US electric car manufacturer Tesla will temporarily stop production at a factory outside Berlin. Attacks on ships in the Red Sea mean the factory cannot get the parts it needs to maintain operations. Electric car maker Tesla will suspend most car production at its factory near the German capital of Berlin for two weeks, the company said on Thursday. "Due to a lack of components, we are forced to suspend vehicle production at the Gigafactory Berlin-Brandenburg between January 29 and February 11, with the exception of a few sub-areas," Tesla said in a statement. The company blamed the component shortage on shifts in shipping routes caused by the crisis in the Red Sea, where Iranian-backed Houthi militants have been attacking ships in solidarity with the Palestinian militant-Islamist group Hamas, which is fighting Israel in Gaza. "The armed conflicts in the Red Sea and the associated shifts in transport routes between Europe and Asia via the Cape of Good Hope are also having an impact on production in Grünheide," Tesla said.  Red Sea crisis The US electric vehicle maker is the first company to announce an interruption to output due to the disruption. Many companies, including Geely, China's second-largest automaker by sales, and Swedish home furnishing company Ikea, have warned of delays to deliveries. The attacks by Iranian-backed Houthi militants have forced the world's top shipping companies to avoid the Suez Canal, the fastest maritime route from Asia to Europe. It accounts for about 12% of global maritime traffic. Shipping giants such as Maersk and Hapag-Lloyd have been sending their vessels on longer, more expensive journeys around South Africa's Cape of Good Hope. The extra route adds about 10 days in a journey from Asia to northern Europe and about $1 million (€910 000) in extra fuel. "The considerably longer transportation times are creating a gap in supply chains," Tesla said. The company has been manufacturing electric cars in Grünheide near Berlin since March 2022, with around 11,500 people employed there.  

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has made calls for the increased production of mobile missile launchers, according to state media. Meanwhile, the US and UK condemned Pyongyang's supply of ballistic missiles to Russia. North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has pushed for an increase in production of mobile missile launchers and said the country needed to be "more firmly prepared for a military showdown with the enemy," in comments carried by state media on Friday. Kim was on a visit to a transporter erector launcher (TEL) manufacturing factory where he said the country needed vehicles for tactical and strategic weapons in order for there to be an effective nuclear war deterrent, state news agency KCNA reported. "He specified the immediate plan for production of varieties of TELs, long-term production plan and task of production capacity expansion," KCNA reported. Kim was accompanied his young daughter Ju Ae on the tour of the factory. North Korean missiles used against Ukraine — John Kirby Meanwhile on Thursday, the US reported that ballistic missiles supplied by North Korea had been used by Russia against Ukraine in the past week. US National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby said that Pyongyang supplied Moscow with ballistic missile launchers and several ballistic missiles. Kirby called this a "significant and concerning escalation" of North Korea's support for Russia's war effort. Britain also raised the issue of North Korean arms transfer on Thursday, calling for Pyongyang to "cease its arms supply to Russia." According to the US, North Korea's transfer of arms is in exchange for Russia's help in enhancing North Korea's military capabilities. North Korea has denied the allegations.   North Korean leader Kim Jong Un traveled to Russia in September to meet President Vladimir Putin, leading to speculation of a potential arms deal.

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un has urged the country's arms industry to increase production of missiles and artillery in order to have "overwhelming military power" and be ready for war, state media KCNA reported on Monday.  Over the weekend, he visited munitions factories that produce tactical missiles, missile launch platforms, armored vehicles, and artillery shells. It is the a string of visits by Kim to defense facilities. His remarks come a week before annual military drills between South Korea and the United States, which Pyongyang sees as a rehearsal for war. "The qualitative level of war preparations depends on the development of the munitions industry and the factory bears a very important responsibility in speeding up the war preparations of the (North) Korean People's Army," Kim said. US concerns about North Korean arms Since diplomatic channels with former US President Donald Trump closed, North Korea has set itself on a path of boosting military output and enhancing its nuclear weapons. Pyongyang has conducted more than 100 missile tests, many of which were cited as being in response to US and South Korean military drills in the region. The United States has accused North Korea of providing weapons to Russia for its war in Ukraine, including artillery shells, shoulder-fired rockets, and missiles. North Korea and Russia have denied any arms transactions. The US said last month that it was "incredibly concerned" about their ties. Leaders from South Korea, the United States, and Japan are also set to hold a trilateral summit in Washington on Friday, as they seek to bolster security cooperation in response to North Korea's growing nuclear and missile threats.

