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Jakarta, Jan 11 (IANS) Indonesian President Prabowo Subianto met with Japanese Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba on Saturday, with the two leaders agreeing to enhance cooperation in various sectors.

Subianto told a press conference that Indonesia opened up to the possibility of Japanese companies participating in Indonesia's future economic development, including in the downstream programs of natural resources.

The Indonesian president invited the Japanese government to contribute to Indonesia's economic development, particularly in achieving food and energy self-sufficiency, industrializing natural resources and eliminating hunger for under-nourished communities.

Ishiba expressed Japan's commitment to foster cooperation in resource development and infrastructure to maintain energy security and advance decarbonization efforts.

He also reiterated Japan's support for Indonesia's industrialization initiatives, particularly in downstream natural resources, Xinhua news agency reported.

According to the Japanese Prime Minister's Office (PMO), Ishiba visited the Kalibata Heroes Cemetery and offered flowers.

Afterwards, he attended a welcome ceremony and held a summit meeting with Subianto, followed by a joint press occasion.

In the afternoon, Ishiba attended a luncheon hosted by Prabowo before speaking with the press regarding his visit to Malaysia and Indonesia.

--IANS

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Damascus, Jan 11 (IANS) Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, pledged neutrality in Lebanon's affairs during a joint press conference with visiting Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Saturday.

"We will remain equidistant from all Lebanese," al-Sharaa said at the press conference. He noted the two sides had also discussed issues such as smuggling between the two countries, border challenges, and Syrian deposits in Lebanese banks.

"We're envisioning strategic, long-term relations built on solid foundations," he added.

Mikati echoed this sentiment, highlighting the intertwined destinies of the two nations.

"As long as Syria is well, Lebanon is well," he said, expressing hope that efforts by Damascus to tackle the Syrian refugee crisis could alleviate the strain on Lebanon. Mikati also commended the interim Syrian authorities' willingness to engage, noting his discussions with al-Sharaa covered regional challenges and ways to bolster bilateral ties.

The two sides did not announce any formal agreements, Xinhua news agency reported.

Relations between the two neighbouring countries have grown tense in recent weeks. Syria recently imposed restrictions on cross-border movement following security incidents along the shared border. Previously, Lebanese citizens could enter Syria visa-free using only identification documents.

The border region has also seen a series of clashes between Syrian armed groups and Lebanese forces, resulting in casualties among Lebanese military personnel.

Mikati's visit to Damascus is the first by a sitting Lebanese premier to Syria in over a decade.

He is accompanied by a senior delegation including Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib and top security officials. The visit follows a formal invitation from al-Sharaa, extended during a phone call last week.

The meeting took place as Syria navigates a political transition following the ouster of former President Bashar al-Assad last December.

Al-Sharaa, who led the coalition that toppled al-Assad, is now overseeing efforts to stabilise Syria and rebuild its regional relationships.

--IANS

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New York, Jan 10 (IANS) A local judge handed President-elect Donald Trump unconditional discharge in connection with his conviction in the hush money case, on Friday, 10 days before he is to enter the White House, but did not give him a prison term or other penalty.

Judge Juan Merchan gave Trump, who was appearing in the local court through a video link, an “unconditional discharge” which confirms his conviction without consequences after the Supreme Court refused to intervene.

Trump will be the first President who enters office with a criminal record.

It was a pyrrhic victory for the local prosecutor, Alvin Bragg, who was elected as a Democratic Party candidate, and Vice President Kamala Harris, who used the conviction as a propaganda point, because 1.77 million American voters repudiated them and elected Trump as President.

Trump, who spoke at the sentencing from his Mar-a-Lago residence in Florida through a video link, said, “This is a great embarrassment to the state of New York”.

The voters saw firsthand what transpired and elected him, he said.

Merchan said that he was deferring to Trump becoming the President but would have penalised him if he were a private citizen.

Trump maintained his innocence.

The case arose out of allegations made by a porn star that she had a sexual encounter with Trump.

Trump’s lawyer Michael Cohen paid porn star Stormy Daniels $130,000 before his 2016 election to buy her silence.

Trump reimbursed the lawyer, and the payments were shown as legal expenses, which the prosecutor said was a criminal fraud and the jury accepted it.

Bragg made each of the checks he wrote and ledger entries into separate criminal offences to pump up the convictions to 34.

