monsoon season in Pakistan, however, is a little shorter than in India. That is because the rain-bearing monsoon winds take time to travel northward from India into Pakistan. The official monsoon season in Pakistan begins on July 1 and extends until September, although most of the rainfall happens during the months of July and August. The active rainfall season is only one and a half months.

The normal rainfall for Pakistan as a whole during this three-month monsoon season is 140 mm. But because the season is quite short, there is a wide variation in the monsoon rainfall every year.

The rainfall situation in Pakistan has been quite different from that of India so far, though incidents of extreme rainfall and flooding have occured here as well.

In August, India has received rainfall that is barely 6 per cent more than the normal. For the entire season so far, the country has received 7 per cent more than normal rainfall.

However, because India is such a huge country, the overall numbers hide marked variations at the regional and local levels. Just last week, Himachal Pradesh and Uttarakhand experienced torrential rainfall, triggering landslides and flashfloods that killed over 30 people.

In August, central India, comprising mainly Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, and parts of Rajasthan, Gujarat, and Maharashtra, has received 26 percent excess rainfall.

Point to ponder: Since floods in Pakistan bear similarities to those in India, its time for a collaborative mechanism to deal with extreme weather events. Discuss.

MCQ:

Consider the following statements and answer the question below

1. Extreme floods often lead to extreme drought.

2. When the river basin floods, much of the water flows to the ocean rather than seeping into the soil, paradoxically causing water scarcity.

Which of the following statement is/are correct?

a) Both 1 and 2

b) only 1

c) only 2

d) Neither 1 nor 2

UN High Seas Treaty

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance.

Mains Examination: General Studies II: Important International institutions, agencies and fora- their structure, mandate.

Why in news?

Negotiations involving 168 countries, including the European Union, to agree on a UN treaty for protecting oceans failed Saturday (August 27).

When the latest round of talks began two weeks ago in New York, it was hoped that an agreement would be arrived at for the conserving marine life at the high seas which lie outside the exclusive jurisdiction of different countries.

In June, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres had declared an ocean emergency at the UN Ocean Conference in Lisbon, Portugal, citing threats to the worlds oceans.

Key takeaways

Also referred to as the Paris Agreement for the Ocean, the treaty to deal with Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction has been under discussion for several years.

The proposed treaty concerns the ocean existing beyond the Exclusive Economic Zones that lie from the coast of a country to about 200 nautical miles or 370 km into the sea, till where it has special rights for exploration. Waters beyond that are known as open seas or high seas.

The treaty was to be negotiated under the United Nations Convention on Laws of the Sea (UNCLOS) of 1982 which governs the rights of countries regarding marine resources. As there is no treaty for conserving the health of vast swathes of the earths oceans, a UN resolution in 2017 had decided to rectify this while setting 2022 as the deadline.

The pandemic resulted in many delays, and later, a High Ambition Coalition, which now has more than 100 countries including India, the US, and the UK, came about and put the focus on 3030 goals protecting 30% of the ocean by 2030. After the latest deadlock, talks will only resume next year, unless a special session is called.

Some aspects of negotiations included establishing marine protected areas to put limits on certain activities, environmental impact assessments or clearances for sustainability of works, financial support to countries and sharing other scientific knowledge. The International Union for Conservation of Nature has said binding agreements are needed for this treaty to be effective.

How are the worlds oceans regulated as of now?

Some treaties, along with the UNCLOS, regulate the conduct of actors on the high seas. The UNCLOS led to the establishment of territorial sea boundaries 22 km offshore, deciding the region up to which countries could claim full sovereign territorial rights, as well as the 200 nautical miles EEZ limit. It also created the International Seabed Authority and other conflict-resolution mechanisms.

But a treaty dedicated to protecting ocean health does not exist as of now. Conversely, every country has the right to access open seas, resulting in large-scale drilling and trawling operations for catching fish and other animals for commercial purposes.

What are the risks of countries failing to reach an agreement?

Ninety percent of global warming is occurring in the ocean, according to the NASA website.

The effects of ocean warming include sea level rise due to thermal expansion, coral bleaching, accelerated melting of Earths major ice sheets, intensified hurricanes, and changes in ocean health and biochemistry, it says. Excessive fishing has increased manifold over the years, and a third of species such as sharks and rays are at the risk of extinction, according to the World Wildlife Fund.

Despite acknowledging these threats, members failed to agree on how to deal with these threats.

