He changed the role of the pope in order to preserve it. Now, Benedict XVI, the first German pope in almost 500 years, has died at the age of 95. Joseph Aloisius Ratzinger, who died on Saturday, was the first German pope in almost 500 years. His resignation on February 28, 2013, made history. During his almost eight years as pontiff, he always stressed the need for reason and spirituality, as well as the importance of the Catholic Church in an enlightened modern world. A German pope was a big deal. Ratzinger's appointment came just 60 years after the end of World War II and the genocide of Europe's Jews at the hands of the Nazis. Moreover, it was German theologian Martin Luther who catalyzed the division of Western Christendom. Yet, Benedict's tenure was also overshadowed by scandal and crisis within the Catholic Church. After cardinals elected the 78-year-old to succeed Pope John Paul II as the head of the Catholic Church during a two-day conclave at the Vatican's Sistine Chapel, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger stepped out onto the balcony of Rome's Saint Peter's Basilica on April 19, 2005, announcing: "The cardinals have elected me, a simple, modest worker in the lord's vineyard." Priest, professor, pope Benedict XVI was a conservative figure, who nevertheless managed to surprise both followers and detractors, largely because he was both deeply pious and eager to learn. Pope Benedict XVI, who emphasized the importance of pastoral care, most certainly felt troubled by the many crises that beset the Catholic Church during his tenure. He was born into a deeply religious family on April 16, 1927, in the Bavarian town of Marktl am Inn, where his father worked as a policeman. In 1944, 17-year-old Ratzinger was conscripted into the Wehrmacht. Soon after the war ended, he began studying theology, just like his three-year older brother Georg. Both were ordained in 1951. By the late 1950s, Ratzinger had become a widely respected professor of theology. After growing close with the Archbishop of Cologne, Josef Richard Frings, Ratzinger participated in the Second Vatican Council (1962-1965), which addressed relations between the Catholic Church and the modern world. The 1968 student protests, however, had a profound impact on Ratzinger. After initially considering more reformist ideas, he gravitated back to a more traditional reading of Catholicism. In 1977, he was appointed Archbishop of Munich and Freising and soon thereafter cardinal. About four years later, Pope Johannes Paul II brought him to Rome, where he assumed the position of Prefect of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith. In this capacity, he tended to take a strictly conservative stance when it came to the Church's teachings and issues relating to reforms, such as the role of women and Ecumenism.   German Catholics elated Germany's Catholics were elated when Ratzinger was elected pope in 2005, with the German daily tabloid BILD triumphantly celebrating the news on its title page with the exclamation, "We're pope!” But not everyone was excited about the decision. Some warned the 78-year-old was too old to serve as pope, while others worried his conservative leanings would make him unwilling to push for reforms. From a political perspective, his eight-year tenure was a phase of transition, still Pope Benedict XVI sought to make a mark of his own. During his time in the Chair of Saint Peter, he also ordained over half of the cardinals who would later, in March 2013, elect his successor, Pope Francis. Pope Benedict was tireless in advocating lively dialog on the relationship between religion and modern society. He was the first ever pope to give a television interview and regularly communicated his ideas via Twitter, books and above all lectures. He argued that a positivist notion of reason and law was not enough in itself, claiming that it ultimately burdened humanity. He stressed, "God is nothing nonsensical that contrasts with reason." Pope Benedict insisted that religion should never be relegated to the private sphere. He often reiterated his belief that the Catholic Church should lead Christendom. Naturally, Protestants were irked by the assertion. And Pope Benedict never made any major efforts toward embracing Ecumenism.  Critics blasted Pope Benedict XVI's endeavors to reintegrate the ultra-conservative Society of Saint Pius X as well as other fringe groups into the Church. Motivated by fear a deep schism erupting within the Catholic Church, his attempts to bring hard-core traditionalists back into the fold ultimately failed. He also welcomed Anglicans who had turned their back on their own Church for allowing the ordination of women. In addition, Pope Benedict maintained close ties to the Christian Orthodox Church. His relations towards other non-Christian religions were at times fraught with tensions. His 2006 lecture in Regensburg, Germany, for example, incensed many in the Muslim world, as it featured a misleading quotation about Islam. Over time, however, this spurred dialogue between Christian and Muslim spiritual leaders. The scourge of sexual abuse Benedict's tenure was overshadowed by revelations about decades of sexual abuse of minors by Catholic figures in countries like Ireland, the United States, Australia, Belgium and also Germany. Critics later accused the church of having shied away from meting out proper justice by merely relocating culprits and covering up their crimes. Even so, Pope Benedict sought to shine a light on this injustice and reached out to former victims. He met them in private, while