In India, milk is more than just a drink, a staple that never goes out of style. Consumed hot and cold and in all seasons.  The country's favourite refreshment and source of nourishment, milk is a dietary delight for Indians across the country. From individuals producing their own milk to mega dairy cooperative brands catering to the calcium cravings of hundreds of millions of Indians, the Indian milk industry has emerged as 'the biggest' and 'the best' in the world. CEO of Lakshya Food India LTD, Ankit Redhu, from Jind, has prioritised profitability and aims to create more job opportunities on the back of innovative methods used to enhance milk-production">milk production in the country. There are many individuals like him who have revolutionised the operational landscape of the Indian milk industry, leading to its current status as the best in the world.  As per the sources, India's milk-production">milk production today surpasses that of the United States by 50 per cent and is three times greater than that of China. Formerly a milk-deficient country that would produce a little over 55 million tonnes of milk during a fiscal year in the 90s, India is now home to 23 per cent of global milk-production">milk production.  Multiple factors including innovation, robust research, technological advancements and government support have enabled India to optimise its milk-production">milk production. Director of Sumul Dairy in Surat, Jayesh Patel, tells about the Journey of the Dairy which started with just 200 litres of milk and is now processing 22 lakh litres (2.2 million) of milk every day.  "It has benefitted all, especially the tribal people and as many as 250,000 women who are associated with us. It is because of this that today we are able to supply milk from Kolhapur in Maharashtra and to Goa," Patel said. Surat-based Shakuntala Ben, a small dairy farmer is a living example of the empowerment of women in India's dairy industry. Shakuntala, who has six cattle, has successfully established her business and is contributing to the larger picture of India's milk industry. The government, cooperative societies and milk processing units in the country are encouraging dairy farmers by providing easy loans, high milk-producing cow breeds and other technical assistance.  As per the sources, India, which produced 116 million tonnes of milk just a decade ago, has almost doubled its production capacity, producing 221.1 million Tonnes of milk in 2021-22. "If the dairy industry of any country is contributing this big to its GDP then it is the Indian dairy industry, which is contributing 10 lakh crore to India's GDP. Dairy has contributed majorly to the Indian economy," said Union Home Minister Amit Shah. India, a country that produced 210 MT of milk in 2020-21 now has set its eyes on surpassing its own record by implementing the National Action Plan for Dairy Development. The plan aims to achieve a milk-production target of 300 million tonnes by 2023-24. It also aims to enhance the per capita milk availability from 444 grams per day in 2022 to 592 grams per day by 2023-24. The action plan is the result of great government efforts coupled with the high ambitions of the individuals and industry players that have kept the Indian milk industry thriving.  The milk consumption levels of the country have witnessed a substantial rise from 214 grams per day in 2000 to almost double to 427 grams per day. The harmonious cooperation and healthy competition between various stakeholders along with effective policy formation at the centre has resulted in India achieving the current standing of 'the best' in the global dairy market.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Thursday called for efforts to reintegrate the agricultural production of both Russia and Ukraine into world markets. "Any meaningful solution to global food insecurity requires reintegrating Ukraine's agricultural production and the food and fertilizer production of Russia and Belarus into world markets - despite the war," the UN chief told a Security Council meeting on conflict and food security. "We are working to find a package deal that will enable Ukraine to export food, not only by train but through the Black Sea, and will bring Russian food and fertilizer production to world markets, without restrictions," said the top UN official. Guterres said that this will require "the goodwill of all countries concerned." To meet urgent food security and nutrition needs in Niger, Mali, Chad and Burkina Faso, the secretary-general has announced to release 30 million U.S. dollars from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF). "This brings to almost 95 million dollars the funding channeled through CERF to the Sahel since the start of the year," he said. Investing in political solutions to end conflicts, prevent new ones, and build sustainable peace is crucial in addressing food insecurity, said the secretary-general. Furthermore, he called for attention to the interconnected risks of food insecurity, energy, and financing, which "require far greater coordination and leadership." Source: Xinhua/BSS AH

The Director Agriculture Kashmir Chowdhary Muhammad Iqbal Thursday visited Seed Multiplication Farm (SMF) Allowpora Shopian to take stock of the progress on the implementation of different programs on the farm. During the visit, Chowdhary inspected various sections of the farm spread over an area of almost 1,100 Kanals and reviewed the various interventions adopted there. Speaking on the occasion, the Director said that the departmental farms are the assets of the department and have an inevitable role to play amid the changing  global agriculture scenario. “Our immediate goal is to achieve the self-reliance in seed requirement of different Agricultural crops in the region and the departmental Seed Multiplication Farms are the main resources to reach this ambitious goal,” he said. A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the National Seeds Corporation is likely to be executed so that all the potential and scope of these departmental farms and other related infrastructure could be channelized in a proper manner. The concerned officers/ technical experts work on a mission mode so that all the set targets for the current year could be reached successfully. Earlier, the Director of Agriculture visited Hi-tech Poly houses at Hall Nikas Shopian and took stock of preparation for the distribution of seedlings of different vegetable crops among the farmers of concerned areas. The Director (Controller Insecticides) also inspected various Insecticide/ Pesticide  dealers of district Shopian. Source: India Blooms