There has been talk of resistance from countries that engage in deep sea mining of minerals or are heavily invested in fishing. Although we did make excellent progress, we still do need a little bit more time to progress towards the finish line, UN Oceans Ambassador Rena Lee said, the AFP reported.

Some countries in the Caribbean alleged that richer countries of the Global North did not actively participate until the last few days of the talks.

Point to ponder: India needs to strengthen its maritime laws and regulatory mechanisms. Discuss.

MCQ:

With reference to UNCLOS, which of the following is not correct?

a) It not only zones coastal states offshore areas but provides specific guidance for states rights and responsibilities in the five concentric zones.

b)It is the only international convention which stipulates a framework for state jurisdiction in maritime spaces.

c) Each coastal State may claim an EEZ beyond and adjacent to its territorial sea that extends seaward up to 200 nm from its baselines.

d) The ocean surface and the water column beyond the EEZ are referred to as the Contiguous Zone.

Jios standalone 5G architecture, and how it will work

Syllabus:

Preliminary Examination: Current events of national and international importance

Main Examination: General Studies III: Changes in industrial policy and their effects on industrial growth and Science and Technology- developments and their applications and effects in everyday life.

Why in news?

Indias largest telecom company Reliance Jio on Monday announced the launch of its 5G services in Delhi, Mumbai, Kolkata, and Chennai by Diwali this year, with an aim to expand and cover the entire country by December 2023.

The company said it will launch its 5G services on a standalone 5G architecture, against the non-standalone approach that other operators are betting on.

The disagreement between service providers on the network modes they are taking to roll out the next generation of mobile telephony also spotlights questions over the readiness of Indian consumers to move to 5G.

Key takeaways

5G networks are deployed mainly on two modes: standalone and non-standalone. Both architectures have their advantages and disadvantages, and the path chosen by operators primarily reflects their view of the market for the new technology, and the consequent rollout strategy.

In the standalone mode, which Jio has chosen, the 5G network operates with dedicated equipment, and runs parallel to the existing 4G network, while in the non-standalone mode, the 5G network is supported by the 4G core infrastructure.

Given that the non-standalone networks are built on existing infrastructure, the initial cost and the time taken to roll out services through this track is significantly less than standalone networks. Jio has committed an investment of Rs 2 lakh crore for its standalone 5G network.

The standalone mode provides access to full 5G capabilities and new network functionalities such as slicing that provides greater flexibility to operators to efficiently use their spectrum holdings.

Non-standalone networks are generally considered to be a stepping stone, and global precedent suggests operators that have launched non-standalone 5G networks eventually transition to standalone networks. The non-standalone mode, however, lets operators maximise the utilisation of their existing network infrastructure with relatively lower investment.

The biggest difference in the two architectures is the compatibility with existing device ecosystems. Most smartphones today have capability to connect to non-standalone 5G networks which are essentially 5G airwaves transmitted through 4G networks and will require software updates by their OEMs to be able to connect to standalone networks.

5G could have benefits for consumers owing to the superior Internet speed and low latency it promises over 4G. At its peak, Internet speeds on 5G could touch 10 Gbps, compared to the 100 Mbps peak of 4G. Similarly, latency under 4G is between 10-100 ms (millisecond) whereas on 5G it is expected to be under 1 ms. Latency is the time it takes for a device to send packets of data and get a response. Shorter the latency, quicker the response.

According to a May 2019 report by Ericsson, a key player in the 5G equipment market, while it is a common belief that 5G might not deliver any near-term benefits for consumers, they expect 5G to offer a step change in network performance, relief from urban network congestion, and more home broadband choices as near-term benefits.

Further, it pointed out that while there were reservations back in 2010 during the onset of 4G about the technologys actual benefits for consumers, today, a number of online activities from streaming ultra high definition content to making video calls, especially propelled by the pandemic that are possible on 4G, would have been near impossible on 3G speeds.

For most industrial use cases such as manufacturing, Internet of Things, artificial intelligence, the speeds and latency levels offered by 5G telephony are the key selling propositions. These low latencies and high Internet speeds can only be made available through the standalone architecture.

Read more here:

UPSC Essentials: Weekly news express with MCQs World's fifth biggest economy to UN High Seas Treaty - The Indian Express

The Batanes, which was placed under Signal No. 2 early on Saturday, was buffeted by strong winds and rough seas brought by Typhoon Henry and the enhanced Southwest Monsoon.

