The changes state that any conventional attack on Russia, aided by a nuclear power, could be considered to be a joint attack
world3 days ago
Bangladeshi police have charged 26 people with destroying a swath of mangrove forest that protects the low-lying nation from storm surge waters exacerbated by climate change, environmental officers said on Thursday.
"They have destroyed parts of a unique ecosystem, which has been declared as an ECA (Ecologically Critical Area)," Jamir Uddin, a deputy director of the environment department, said.
Uddin said it was "one of the largest environmental cases" the agency had tackled.
The men are accused of felling about 560 acres of the southeastern Sonadia coastal forest, close to Bangladesh's border with Myanmar, to turn it into commercial shrimp and salt farms.
"They face charges under the country's environmental laws and could be sentenced to 10 years in jail if convicted," Sonadia police station chief Sukanta Chakrabarty said.
Bangladeshi newspaper Prothom Alo, the country's largest Bengali daily, said at least 2.3 million trees were felled to clear an area for at least 45 shrimp and salt farms.
Several of those charged are officials from the ruling Awami League party, Chakrabarty said.
Charges were filed against the men on Tuesday.
Shrimp is one of Bangladesh's major exports. To raise shrimps, farmers divert sea water into their farms, making the land unfit for other crops.
Bangladesh is at the forefront of the world's climate crisis, with cyclones and floods becoming more frequent and powerful, according to scientists.
Mangroves are trees that grow mainly in seawater or brackish water along coastlines and tidal rivers.
They protect coastlines from erosion and extreme weather events, improve water quality by filtering pollutants and serve as nurseries for many marine creatures.
They can help fight climate change by sequestering millions of tonnes of carbon each year in their trees' leaves, trunks, roots and the soil.
The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) warned in May that half of the world's mangrove ecosystems are at risk of collapse due to climate change, deforestation and pollution.
Mangroves are a key feature of the country's coast, with the Sundarbans, the world's largest mangrove forest and home to rare Bengal tigers, credited with minimising the damages of cyclones.
A forest official said the Sonadia mangroves were an important site for migratory birds, including the rare spoon-billed sandpiper.
The changes state that any conventional attack on Russia, aided by a nuclear power, could be considered to be a joint attack
world3 days ago
The country launched a probe in March 2021 into WhatsApp's privacy policy, which allowed data sharing with Facebook and its units, sparking global backlash
world3 days ago
This time around, Trump wants the Senate to give up that gatekeeping role and allow him to make 'recess appointments'
world4 days ago
Police allege the offences took place between 2001 and 2019 against 8 victims; the youngest was 17 at the time of the offence
world4 days ago
The two countries have a mutual defence treaty dating back to 1951, which could be invoked if either side came under attack, including in the South China Sea
world4 days ago
Nigerian President Bola Ahmed Tinubu conferred the Grand Commander of the Order of Niger on Narendra Modi in Abuja on Sunday
world4 days ago
The titleholder's winning answer focused on using each individual's strengths
world5 days ago
The suspects would be interrogated jointly with the Shin Bet internal security agency, police said
world5 days ago