Secretary of Power Division of the Ministry of Power, Energy and Mineral Resources Md Habibur Rahman today said Rampal Power Plant will go into production very soon.  “All preparations have been completed of Rampal Power Plant. Officers, Engineers, and Employees are working tirelessly to go into power production,” he said while visiting the Rampal Power Plant in Bagerhat district. The power secretary said amid Coronavirus (Covid-19) pandemic, construction of the Power Plant did not stop and it was done smoothly as the fast truck project of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina as well as a symbol of Bangladesh-India friendship.  Power Development Board is working tirelessly following the directives of Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina to ensure hundred percent electricity supplies of all remote areas across the country, he remarked.  Earlier, the secretary visited the development works of different departments of the power plant and joined an evaluation meeting.  Besides, he planted a flower (Bakul) tree at the power plant and handed over wheelchairs among physically-challenged people as part of the social activities of Bangladesh-India Friendship Power Company Private Limited (BIFPCL) as the chief guest.  Managing Director (MD) of BIFPCL engineer Kazi Absar Uddin chaired the distribution event while additional secretary of Power Department Mohsin Chowdhury, additional secretary ATM Mostofa Kamal and PDB chairman Md Belayet Hossain, among others, were present. Source: BSS AH

Farmers in Kandahar and Helmand say that this year the yield is good considering the drought in the country. Mohammad Wali, a farmer in Kandahar, said that although he is concerned about the drought this year the cultivation of the opium is favorable as there is no other work. “There is no work, all the families are in debt and everyone’s hope is opium,” said Mohammad Wali, a farmer. Meanwhile, officials of the Islamic Emirate said they are trying to find alternatives for the poppy farmers. “The Islamic Emirate through using government facilities, and in coordination with various international organizations and in cooperation with the international community, is trying to find alternative jobs for those who are cultivating opium,” said Enamullah Samangani, deputy spokesman of the Islamic Emirate. “The issue of narcotics is one of the world’s biggest problems, and our neighboring countries, especially Russia, will be greatly affected by Afghanistan’s narcotics and this will affect the relations of the Islamic Emirate with the world,” said Noorullah Hazrati, a university lecturer. One of the major challenges that the previous government was facing was the massive cultivation of poppies and the production of opium in the country. Based on reports of international organizations, 90% of the world's narcotics is produced in Afghanistan. Although millions of dollars were spent on the eradication of opium it is still being cultivated in the country. Source: Tolonews

Jammu and Kashmir government is mulling to double oilseed production in Kashmir by introducing slew of measures to boost mustard cultivation here. Officials informed that Directorate of Agriculture Kashmir has initiated slew of measures to give push to doubling oilseed production. “Under the oilseed mission we are going to get more irrigated land into oilseed cultivation so that farmers will benefit and also help Kashmir to become edible oil exporter from being importer.” While talking about the detailed plan, a senior official from the Department of Agriculture said that they are working towards doubling the oilseed cultivation land in Kashmir in the next two years. He said that a host of steps are being taken by the department of agriculture in Kashmir to realize the mission. “We are currently one of the major importers of edible oil. Kashmir is a place that has a good quality of land which is perfect for oilseed cultivation but still, we have to import. In our various meetings with the government we took up this issue and the department has now decided that this has to be changed. We will bring more land under oilseed cultivation in the next two years. The work has already begun. Oil seeds have been distributed in abundance, farmers are also showing positive response to it,” said a senior official. Farmers from various parts of Kashmir opine that since oilseed cultivation is good in the context of business, they are willing to cooperate with the government so that they can also reap benefits. Many farmers in Kashmir are already turning to oilseed cultivation and using their land for the same. “I have six kanals of land which we used to utilize for grass cultivation. We are going to cultivate paddy in summers and during the winter season it is better to cultivate the oil seeds. If the government will provide good support, we can do better and it will be good monetarily as well,” said Abdul Gani , a farmer from Harwan. Director Agriculture Kashmir, Chowdhary Muhammad Iqbal said that currently 39 thousand hectares of land are under oilseed cultivation in Kashmir. He said that the department is taking steps to get 80 thousand hectares of land under oilseed cultivation. “We have been working with farmers and there has been a good response to the oilseed mission in Kashmir. We have received 1600 quintals of seed from the government of India for oilseed cultivation. The department distributed over 2000 quintals of seed among farmers of Kashmir this year. We want to take oilseed cultivation to a level where it will contribute to GDP in a major way and our farmers will start earning from the export as well. We will also provide all the scientific and financial help to farmers so that they can smoothly do the work,” Chowdhary said. Source: India Blooms.     

Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina today (Thursday) laid emphasis on research and crops zone mapping, saying different varieties of crops have to be cultivated on the basis of concerned area’s land fertility, water and environment to yield best outcome at lowest cost. “We need concrete research and zone mapping on the basis of weather and environment to find out which crops are high yielding with high quality in which areas involving lowest cost,” she said. The premier said this at the cover unveiling ceremony of “The 100 Agro Technologies Atlas” at Bangabandhu International Conference Center (BICC), joining virtually from her official residence Ganabhaban this morning. Mentioning the necessity of setting up more regional laboratories to make the agriculture products more quality-full, she said the zone mapping is essential for more and high quality production as Bangladesh is a delta where each variety of crops could be yielded high depending on soil, water, weather and environment in each area. “We should find out a research method for the zone mapping,” she said, adding it should kept in your (researchers) mind that production is needed to be increased as size of domestic market is being expanded and the same time export of these products is needed for the development of the country. Besides, the government is also establishing 100 special economic zones across the country where the local raw materials, especially the local agro products, would be given priority for processing to export abroad, she said. She went on saying, “If we could arrange both local and foreign investment prioritizing area-based products, people of the country would be benefited financially along with increasing the number of export items.” Sheikh Hasina said the economy of the country depends on agriculture and the government prioritizes agro-based industry and these types of industrialization are needed for the progress of the country. Seeking researchers’ cooperation, she said measures have to be taken keeping in mind that Bangladesh’s economy is agro-based and its production needs to be boosted and processed to grab both domestic and foreign markets. Pointing out the increased food grains production as the outcome of research, the premier said, “Without research, none is possible to achieve and it is the reality. We can move further if you (researchers) take more initiatives.” She hoped the agriculture production, processing and marketing along with others things could be made more technology based through research. Agriculture minister Dr. Muhammad Abdur Razzaque, MP, chaired the ceremony while senior secretary of the ministry Md. Mesbahul Islam gave welcome speech. Fisheries and livestock minister S M Rezaul Karim, MP and chairman of the parliamentary standing committee on ministry of agriculture Matia Chowdhury, MP, spoke on the occasion as special guests. Bangladesh Agricultural Research Council (BARC) executive chairman Dr. Shaikh Mohammad Bokhtiar and successful agro entrepreneur Md Rafikul Islam also spoke. BARC published the 100 Agro Technologies Atlas. Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina said the “100 Agro Technologies Atlas” published today marking the birth centenary of Bangabandhu incorporating the varieties and technology invented by the scientists would be an inspiration for the next generation and it will also help the country to be self-reliant further. Urging the agricultural scientists to conduct further research over local fruits and agricultural items to expand the market for those, she said, “It’s essential to conduct more research on our local fruits and local items. It needs to expand the market of local items by conducting more research on those.” Sheikh Hasina said the retirement age in government services has become a problem for those who are engaged in research, especially the agriculture scientists, but the government wants to provide them incentives. Asking the authorities concerned to place proposals on how the incentives can be given to the scientists, she said, “We need to do something for the agriculture scientists. We want to give them more incentives.” Mentioning that Father of the Nation Bangabandhu Sheikh Mujibur Rahman had adopted the development of agriculture and farmers as a strategy of the country’s development, the premier said he had given first class status to the agriculturalists to allure them into agriculture profession and established many autonomous agriculture institutions for conducting research. “The seeds of today’s progress of the country’s agriculture development were planted by the Father of the Nation and we have achieved this unprecedented success in agriculture following his path,” she said. Highlighting her government’s different measures to offset the impact of Covid-19 pandemic, the head of the government said alongside the 23 stimulus packages of Taka 124,053 crore, two fresh stimulus packages have been declared that would help small businessmen and benefit more people under social safety net programmes. As part of the election manifesto, she said, the government has tried to modernize the agriculture through mechanization and provided 70,000 agriculture machineries in the last 12 years at reduced prices through 50-70 percent development assistance of their procurement prices. Referring to the beginning of Covid-19 vaccination, the premier reiterated her call to the people to maintain health protection protocols and wear facemasks until the Coronaviurs disappears from the world. Mentioning that 99 percent people of the country are now getting electricity; she said no people would remain homeless and address less in Mujib’s Bangladesh. The Prime Minister also urged the people to continue tree plantation on the occasion of Mujib Borsha. Source: BSS AH