In Ivy Hernando's Saturday 24 Oras Weekend report, a video from the Itbayat Police showed the occasional rain, strong winds, and massive waves at the Itbayat Islands.

Police assisted fishermen as they pulled their vessels ashore to keep them from getting damaged.

While the waters were calm at the Valugan Boulder Beach, the waves were much higher at a port in Basco.

The provincial government is assessing infrastructure and agriculture damage due to the inclement conditions.

The crops damaged by the weather included corn, while vendors were unable to sell fish and seafood at the Basco public market.

Meanwhile, the provincial government was looking to assist the fishermen who could not ply their trade.

While classes in all levels would likely resume next week, sea trips were prohibited due to high waves.

The Tropical Cyclone Wind Signal over the Batanes was lowered to Signal 1 Saturday evening as Typhoon Henry maintained its strength while moving northward over the sea east of Taiwan. Jamil Santos/DVM, GMA News

More here:

Batanes buffeted by severe winds, rough seas from Henry - GMA News Online

MIAMI, FL - August 30, 2022 - Recognized as one of the best ocean cruise lines in Travel + Leisures 2022 Worlds Best Awards, Virgin Voyages has made its mark on the travel industry as one of the most sought-after holiday havens for rejuvenation, relaxation and a hint of adventure on the high seas. Having launched two award-winning ships in a span of just nine months, 2023 promises more industry-first milestones for Richard Bransons newest travel brand. As an exciting precursor to the most epic loyalty program at sea, set to make its formal debut in 2023, Virgin Voyages is saying Ahoy! to The Sailing Club. This incredible dual-pronged perks program is teeming with brilliant benefits and exclusive offers for the remainder of 2022 and unlocks a limited window of opportunity for its Sailors to elevate themselves to the brands highest status tier in 2023.

This brand was built on innovation, so were taking a truly unique approach and developing a program that will give Sailors a taste of whats to come while rewarding those whove supported the brand all along, said Nirmal Saverimuttu, President and Chief Experience Officer. Ive met so many incredible Sailors many whove voyaged with us more than 10 times since weve launched and this new program is a thank you for their commitment. Wed also love their help in shaping the future and are seeking their ideas to create a game-changing loyalty program theyll fall in love with.

2 Perks in 2022:As part of the brands perks program, Virgin Voyages Sailing Club is introducing 2 Perks, exclusively available to loyal qualifying Sailors in 2022. The introduction of these new perks will reward and benefit those who book or sail in the near future, promoting end-of-year travel set to coincide with increases in booking trends and the cruise industrys comeback.

Perk 1: Sail in 2022 with Deep Blue Extras: Deep Blue Extras, a collection of unrivaled luxuries that elevate qualifying Sailors to VIP treatment. From one free Shake for Champagne, anytime boarding and premium wifi (when available), to exclusive cocktail parties and laundry services, these rewards are meant to amp up the experience and encourage Sailors to unleash their inner RockStar. With rebooking rates as high as 50% from past Sailors craving another adventure with Virgin Voyages, the line continues to impress travelers, earning the most five-star reviews than any other cruise line on TripAdvisor. Now, the company is rewarding these travelers, as well as giving avid sea-goers, an opportunity to step aboard while maintaining their benefits from other lines. Deep Blue Extras are available for all qualifying Sailors that sail from September through December 2022.

Perk 2: Book in 2022 with Red Hot Booking Bonus Months: Virgin Voyages is also introducing Red Hot Booking Bonus Months. Spanning from Aug. 30 through Nov. 15, 2022, any new qualifying booking made during these select Red Hot Months (excludes bookings made with existing voyage credits), will allow all qualifying Sailors to be treated to special on-board spending perks and chances to win extraordinary experiences across the Virgin family. More exciting prizes will be announced next week. For a sneak peak, these will include a luxurious trip to Ulusaba, Richard Bransons private game reserve in South Africa, and Virgin Points through Virgin Red, the rewards club from Virgin designed to give you exclusive access to the Virgin family and beyond. In addition, Sailors who take advantage of this perk by making a qualifying booking between now and Nov. 15, 2022 will earn an extra $200 in Sailor Loot (aka on-board spending credit), which is combinable with all other promotions, offering rich rewards to loyal Sailors.