abroad. He branded sexual abuse a "scourge" and said it had caused "great pain." He subsequently imposed stricter guidelines for training priests. After Pope Benedict's resignation, further revelations about sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church came to light. His successor, Pope Francis, consequently staged a Vatican summit in February 2019 to tackle the problem. Then, in 2012, the Vatican leaks scandal rocked the Catholic Church when documents and confidential papers concerning the pope and his leadership circle were leaked by the pope's personal butler, Paolo Gabriele. He was briefly incarcerated but later pardoned by Pope Benedict. Surprise resignation Pope Benedict's decision to step down in 2013 took many by surprise. Many Catholics were moved but also shocked by his resignation. During the final months of his tenure, the then 85-year-old had appeared exhausted. Even so, some Catholics had expected him to serve until death, just as most popes had before him.  The Vatican made a major spectacle of the papal renunciation. On his last day as head of the Catholic Church, Pope Benedict boarded a white helicopter at the Vatican and was flown to the papal palace at Castel Gandolfo.  Two months later, however, he returned to Rome where he moved into a converted monastery on the edge of the Vatican gardens. The following year, he participated in several large-scale services held at Saint Peter's Basilica and on Saint Peter's Square. Occasionally, he would give interviews, or hold lectures. Articles published by him in 2018, 2019 and 2020 addressed ongoing debates in the Church and drew the ire of some. One piece, for instance, argued the 1968 student protest movement had led to a liberalization of moral values, which he claimed was partially to blame for the sexual abuse cases in the Catholic Church.    Although retired, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI preferred wearing a white cassock, as reigning popes do. And those close to him continued to address him as "holy father." This coexistence of a retired and a serving pope was an unusual historical circumstance that was not without challenges. After retirement, Pope emeritus Benedict XVI only returned to Germany once. Accompanied by a small entourage, he traveled to Regensburg in June 2020 to bid farewell to his dying brother Georg and pray at his parents' grave. Confined to a wheelchair, the former pope's eyes lit up upon returning home. Georg passed away ten days later aged 96. His 93-year-old brother did not, however, was not able to return for the funeral.

South Korea condemned the launches as a "grave provocation" that threaten peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula. Pyongyang has conducted an unprecedented number of missile tests this year. North Korea fired three short-range ballistic missiles toward its eastern waters on Saturday, ending a year of unprecedented missile tests with yet another one. South Korea's Joint Chiefs of Staff said in a statement it had identified the three launches on Saturday morning coming from a location south of Pyongyang. According to the military, the missiles were fired at around 8 a.m. (2300 GMT Friday) and traveled around 350 kilometers (217 miles) before crashing into the Sea of Japan, also known as the East Sea. South Korea's military condemned the launches as a "grave provocation that undermines peace and stability on the Korean Peninsula as well as the international community." The statement also called it a violation UN Security Council resolution, which prohibits North Korea from testing ballistic missiles. Some ballistic missiles are capable of carrying nuclear warheads. Tensions simmer in the Korean peninsula The North Korean launches come a day after South Korea tested a solid-fueled rocket. Seoul intends to utilize the rocket to launch its first spy satellite in the coming years. Getting its own satellite for military spying is also a priority for North Korea. Tensions were already soaring in the Korean peninsula when the North sent five drones that flew above various South Korean cities, including Seoul, on Monday. South Korea scrambled fighter jets and attack helicopters in response. Military officials later apologized for their inability to shoot down the drones. A day later, Seoul sent three of its own drones across the border in retaliation. South Korean president takes tough stance South Korean President Yoon Suk-yeol strongly criticized the military's handling of the incursions. President Yoon's conservative government has promised a tougher stance toward the North since coming to power in May. He recently said that North Korea is not a source of fear because of its nuclear weapons, and its provocations must be met with retaliation. This comes as full-scale joint military exercises between the US and South Korea resumed this year under Yoon. Pyongyang responded by saying that its recent missile launches were in retaliation to the joint military exercises, which the isolated country called a rehearsal for invasion. Pyongyang outlines goals North Korean leader Kim Jong Un and other senior party leaders are at a major party meeting in Pyongyang currently detailing their policy objectives for 2023. Key areas include diplomacy, security, and the economy in the coming year. Kim stated earlier this year that he wanted his nation to possess the most powerful nuclear arsenal and declared that the North was an "irreversible" nuclear state. In recent months, experts have warned that Pyongyang might be planning to conduct its seventh nuclear bomb test.