Trump denied her claim of a tryst and said he made the payment to avoid embarrassment to his family.

A jury convicted him of the 34 offences before the November election and the sentencing was postponed because of the election and his appeals.

--IANS

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Bonn, Jan 10 (IANS) The EU climate watchdog confirmed Friday that 2024 was the warmest year globally since records began in 1850, underscoring the intensifying impacts of climate change and the urgent need for decisive global action.

According to the EU-funded Copernicus Climate Change Service (C3S), the year shattered multiple climate records, driven largely by human-induced greenhouse gas emissions and amplified by a strong El Nino event.

C3S reported that the global average temperature for 2024 reached 15.1 degrees Celsius, surpassing the previous record set in 2023 by 0.12 degrees Celsius and exceeding pre-industrial levels by 1.6 degrees Celsius. For the first time, global temperatures crossed the 1.5 degrees Celsius threshold - a key marker in the Paris Agreement aimed at limiting global warming.

Throughout 2024, 11 out of 12 months recorded average temperatures exceeding 1.5 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. On July 22, the global average temperature peaked at 17.16 degrees Celsius.

Sea surface temperatures also hit record highs, with extra-polar ocean water averaging 20.87 degrees Celsius, while atmospheric water vapor increased by about 5 percent over the 1991-2020 average.

The melting of sea ice in both the Arctic and Antarctic added to the alarming trends, with Antarctic sea ice extent remaining near record lows for much of the year, and Arctic sea ice levels significantly reduced, particularly after July.

Friederike Otto, senior lecturer at the Centre for Environmental Policy, Imperial College London, said: "The climate is heating to levels we've spent years trying to avoid because countries are still burning huge amounts of oil, gas and coal."

In his New Year's address, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres described 2024 as "deadly heat," warning of a "climate breakdown" in real-time and urging immediate action to dramatically reduce emissions and support the transition to renewable energy.

The extreme temperatures in 2024 fueled widespread heatwaves, wildfires, and floods, particularly in Southern Europe.

Countries like Italy, France, and Spain endured prolonged heatwaves, while Greece battled nearly 9,500 wildfires. These extreme conditions significantly strained public health systems and prompted large-scale evacuations.

Flooding in Spain and Germany caused extensive economic damage and displaced thousands, while severe drought emptied one of Bosnia's largest lakes, Lake Jablanicko in December.

According to the World Weather Attribution's (WWA's) annual report, the record global temperatures of 2024 directly intensified rainfall events, with 15 out of 16 floods studied linked to climate change.

The WWA report revealed that climate-related disasters in 2024 claimed at least 3,700 lives, displaced millions, and caused catastrophic damage to ecosystems. Coral reefs experienced unprecedented bleaching, threatening marine biodiversity and the industries reliant on these ecosystems.

"The Valencia floods, U.S. hurricanes, Philippines typhoons and Amazon drought are just four disasters last year that were worsened by climate change. There are many, many more," Otto told Xinhua news agency.

Looking ahead, climate experts warn that the extreme weather patterns witnessed in 2024 are likely to persist. Julien Nicolas, climate scientist at C3S, explained that while global temperatures may slightly decline in 2025 due to a transition from El Nino to La Nina conditions, the long-term warming trend remains intact.

"There are ups and downs in global temperatures due to natural processes, like El Nino," said Joeri Rogelj, research director at the Grantham Institute of Imperial College London. "But a small dip doesn't change the clear upward trajectory we're on."

Recognising the urgency, Carlo Buontempo, C3S director at the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts, stressed the importance of taking action now: "The future is in our hands -- swift and decisive action can still alter the trajectory of our future climate."

The World Meteorological Organization's forecast in December 2024 indicated a greater than 50 percent chance of La Nina conditions developing in the next three months.

"We are loading the dice ... toward these extreme climate events," Nicolas said, warning that heat waves and extreme rainfall events are likely to hit almost all continental regions.

--IANS

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Damascus, Jan 10 (IANS) Three women died and five children suffered severe fractures and bruises on Friday in a stampede at the Umayyad Mosque in the Syrian capital Damascus while attempting to get free meals in a charitable activity, according to the Syrian Civil Defence.