As a further enhancement to the Red Hot Booking Bonus Months and with an eye towards 2023, Virgin Voyages is introducing Tokens to track all qualifying spend to ensure Sailors are positioned for benefits in 2023. All of the money spent with Virgin Voyages since inception will be counted and tallied as Tokens. And as an exclusive perk for all loyal Sailors, every dollar spent during these Red Hot Booking Bonus Months up to four Tokens per dollar for Sea-Blazers, and three Tokens per dollar for Sea-Rovers will contribute to an individual's future status. As the program is unveiled in 2023, these Tokens will fast-track Sailors to the highest tiers possible, unlocking even more phenomenal perks in the next year.

Three Ways to Unlock the 2022 Perks:

The 2022 Perks will be available to all loyal qualifying Sailors defined as:

We are thrilled to introduce The Sailing Club and offer our loyal Sea-Blazers and Sea-Rovers our 2022 Perks Program as a thank you for being our biggest fans, Nirmal Saverimuttu added. We look forward to welcoming our future Match & Sea More Sailors to experience setting sail the Virgin Way. And to those who arent Sea-Rovers yet, there is plenty of time to treat yourself to an award-winning, exclusively adult, kid-free vacation twice in 2022 and unlock a world of benefits with Virgin Voyages.

As the final component of the 2022 program, Virgin Voyages is inviting Sailors to channel their inner Richard Branson and awaken their entrepreneurial spirit. The brand is eager for Sailors to share what perks theyd like offered, how Virgin Voyages can elevate its loyalty program, and what the company can do to make its Sailing Club one of the most irresistible in the travel industry.

To share an idea on what The Sailing Club should encompass, please email loyalty@virginvoyages.com. Virgin Voyages is accepting all ideas along with volunteers to participate in surveys and/or focus groups. For more information, swim on over to http://www.VirginVoyages.com.

Members of the Virgin Atlantic Flying Club and Virgin Red in the US can redeem their Virgin Points on sailings from Miami and Barcelona on both Scarlet Lady and Valiant Lady, providing outstanding value to loyal customers from across the Virgin Group. Through the existing Capital One and Virgin Red partnership announced in March 2022, Capital One cardholders can also access these offers.

For more information about The Sailing Club the most epic rewards program at sea visit here and learn more about how to start getting rewarded. And, to get sailing, visit us here to book your next gorgeous vacation.

ABOUT VIRGIN VOYAGESSet Sail the Virgin Way with Virgin Voyages, the irresistible travel brand founded by Sir Richard Branson. Delivering epic vacations at sea, Virgin Voyages launched at the end of 2021. The brand's four Lady Ships inspired by 50+ years of Virgin history -- include Scarlet Lady, Valiant Lady, Resilient Lady and Brilliant Lady. Designed for discerning travelers, Virgin Voyages offers relaxing, exclusively adult (18+) sailings. Working with a Creative Collective of the worlds most sought-after designers, performance artists and architects, Virgin Voyages delivers an enchanting boutique hotel at sea with fresh, elevated spaces that strike the perfect balance of nautical chic and glamour. Currently departing from the sun-soaked cities of Miami and Barcelona and soon to include Athens, San Juan and Melbourne the fleet offers itineraries to more than 100 awe-inspiring destinations across four continents. Virgin Sailors are spoiled for choice with 20 eateries offering Michelin-star culinary experiences all included, a festival-like line-up of entertainment, stylish and comfortable cabins, Rockstar Quarters, authentic and locally inspired shore excursions, and a dose of Vitamin Sea with well-being naturally intertwined throughout the experience. Promising to Create an Epic Sea Change for All, Virgin Voyages also puts sustainability front and center.

ABOUT VIRGIN REDVirgin Red is Virgin's rewards club, first launching in the UK in 2020 and then in the USA in November 2021. Virgin Red connects the Virgin family, where members can earn on the everyday to save for the extraordinary. 2023 will bring an even deeper partnership between Virgin Red and Virgin Voyages, providing more exciting opportunities for customers.Virgin Red celebrates its members for living a life more Virgin giving them exclusive access to rewards from the Virgin family and beyond. It makes it really easy for members to earn and spend Virgin Points Virgin's universal currency which never expires. Whether its earning points everyday with some of the biggest online retailers or saving for a bigger extraordinary experience like a holiday- or a Voyage- there is something for everyone. More information can be found at: https://www.virgin.com/virgin-red.