These were Tibetan warriors who fought and won in initial battles against the Chinese army of Mao during its annexation of Tibet. While they were finally outnumbered, they are still revered for their heroism. The Khampa warriors of Tibet were a group of Tibetan fighters who were known for their bravery and martial prowess. They were also known as “Khampas,” which means “warrior” in the Tibetan language. The Khampas were known for their fierce resistance to Chinese rule in Tibet, and they played a significant role in the Tibetan resistance movement of the 20th century. According to Tibetan folklore, the Khampas were believed to be descended from the gods, and they were revered as great warriors and protectors of the Tibetan people. In Tibetan culture, the Khampas were seen as symbols of bravery and strength, and they were highly respected and admired. The Khampas were particularly active in the 1950s and 1960s, during a time of great political upheaval in Tibet. At this time, the Tibetan resistance movement was fighting against the Chinese occupation of Tibet, and the Khampas were at the forefront of this struggle. They were known for their guerrilla tactics and their ability to launch surprise attacks on Chinese military installations and convoys. One of their great victories came in July 1950 when around 800 Khampa militia (including 300 monks) raided Dengke region of Tibet, and killed 600 People’s Liberation Army (Chinese) soldiers. Despite their bravery and determination, the Khampas were ultimately unable to prevent the Chinese from consolidating their control over Tibet. Many Khampas were killed or captured during the fighting, and others were forced to flee to Nepal or India. In the decades following the Chinese occupation, the Khampas continued to fight for Tibetan independence, but their efforts were largely unsuccessful. Today, the Khampas are remembered as heroes and symbols of Tibetan resistance to Chinese rule. Source: grin.news

The Nepal Electricity Authority (NEA) has shelved its plan to set up a substation at Trishuli Bazaar for the Nepal-China Cross-border Transmission Line as it plans to connect the power line with a Ratmate-based substation to be built with the assistance of the Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC), a US aid agency. When the controversy over the MCC assistance was at its height before its eventual endorsement by the erstwhile House of Representatives early this year, the power monopoly had planned to set up a separate substation. One reason behind envisioning a separate substation was to save the cross-border transmission line from the China-US rivalry, according to officials of the NEA. Kul Man Ghising, managing director of the NEA, told the Post that no separate substation would be built for the Ratmate-Rasuwagadhi-Kerung Transmission Line Project. “As we are connecting this cross-border transmission line with the Ratmate-based substation, there is no need for a separate substation at Trishuli, which is close to Ratmate,” he said. According to NEA officials, they held a discussion with the officials of the Millennium Challenge Account, Nepal (MCA-Nepal), a special-purpose vehicle established to implement MCC-assisted projects in Nepal, to connect the cross-border transmission line with a Ratmate-based substation, which is to be built under the MCC grant. “The MCA-Nepal told us that they will set up two connecting points [bays] at the substation for Nepal-China Cross-Border Transmission Line,” a senior official of the power utility said. “We, however, have not given up on the new substation amid continued geopolitical rivalry between the two superpowers.” Dirghayu Kumar Shrestha, the chief of the transmission directorate at the Nepal Electricity Authority, the state-owned power utility, had told the Post in August last year that they planned a separate substation for the Nepal-China cross-border transmission line so as to ward off any geopolitical risks.” “By not building a separate sub-station, the NEA will save a significant amount of money. It takes Rs4–5 billion to construct a substation and it is not good to set up another substation at a distance of 15–20 kilometres,” said Ghising. A separate substation was to be set up at Trishuli Bazaar, near the site of the Trishuli Hydropower Project, for the cross-border power line, which is around 26 kilometres from Ratmate, Nuwakot. A 315km-long 400kV transmission will be built with a grant of $500 million from the MCC in the country’s mid-hills. One of the substations will be at Ratmate. The transmission project has five components—one segment starting from the northeast of Kathmandu at Lapsephedi, extending to the west of Kathmandu near Ratmate; a second segment runs from Ratmate to the industrial town of Hetauda located south of Kathmandu; a third segment will connect Ratmate to Damauli in the west; a fourth segment will link Damauli with Butwal in the southwest; and a fifth will run from Butwal to the Indian border, which is part of the cross-border transmission line. The Ratmate-Rasuwagadhi-Kerung transmission line is the first such connectivity project between Nepal and China. The two countries had in 2018 formed a joint technical team to expedite the construction of the transmission line. A Joint Technical Group comprising representatives of the NEA and