The incident occurred during a banquet promoted by a well-known chef, Abu Omari al-Dimashqi, who had invited the public to a free meal in the yard of the historic mosque in the Old City of Damascus.

Local sources and eyewitnesses said large crowds flocked into the mosque's courtyard and nearby areas amid an apparent shortage of crowd control measures, leading to chaotic scenes.

Security personnel arrived at the scene, closing off roads to manage the influx of attendees, Xinhua news agency reported.

The Umayyad Mosque, one of the most iconic landmarks of Damascus, typically hosts religious and cultural events. Large-scale public gatherings are rarely held there and usually require prior coordination with local officials.

The city's security and public service structures are still adjusting after the recent political upheaval, following the abrupt end of the previous Syrian government in December of last year.

--IANS

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New Delhi, Jan 9 (IANS) Chandra Arya, an Indian-origin Member of Parliament in Canada and former PM Justin Trudeau's loyalist, on Thursday announced his candidacy for the position of Prime Minister, just days after Trudeau resigned.

"I am running to be the next Prime Minister of Canada to lead a small, more efficient government to rebuild our nation and secure prosperity for future generations," Arya wrote in a post on X.

Trudeau's time in office faced challenges ranging from strained international relations to domestic controversies, including his handling of the Khalistan issue and visa restrictions on Indian students.

Arya further wrote, "We are facing significant structural problems that haven't been seen for generations, and solving them will require tough choices."

He further added: "I have always worked hard for what is best for Canadians, and for the sake of our children and grandchildren, we must make "bold decisions that are absolutely necessary". If elected as the next Leader of the Liberal Party I offer my knowledge and expertise to do so," adding "We have a perfect storm: Many Canadians, especially younger generations, face significant affordability issues. Working middle class is struggling today, and many working families are retiring directly into poverty."

Arya also said: "Canada deserves a leadership that isn't afraid to make the big decisions. Decisions that rebuild our economy, restore hope, create equal opportunities for all Canadians, and secure prosperity for our children and grandchildren. Bold political decisions are not optional—they are necessary. With prudence and pragmatism as my guiding principles, I'm stepping forward to take on this responsibility and lead Canada as its next Prime Minister."

Chandra Arya, originally from Dwarlu village in Tumkur district of Karnataka, completed his MBA at the Kousali Institute of Management Studies, Karnataka University, Dharwad.

In 2006, Arya immigrated to Canada, where he initially served as the chairman of the Indo-Canada Ottawa Business Chamber before entering politics.

Arya was elected as the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Nepean riding in the 2015 Canadian federal election. He was re-elected in both the 2019 and 2021 elections.

The Indian-origin MP serves as a member of the Standing Committee on International Trade.

In 2022, Arya became the first MP to address the House of Commons of Canada in Kannada, his mother tongue.

He has been vocal about issues such as the vandalism of Hindu temples in Toronto, which he blamed on "Khalistani extremists".

Arya also proposes limiting immigration to "meet our economic growth needs and specifically to skilled trades," criminalising "the glorification and display of support to terrorists, extremism and terrorist organisations," guaranteeing orders for more than 100,000 prefab homes, "revolutionising housing construction with advanced technologies," and defence investments will "prioritise securing Canada's specific needs."

"It's time for Canada to take full control of its destiny. My government will make Canada a sovereign republic."

Former Liberal MP Frank Baylis is the only other declared candidate for the Liberal leadership.

Gatineau MP and Minister of Employment Steve MacKinnon, Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly and Energy Minister Jonathan Wilkinson have all said they are considering running for the Liberal leadership. Former Bank of Canada governor Mark Carney says he is considering whether to run for leader of the Liberal Party.

Ottawa Liberal MP Chandra Arya is running to be leader of the Liberal party, promising to end the consumer carbon tax and to make Canada a republic.

Justin Trudeau announced on Monday he intends to resign as Liberal leader and Prime Minister as soon as the party names his replacement. The Liberal Party of Canada has not yet announced rules for the upcoming leadership contest, including those governing candidates and voting eligibility.

Arya is the first member of the Liberal Caucus to announce his candidacy for party leader.

"We are facing significant structural problems that haven't been seen for generations and solving them will require tough choices," Arya said in a video posted on X.

"Our economic growth and fiscal strength are not benefiting many Canadians."