See the rest here:

Virgin Voyages unveils the Sailing Club: an incredible Perks Program - Virgin Voyages

The crew of the U.S. Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous offloads approximately 22 pounds of cocaine and 1,256 pounds of marijuana, worth an estimated $3 million, Aug. 30, 2022, at Coast Guard Base Miami Beach, Florida. (U.S. Coast Guard photo by Chief Petty Officer Stephen Lehmann)

MIAMI The crew of the Coast Guard Cutter Vigorous offloaded approximately 22 pounds of cocaine and 1,256 pounds of marijuana, worth an estimated $3 million, Tuesday at Base Miami Beach.

The drugs were interdicted in the international waters of the Eastern Pacific Ocean by crews from:

Vigorous is glad to have been able to make an important contribution to the Coast Guards counterdrug mission, said Cmdr. Ryan A. Waters, commanding officer of Vigorous. Im incredibly proud of the hardworking Vigorous crews proficiency teamwork and devotion to duty that enabled the detection, interdiction and boarding of a vessel suspected of drug smuggling.

The fight against drug cartels in the Caribbean Sea and Eastern Pacific Ocean, and the transnational criminal organizations they are associated with, requires a unity of effort in all phases; from detection and monitoring to interdiction and apprehension, and on to criminal prosecutions by international partners and U.S. Attorneys Offices in districts across the nation.

Detecting and interdicting illegal drug traffickers on the high seas involves significant interagency and international coordination. The Joint Interagency Task Force South in Key West, Florida conducts detection and monitoring of aerial and maritime transit of illegal drugs. Maritime interdiction of illicit maritime activity in the Caribbean Sea is coordinated by the Seventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Miami, Florida, and the Eleventh Coast Guard District, headquartered in Alameda, California coordinates interdiction of illicit maritime activity in the Eastern Pacific.

Cutter Vigorous, a 210-foot Reliance-class medium endurance cutter, was commissioned in May 1969 and is homeported in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The Vigorous generally deploys 185 days a year for patrols lasting 45 to 60 days to a variety of operating areas, extending from the Gulf of Maine to the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico and the Eastern Pacific Ocean. The Vigorous primary mission areas include homeland security, law enforcement, counterdrug operations, search and rescue, migrant operations, and fisheries enforcement.

For more news follow us on Twitter and Facebook. For recent photographs follow us on Flickr.

Original post:

Coast Guard offloads more than $3 million in illegal narcotics in Miami - Coast Guard News - Coast Guard News

Marseille/Geneva/Budapest, 2 September 2022 - 460 women, children, babies and men are stuck in limbo waiting to disembark. Some with overwhelming medical needs have been stuck onboard eight days after being rescued on the deadly Central Mediterranean. SOS MEDITERRANEE and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) are calling for these survivors right to disembark in a Place of Safety without further delay.

Within just 60 hours, the Ocean Vikinga search and rescue ship chartered by SOS MEDITERRANEE in partnership with the IFRC faced more distress cases than ever before. The crew found and rescued people from ten unseaworthy, overcrowded boats on the worlds deadliest sea migratory route since 2014, the Central Mediterranean. The search and rescue ship remains stranded at sea waiting for the survivors disembarkation.

The team is facing an overwhelming number of medical cases, including exhaustion, dehydration, and untreated skin infections and wounds. Other survivors are facing chronic medical conditions and two 9-month-pregnant women were evacuated.

We have never experienced such level of severe medical cases on board Ocean Viking before. The survivors were found in the middle of high seas in unimaginable situations. In a desperate attempt to find safety, they were near to die at sea, either by drowning, or by dehydration. Per maritime law, their rescues will only be completed when they will have reached a Place of Safety. The current blockade for their disembarkation must find an end without further delay, says Xavier Lauth, SOS MEDITERRANEE Director of Operations.

Every day that passes, the needs of those on board grow. Francesco Rocca, President of IFRC said:

The sheer number of people rescued in such a short time with such severity of peoples conditions onboard only shows us that the situation is getting so much more desperate for those seeking safety and protection. We cannot continue to face this same challenge over and over again. We need longer term solutions including a commitment for safe and regular pathways to protection and safety while also ensuring access to protection for those arriving spontaneously.

SOS MEDITERRANEE and IFRC call on European members and associated States to show solidarity, observe maritime law and guarantee fundamental human rights. The wait and suffering of the 460 survivors onboard Ocean Viking must end immediately.

Note to editors:

The Ocean Viking rescued 466 women, children and men in ten rescue operations between August 25 and 27. Among the survivors are over 20 adult women, including several pregnant and over 80 minors, 75% of whom are unaccompanied.