the State Grid Corporation of China held two rounds of talks in China and Nepal for the transmission line before the start of the Covid pandemic. Another meeting scheduled to be held in China could not happen due to continued Covid restrictions in China. “As Covid cases spiked in China, we are in discussion with the Chinese side if another meeting could be held in Nepal sometime in February next year,” said an official of the NEA. According to the NEA, once the cross-border line is built, it will open an alternative market for Nepal’s electricity. Currently, Nepal has only India as its foreign market to buy and sell electricity. India has allowed Nepal to sell a maximum of 452MW of electricity from 10 hydropower projects. The 400 kV transmission line from Ratamate (Nepal) to Kerung (China) will allow power trade between Nepal and China, the NEA said in its annual report 2021-22. Currently, the project’s Environment Impact Assessment (EIA) process is underway.  Source: The Kathmandu Post

What is going on in China at present has stoked fears about the repetition of the horrific Covid-19 outbreak that killed millions of people across the globe. And like what Beijing did in 2019, this time too Chinese authorities are hiding information about the corona virus infections from their own people and the world outside. Had China disseminated true information of the Covid in 2019, the world could have been saved from the unprecedented disaster. The world is still recovering from the losses of livelihoods, damages to businesses and national economies, and healthcare disruptions. In such a scenario, the new, deadly variant of corona virus from China can create havoc across the globe if its spread is not checked in time. This demands Beijing must take its citizens and the international community into confidence and share the ground realities with them. Millions of new cases are reported from China daily. Major cities including Shanghai and Beijing are reeling under rapidly increasing infections. Hospitals and funerals are crowded, and streets are empty. People are not getting beds in the hospitals. They are forced to stay and sleep on benches and floors of hospitals. Even students are disallowed from attending school. Teachers and school staff are falling ill.  It is said to be the biggest wave since the Wuhan outbreak three years ago. Chinese authorities appear helpless and struggling to cope with the growing problem.  ″The hospital is just overwhelmed from top to bottom. The biggest challenge, honestly, is I think we were just unprepared for this,”Beijing-based doctor Howard Bernstein said.  There are chances that half of Shanghai’s 25 million population can be infected by the end of 2022.  China’s government however has stopped giving out information about new cases and the current Covid patients. It did not furnish any reason. On other hand, the state-run newspaper Global Times blamed western media for showing negative views about the ongoing crisis in China. It claimed that Chinese authorities were handling the pandemic smoothly. The leaked government documents however revealed that the situation in China has turned grimmer. World Health Organization (WHO) emergencies director Mike Ryan said “In China, what’s been reported is relatively low numbers of cases in ICUs, but anecdotally ICUs are filling up.” Around 250 million people in China are feared to have been infected in the first three weeks of December. This means about 18 per cent of China’s 1.4 billion populations has caught covid. In early December, many suspected China was hiding ground realities and under reporting the infection numbers. After China’s National Health Commission stopped releasing information, it cleared the air and raised concerns over Chinese intentions.  Health expert Lawrence Gostin called it “highly suspicious”. In the wake of the absence of true and real-time data, other countries are grappling with the fear of the repetition of the 2020 disaster. 12Epidemiologist Eric Feigl-Ding said the global fallout of the expected 2022-2023 wave would not be small. “What happens in China doesn’t stay in China,” he said.13Nations like the US, India and European Union have begun taking measures to face a possible covid tsunami. People are masking up, buying ration stocks and medicines. The mystery revolving around the health crisis and the disruptions in industrial and manufacturing in China have stoked fears across the world.  Implications for the global economy with China being shut down because of COVID,” said US Secretary of State Antony Blinken.14Kerry Brown, an associate fellow in the Asia-Pacific program at Chatham House, said the uncertainty in China is going to have a “massive impact” on the rest of the world. There however is going to be a harsher impact on small nations. Dane Chamorro, head of global risks and intelligence at Control Risks, said when the Chinese economy shrinks by 1 per cent, the global economy does by a half per cent. However, it is almost a full percentage point for countries like Indonesia, Chile, which are China’s major trading partners and suppliers, he said.16The slowdown in the Chinese economy and now fears of a new wave of Covid from China have dampened the global spirit and are likely to have a wider negative impact on all aspects of life. Source: thehongkongpost.com