vijayawada l thursday l july 24, 2025 l `9.00 l PAGES 12 l late city EDITION ICJ: Countries harmed by climate change entitled to reparations The International Court of Justice said affected countries can claim reparations but what they are owed could be determined on a case-by-case basis U.N. Court’s Legal opinion, but non-binding In its first ever opinion on climate change, the ICJ said the consequences of climate change are far-reaching as they affect both natural ecosystems and human populations. “These consequences underscore the urgent and existential threat posed by climate change,” said judge Yuji Iwasawa while reading out the opinion, which is advisory in nature and non-binding | P9 ■ 130 Failure to protect planet a wrongful act ■ “Failure of a state to take appropriate action to protect the climate system... may constitute an internationally wrongful act,” he added After years of efforts by vulnerable island nations who fear they could disappear under rising sea waters, the UN General Assembly asked the top UN court in 2023 for an advisory opinion on climate change Countries backed the case, brought by the Pacific island nation of Vanuatu CHENNAI ■ MADURAI ■ VIJAYAWADA ■ BENGALURU ■ KOCHI ■ HYDERABAD ■ VISAKHAPATNAM ■ COIMBATORE ■ KOZHIKODE ■ THIRUVANANTHAPURAM ■ BELAGAVI ■ BHUBANESWAR ■ SHIVAMOgGA ■ MANGALURU ■ TIRUPATI ■ TIRUCHY ■ TIRUNELVELI ■ SAMBALPUR ■ HUBBALLI ■ DHARMAPURI ■ KOTTAYAM ■ KANNUR ■ VILLUPURAM ■ KOLLAM ■ TADEPALLIGUDEM ■ NAGAPATTINAM ■ THRISSUR ■ KALABURAGI Shah sets Justice Varma Now, tourist visa to Chinese nationals impeachment ball rolling Decision after Jaishankar’s visit J aya n t h J a c o b @ New Delhi Meets Birla, Harivansh; Speaker to set up statutory probe committee P r e e t h a N a i r @ New Delhi Days after the abrupt resignation of Vice President Jagdeep Dhankhar, the government set the ball rolling for the impeachment of Allahabad High Court judge Yaswant Varma with Union minister Amit Shah holding high level meetings with Lok Sabha Speaker Om Birla and Rajya Sabha deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh on Wednesday . Sources said while Birla and Harivansh held a meeting at Parliament to discuss the proceedings, Shah met them later. According to people familiar with the development, the Lok Sabha Speaker may now initiate the process to set up a statutory committee to examine the charges of corruption levelled against the judge. The committee comprising a senior judge of the Supreme Court, a sitting chief justice of a high court and a distinguished jurist will then probe the charges against him and submit its report in three months. If the committee finds him guilty, the inquiry report will LS Speaker Om Birla and RS deputy chairman Harivansh Narayan Singh RS notice now active “A notice was given in RS on Justice Verma which he acknowledged and almost admitted it. When the chair has pronounced his ruling that it has fulfilled the stipulated requirement, it’s an order,” an RS member said be tabled in Parliament, followed by a discussion in both Houses after which there will be voting on the motion for the removal of the judge. The meeting of the presiding officers assumes significance as the impeachment process of Justice Varma reportedly led to the resignation of Dhankhar. Though there was no official word on the reason behind his exit, sources say it is linked to Dhankhar’s acceptance of a notice sponsored by the Opposition in the Rajya Sabha, which went against the government’s plan to lead the offensive. While a total of 145 Lok Sabha and 63 Rajya Sabha MPs submitted notices to the presiding officers for the removal of Varma on Monday, Dhankhar took cognisance of the Opposition notice and made a statement in the Rajya Sabha. Speaking to this newspaper, a senior Rajya Sabha MP said that the notice is active as the Chairman has pronounced it as an order. In his statement in the Rajya Sabha on Monday, Dhankhar said, “I direct the secretary general to find out whether a similar motion has been moved in Lok Sabha... If the motion is presented in the two houses on different dates, then the motion which is presented in the House first, that alone is taken into consideration and the second motion gets non-jurisdictional,” he said, citing the Judges (Inquiry) Act, 1968. Divya creates history, storms into WC final ECi to begins process elect new V-P Poll panel takes cognisance of the vacancy, starts prep. Formal schedule for the Vice Presidential poll will be announced soon express read Father-son duo killed after court hearing Guntur: In a shocking incident, a father and son were murdered in Bapatla district after attending a court hearing in a cheque bounce case. They came to Narasaraopet for a court hearing | P2 Illegal liquor racket busted, 36 arrested Vijayawada: In a major operation, sleuths of the Excise Department have arrested 36 persons and seized 2.132 litres of illegal spirit, besides counterfeit liquor bottles and packaging materials | P5 pawns in a rook endgame, she was threatening to queen her b DIVYA Deshmukh was so visi- pawn. The engines said she was bly spent she had no energy. within 20 moves of checkmate. When asked to reflect, all she That’s when Zhongyi resigned managed was a tired smile. For handing the Indian her biggest the previous five hours and victory till date. Even before change — the second tie of her the Chinese shook hands, Deshwomen’s World Cup semifinal mukh, who used to travel to against Tan Zhongyi — and a Chennai for