News in Short

• A new study has found that volcanoes have been responsible for stabilising temperatures at Earth’s surface and acted as a safety valve for the planet’s long-term climate.
• The researchers have discovered that extensive chains of volcanoes have been responsible for both emitting and then removing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) over geological time.
• The natural break-down and dissolution of rocks at Earth’s surface is called chemical weathering.
• It is critically important because the products of weathering (elements like calcium and magnesium) are flushed via rivers to the oceans, where they form minerals that lock up CO2.

• Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed charting out a coordinated strategy in Afghanistan, while National Security Advisors from the five BRICS countries met virtually to discuss developments.
• Among the particular areas of concern were ensuring regional security, countering radicalisation and spread of terrorist ideology, and the proliferation of drugs as a consequence of the developments.
• These were also issues that figured as the NSAs from India, Russia, China, Brazil and South Africa met virtually, one of the key meetings in the lead up to next month’s BRICS leaders’ summit, which India is chairing.

• Japan’s government adopted an interim plan on August 24 that it hopes will win support from fishermen and other concerned groups for a planned release into the sea of treated but still radioactive water from the wrecked Fukushima nuclear plant.
• The government decided to start discharging the water into the Pacific Ocean in the spring of 2023 after building a facility and compiling release plans under safety requirements set by regulators.
• The idea has been fiercely opposed by fishermen, residents and Japan’s neighbours including China and South Korea.
• Under the plan adopted on August 24, the government will set up a fund to buy fisheries products and freeze them for temporary storage to cushion the impact from negative rumours about the discharge.

• Researcher, author and one of the intellectual voices of the Bahujan movement Gail Omvedt passed away on August 25. She was 81.
• Omvedt was an American-born Indian scholar who authored books on Dalit politics, women’s struggle and anti-caste movement.
• She also participated in various people’s movements in the country, including the one for the rights of people displaced by the Koyna Dam.She co-founded ShramikMukti Dal along with her husband and activist Bharat Patankar.

• Diplomats have said that there are no requests from the UN Security Council Permanent members for the delisting of the Taliban’s top leadership from sanctions thus far.
• They also refuted reports that the next meeting of UN’s 1988 Sanctions Committee, due next month, would lift restrictions on designated terrorists like SirajuddinHaqqani and Mullah Baradar.
• The next meeting of the Taliban Sanctions Committee is due to be held in mid-September, ahead of an important meeting to discuss the renewal of the mandate of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), which expires on September 17.