On August 29, two 9-month-pregnant women had to be urgently medically evacuated. They were transferred onto an Italian Coast Guard patrol vessel with four of their relatives (two sisters and their two children, including a 3-week-old little girl).

Despite having contacted relevant maritime authorities at all steps of the search and rescue operations, the Ocean Viking was left alone, with no coordination nor information-sharing from relevant maritime authorities. Four of the unseaworthy and overcrowded boats in distress were spotted via binoculars from the bridge of the Ocean Viking. The distress alerts of the six other boats were relayed by civil NGOs such as the civil network Alarm Phone, the aircrafts of the NGOs Pilotes Volontaires and Sea-Watch, and the sailing vessels of the NGOs Open Arms and Resqship. The Ocean Viking informed relevant maritime authorities at all steps of the rescues and sent requests for the designation of a Place of Safety as soon as possible after each operation, as per maritime law.

Recently, a new shipwreck was reported by the International Organisation for Migration. Two bodies of deceased persons were retrieved by Libyan Coastguards and 19 people were reported missing by the six survivors of this tragedy on August 27, the same day Ocean Viking teams rescued 198 survivors from five boats in distress. Since 2014, almost 19,811 people are known to have perished in the central Mediterranean. Thats 80% of the deaths recorded in the whole Mediterranean Sea.

SOS MEDITERRANEE rescued 36,789 people since the beginning of its operations in 2016, with Aquarius and Ocean Viking. A total of 7,266 people were rescued by the Ocean Viking since she started operating in August 2019. Since September 2021, IFRC teams participated in ten patrols on Ocean Viking and helped rescue more than 2,700 people.

While the SOS MEDITERRANEE team focuses on search and rescue at sea, the IFRC team focuses on providing humanitarian post-rescue services, including medical care, first aid, psychosocial support, relief and protection.

For more information, please contact:

IFRC In Geneva: Jenelle Eli, +1 202 603 6803, [emailprotected]

IFRC in Budapest: Nora Peter, +36 70 265 4020, [emailprotected]

SOS MEDITERRANEE International & Operations: Laurence Bondard / +33 6 23 24 59 93 / [emailprotected]

See more here:

Eight days waiting onboard Ocean Viking amid overwhelming medical needs: SOS MEDITERRANEE and IFRC call for 460 of survivors' right to disembark -...

A luxury cruise liner, The G.O.A.T. Boat, is coming to NBA 2K23 as an all-new Neighborhood setting for the Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One platforms.

NBA 2K22 featured a cruise ship of its own, allowing Neighborhood players to climb aboard the Cancha del Mar to compete in various games.

Notably, the liner hosted games of 2v2, 3v3, and 5v5 across multiple decks. Sidequests and rewards were packed into the experience as well, ensuring NBA 2K users had plenty to explore on the high seas.

Those who enjoyed the Cancha del Mar-branded fun will be pleased to learn that yet another cruise ship will set sail in NBA 2K23.

In the latest Courtside Report for NBA 2K23, 2K Games detailed an all-new Neighborhood coming to Nintendo Switch, PC, PS4, and Xbox One.

Cancha Del Mar has been sidelined in favor of The G.O.A.T. Boat, a luxury vessel promising scenic excursions and whale-sized events. The cruise liner boasts a three-deck layout Platinum, Silver, and Gold.

Comprised of three different sections, the Platinum Deck plays host to six 3v3 courts, four elevators, two showers (server refresh), and a Gatorade Training Facility on Trips. Meanwhile, the Platinum Deuces area includes six 2v2 courts, three elevators, and two showers.

And finally, those who explore Platinums MOAT section will find two 5v5 courts (with another launching later), two showers, two elevators, and the entrance to Excursions.

The Silver Decks Promenade area features the Jordan Challenge, REC Lounge, Cages, MyTEAM, Daily Prize, Daily Pick Em, the NBA Store, and several other shops.

Last but not least, the Gold Deck offers up MyCOURT and Ante-Up. Plus, it seems as though this all-new boat-set Neighborhood will give NBA 2K23 fans plenty of other decadent areas to explore.

The Courtside Report also details how matchmaking has become more streamlined. Most importantly, the development crew is introducing no-wait gameplay to complement Got Next spots.

This should guarantee players have the ability to pair up quicker, regardless of whether they want to meet with friends or challenge randoms.

NBA 2K23 hits PC and consoles on September 9, 2022.

Read more here:

NBA 2K23 matchmaking changes and G.O.A.T. Boat revealed - Dexerto