classes as a child, 100+ moves, she had gone was overwhelmed by what was through the whole gamut of about to happen. Like she had emotions. She was losdone a few times over ing. She was winning. the last week in BatuShe was winning commi, a tear or two espletely She had missed . caped her eyes. several chances. Then, It’s only logical beat the very end, the cause the last three former world champiplayers she took down on, Zhongyi, had made includes Zhu Jiner, D one too m a n y Divya Deshmukh H a r i k a a n d n o w inaccuracies. Zhongyi. Beating three This time, the 19-year-old, established GMs back-to-back still only an IM, capitalised. By in a course of a week can be an virtue of this win, she has also immense challenge for any IM, qualified for the next edition of especially someone as young as the women’s Candidates in 2026 her. She now has the chance to as well as earning a GM norm. rest for a couple of days before She’s one of the youngest play- the final where she will either ers to qualify for the Candi- face compatriot Koneru Humpy dates in decades. Up a few or China’s Lie Tingjie. S w a r o o p S w a m i n at h a n @ Chennai INSIDE Sports Governance Bill tabled in Parliament | P11 India will resume issuing tourist visas to Chinese nationals from July 24, in a significant move aimed at normalising strained ties following the deadly 2020 border clashes. The Indian Embassy in Beijing confirmed the decision on Wednesday, marking the first time in five years that Chinese tourists can apply for Indian visas. The embassy announced that Chinese citizens may now submit applications online and visit Indian Visa Application Centres in Beijing, Shanghai and Guangzhou with the required documents. Tourist visas were suspend- The decision to lift the curbs came after foreign minister S Jaishankar visited China on July 14–15, where he held talks with his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi and Vice President Han Zheng ed in 2020 amid the Covid-19 pandemic, but the freeze remained in place due to ongoing tensions along the eastern Ladakh border. The resumption of tourist visas is part of a broader series of confidence-building measures between the two countries. Last month, India and China also resumed the Kailash Ma- investments back on track `5,94,454 cr worth 113 projs cleared, creating 5.56l jobs S V i s w a n at h @ Vijayawada The 9th State Investment Promotion Board (SIPB) meeting held under the chairmanship of Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu at the State Secretariat on Wednesday cleared investment proposals to the tune of `20,216 crore by four industries. The investments will generate employment opportunities for 50,600 persons. To date, 113 projects amounting to `5,94,454 crore in investments have been approved after the formation of the coalition government through SIPB meetings. These include 46 projects in the industrial sector, 41 in energy 11 in tourism, 11 in IT, , and 4 in food processing. Collectively, these ventures are expected to generate 5,56,568 employment and livelihood opportunities. The coalition government’s commitment to generating 20 lakh jobs over five years is steadily bearing fruit. IT Minister Nara Lokesh, Chairman of the Cabinet Sub-Committee on Employ- ment Generation, continues to make significant strides in attracting investment. In a major development, four prominent companies have come forward to invest in Andhra Pradesh. Renowned firms such as Sify, Sattva, BVM, and ANSR have proposed investments totalling `20,216 crore. On this occasion, Nara Lokesh, in his capacity as Investment proposals of various companies Sify Infinite Spaces Ltd will invest a total of `16,466 crore in two phases in Vizag, creating employment for 200 people. The first phase will be `1,466 crore and the second phase will see an investment of `15,000 crore, generating 400 additional jobs. Sattva Developers Pvt. Ltd will invest `1,500 crore in Madhurawada, Vizag, creating employment opportunities for 25,000 individuals. BVM Energy and Residency Pvt. Ltd plans to invest `1,250 crore in Endada, Vizag, generating 15,000 job opportunities. CM Nara Chandrababu Naidu during the ninth SIPB meeting at Secretariat in Velagapudi on Wednesday | Express UP police raid Westarctica embassy, arrest ‘ambassador’ IN what may look like a plot straight out of a Bollywood flick, the Special Task Force (STF) of Uttar Pradesh Police busted a fake embassy in Ghaziabad and arrested a man who ran the fake diplomatic mission posing as the ambassador of non-existent countries. The arrest was made on Tuesday when the STF’s Noida unit raided KB 35, Kavingar, where the accused had set up the ‘Embassy of Westarctica’. Westarctica is a self-proclaimed micronation in Antarctica founded by a former US Navy officer. It is not recognised by any government. “The accused, Harshvardhan Jain, had been operating an il- Luxury cars bearing fake diplomatic number plates in front of the illegal embassy in Kavinagar, Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. Inset: Fake diplomat Harsh Vardhan Jain | ani legal diplomatic mission from a rented house in Ghaziabad’s Kavi Nagar,” additional direc- tor general (law & order) Amitabh Yash said on Wednesday . Police said Jain posed as the Chairman of the Employment Generation Sub-Committee, presented detailed insights into the proposed investments. He stated that the entry of such prestigious companies would significantly enhance Visakhapatnam’s standing. He also