In a letter announcing his candidacy, Arya says he will make the "big and bold decisions needed to rebuild our economy and foster prosperity for all generations," along with reviewing government spending.

"Every government program and entity will face a simple question: Is it still relevant? If not, it's gone or will be restructured to deliver economic development," Arya said.

"No excuses, no waste. We will have a razor-sharp focus on economic implications in all decisions we make."

Arya unveiled several policy proposals, including pledging an "ambitious goal" of Canada's real GDP reaching $5 trillion within 25 years, raising the retirement age two years and having scientists, engineers, and industry professionals, "lead the way in crafting fact-based policies" to grow the economy and tackle climate change.

"Activist-driven policies, like the consumer carbon pricing mechanism, will be let go," Arya said.

--IANS

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Seoul, Jan 9 (IANS) Major global credit rating agencies agreed on Thursday that the political uncertainty in South Korea has had a limited impact on the economy so far, yet warned of potential challenges if the situation is prolonged, the finance ministry said.

Moody's Investors Service, Fitch Ratings and Standard & Poor's Global Ratings shared the assessment during separate virtual meetings with acting President Choi Sang-mok, according to the Ministry of Economy and Finance.

The agencies evaluated the immediate economic impact of the current political situation, stemming from President Yoon Suk Yeol's brief declaration of martial law on Dec. 3 and his subsequent impeachment, is minimal, reports Yonhap news agency.

However, they warned prolonged instability could deter foreign investment and influence corporate decision-making if the situation continues.

Choi assured the agencies that uncertainties will soon be resolved through the country's constitutional and legal systems.

He also emphasized the government's commitment to ensuring that major economic policies and legislative agendas are smoothly handled through a consultative body with the National Assembly.

Choi, who doubles as deputy prime minister for economic affairs, held similar meetings in early December before assuming interim leadership.

Meanwhile, President Yoon Suk Yeol's lawyers said they have filed for an injunction against a second warrant to detain him over his brief imposition of martial law.

Yun Gap-geun and other members of the impeached president's legal defense team made the remark during a meeting with foreign news outlets, saying the request was filed with the Constitutional Court, along with a request for adjudication on a competence dispute.

The Seoul Western District Court issued the warrant on Tuesday after investigators filed for an extension of their initial warrant that expired the previous day.

An attempt to execute the warrant last Friday failed after Yoon's bodyguards blocked investigators from entering the official presidential residence.

A second attempt is expected to be made in the coming days.

—IANS

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Jerusalem, Jan 8 (IANS) Israeli and Palestinian bioengineers developed two new metamaterials to create whole cuts of meat using injection molding, the Hebrew University of Jerusalem (HU) said in a statement on Wednesday.

In a new study published in Nature Communications, the team leveraged cutting-edge materials science to overcome the long-standing challenges of replicating the texture and structure of traditional meat while offering a scalable and cost-effective production method.

By adopting principles typically used in the aerospace industry, the team led by Mohammad Ghosheh and Yaakov Nahmias from Hebrew University, developed meat analogues that mimic the intricate architecture of muscle and fat.

Metamaterials are engineered composite materials whose properties arise from their structure rather than their composition.

The first metamaterial developed by the team is a low-temperature meat analog that replicates the fibrous texture of muscle tissue.

The second one is a proteoleogel, a plant-protein-stabilized oil gel that emulates the structural integrity and cooking behavior of animal fat, reported Xinhua news agency.

To create the new meat analogs with the new metamaterials, the team used injection molding, a high-capacity manufacturing process borrowed from the polymer industry.

HU noted that this marks the first time this technology has been applied to alternative meat production.

Together, these materials allow the creation of complex meat cuts, such as steaks, chops, and T-bones, with high precision and sensory fidelity.

According to the study, this method reduces costs to 9 US dollars per kilogramme at large-scale production, nearly a quarter of the cost of 3D printing, making sustainable meat alternatives more accessible to a broader audience.

Blind taste tests included in the study showed that participants couldn't tell the difference between steak analogs and real meat.

HU concluded that the study highlights metamaterials' potential to create scalable, sustainable protein alternatives, addressing the environmental impact and freshwater use in livestock farming and opening new possibilities for sustainable food products.

Tehran, Jan 8 (IANS) Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Wednesday that his country and Iraq have common concerns about the ongoing developments in Syria.

He made the remarks at a joint press conference with visiting Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia' al-Sudani following their meeting in the Iranian capital Tehran earlier in the day, according to a statement published on the website of his office.

Pezeshkian said he had discussed recent developments in the West Asia region with the Iraqi prime minister, listing some of the two countries' common concerns over Syria as ensuring stability and calm, maintaining its territorial integrity, countering terrorist activities, making Israel leave the occupied Syrian territories and paying attention to religious sentiments, especially with regard to Shiite Muslims' sacred sites and holy shrines in Syria.

He added the two sides also exchanged views on the risks of terrorism and the possibility of the reactivation of terrorist cells in the region, which required further cooperation between Iran and Iraq and their greater vigilance.

Pezeshkian said Iran had always wanted peace, stability and development for its neighbours, adding the country attached great importance to Iraq's security and growth and the Iraqi people's welfare.

The Iraqi prime minister, for his part, said his visit to Iran was within the framework of promoting bilateral cooperation and relations, noting, "We will make efforts to expand cooperation between Iraq and Iran to help ensure security and stability in both countries and prosperity in their ties with each other," according to the official news agency IRNA.

The Iraqi News Agency INA said Al-Sudani affirmed Iraq's commitment to building balanced relations with all international and regional parties to serve mutual interests.

On the Syrian situation, he said restoring calm to Syria was the key to regional stability, calling on all sides to contribute to the achievement of a comprehensive political solution in the country, one that would preserve the Arab state's sovereignty and territorial integrity and stop foreign interference.

Al-Sudani expressed Iraq's readiness for cooperation with all parties in Syria for a peaceful transition of government in a way that all Syrian groups were included, Xinhua news agency reported.

Heading a delegation, al-Sudani arrived in Tehran on Wednesday on a one-day trip for talks on bilateral ties as well as regional and international issues of common concern.

--IANS

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Bengaluru, Dec 18 (IANS) Amid rumours of change in leadership, Karnataka BJP President B.Y. Vijayendra met Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday at his office in New Delhi and sought his blessings on the occasion of completion of one term in office.

After the meeting, Vijayendra stated, “I met the Honourable Prime Minister to seek his blessings on completing one year of taking charge as state President. The invaluable moments spent with Prime Minister Modi today have given us rays of inspiration for strengthening the party and contributing to the nation's progress.”

“The guidance and blessings received from him have filled us with boundless enthusiasm to strengthen the party in the state. His words during today’s meeting inspired us to design programmes that encourage greater youth participation, not only strengthening the organisation but also contributing to the nation-building process,” Vijayendra stated.

“Our esteemed Prime Minister, who has dedicated himself to building a Viksit Bharat (Developed India) with a great resolve and the dedication of a selfless achiever, serves as a constant source of inspiration for workers like us. His work ethic continuously energizes us,” he stated.

The meeting has assumed importance in the backdrop of a section of leadership in the BJP claiming that Vijayendra would be replaced in January.

Senior BJP leader and MLA Basanagouda Patil Yatnal, senior MLAs Ramesh Jarkiholi, Arvind Bellad, MLC C.T. Ravi, Union Ministers of State Shobha Karandlaje and V. Somanna and other senior leaders are miffed with the functioning of Vijayendra, according to sources.

One of the senior RSS functionaries who is kept out of state politics following the insistence of former CM B.S. Yediyurappa is also working against Vijayendra.

Former Chief Ministers and BJP MPs Basavaraj Bommai and Jagadish Shettar are also not keen on Vijayendra overtaking them, sources in the BJP stated.

All opponents are using MLA Yatnal to challenge and issue humiliating statements against Vijayendra and his father Yediyurappa.

Despite the warning from the party high command, MLA Yatnal had launched fresh attacks on Vijayendra and Yediyurappa on Tuesday.

Following the defeat in the recently-concluded bye-elections for three Assembly constituencies, MLA Yatnal had attacked that father and son (Yediyurappa and Vijayendra) should take the responsibility.

However, supporters of Vijayendra claim that he is emerging steadily as the mass leader who can deliver results for the party in the state and if the party fails to groom him, it will suffer.

The party has not been able to produce a mass leader after Yediyurappa who could match the stature of opponents like Chief Minister Siddaramaiah and Deputy Chief Minister D.K. Shivakumar.

--IANS

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