elaborated on the discussions held with these firms and highlighted their respective strengths. Following this, the CM emphasised the need to align Visakhapatnam’s Master Plan with future investments and development needs. He noted that available land in the region is limited and has already been allotted to several companies, including the ArcelorMittal Steel Plant. He stressed the urgency of identifying suitable land for incoming companies and directed officials to undertake proactive planning to avoid infrastructure bottlenecks. When officials highlighted urban challenges faced by cities such as Pune and Bengaluru, the CM asserted that such issues must be avoided P4 in Visakhapatnam. ANSR Global Corporation Pvt. Ltd will invest `1,000 crore in Madhurawada, Vizag, leading to the creation of 10,000 jobs. Diplomatic coup NAMITA BA J PAI @ Lucknow nasarovar Yatra after a fiveyear gap. The thaw began late last year, after Indian and Chinese troops disengaged at key friction points along the Line of Actual Control (LAC), paving the way for diplomatic reengagement. China welcomed India’s visa announcement. “It is a positive move,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Guo Jiakun. “Making cross-border travel easier serves the interests of all parties. China stands ready to maintain communication and coordination with India to keep facilitating peopleto-people exchanges between the two countries.” Tourist visas for Indian nationals remained suspended until March, when both sides agreed to restore direct air connectivity. After a meeting between a meeting between Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping in Russia last October, ties have steadily improved, marked by high-level engagements and confidence building measures. ambassador of the fictional nations of Westarctica, Saborga, Poulvia, and Lodonia. He moved around in luxury vehicles bearing fake diplomatic number plates and had morphed his photographs with prominent figures, including the Prime Minister and the President to impress and mislead people. According to officials, Jain engaged in brokering deals by falsely promising job placements for companies and individuals in foreign countries. “Investigations revealed Jain’s past connections with Godman Chandraswami as well as international arms dealer Adnan Khashoggi,” Yash said. In 2011, Jain was found with illegal satellite phones and a case was registered against him at the Kavi Nagar police station, the ADG added. During the raid, the STF seized over `44 lakh in cash and foreign currency of several countries. Besides, four vehicles with diplomatic number plates, 18 diplomatic number plates, 12 diplomatic passports of micronations, forged documents with the seal of the Ministry of External Affairs, two fake PAN cards, 34 seals of various countries and companies, two fake press cards, and documents of various companies were also recovered from the house of the accused. An FIR has been lodged at Kavi Nagar police station, and further proceedings are underway the STF said. , CM Naidu greets UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri during Investopia AP Summit in Vijayawada on Wednesday | Express CM: AP will be a magnet for global capital E x p r e ss N e w s S e r v i c e @ Vijayawada Andhra Pradesh Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu expressed unwavering confidence in transforming the state into a global investment hub, unveiling ambitious plans to attract $120 billion in investments within the next year. Speaking at the Investopia Global AP 2025 Summit in Vijayawada, organised by the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Naidu outlined a strategic roadmap to position Andhra Pradesh as a prime destination for international investors. The summit, a landmark event in strengthening economic ties between AP and the UAE, saw the participation of the UAE Minister of Economy and Tourism, Abdulla bin Touq Al Marri. A significant highlight was the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between the AP Economic Development Board (APEDB) and Investopia, marking a new chapter in bilateral economic collaboration. Naidu emphasised AP’s strategic location on India’s eastern coast, serving as a vital link between northP4 ern and southern India. Vizag chokes with 32.9% spike in pollution levels U s h a P e r i @ Visakhapatnam The air quality in Visakhapatnam has deteriorated over the past seven years, with the annual average concentration of PM10 increasing from 76 µg/m³ in the year 2017-18 to 101 µg/m³ in 2024-25. This represents a 32.9% rise in pollution levels, according to data presented in the Lok Sabha by Kirti Vardhan Singh, Minister of State in the Ministry of Environment, Forest and Climate Change. Along with Visakhapatnam, the districts of Vizianagaram and Srikakulam recorded worsening air quality. PM10 levels in Vizianagaram increased by 2.8%, while Srikakulam saw a 14.5% rise. Pollution levels in various cities Cities 2017-18 2024-25 R’varam Vijayawada Kadapa Kurnool Anantapur Nellore Chittoor Eluru Ongole Guntur V’nagaram Srikakulam Vizag 85% 91% 75 % 79% 78 % 64 % 70 % 72 % 65 % 66 % 72 % 69 % 76% 59% 64% 56% 60% 60% 51% 60% 64% 58% 62% 74% 79% 101% Improvement / Decline +30.6% +29.7% +25.3% +24.1% +23.1% +20.3% +14.3% +11.1% +10.8% +3% -2.8% -14.5% -32.9% (Values in µg/m³) In contrast, several other cities in AP have shown measurable improvements in PM10 P4 concentrations.
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