Washington Gets A Rude Jolt: How Pakistan Kept US Guessing Its Nuke Plans

Pakistan has a knack of pulling the rabbit out of the hat every once in a while - one that leaves the United States perplexed and perturbed time and again. But before the US can delve into the method behind the trick, Washington, which has reasons for serious concern, often finds itself quickly distracted by one of the many other pressing problems it faces globally. Islamabad knows this, and so, it makes its move slowly, quite like the hour hand of the clock, knowing fully well that the watchful eyes are often focusing on the routinely-ticking seconds hand.

Pakistan has only one rabbit - the nuclear bomb - which it pulls out of the bag every time Islamabad is either held accountable for its actions, or finds itself in the diplomatic corner with no way out.

With time, that rabbit has grown, both in number and in range. As long as it only bothered the neighbours, it wasn't a priority for Washington. But the latest reports to emerge from Pakistan has left the United States deeply troubled.

As per reports, Pakistan is working on the latest version of its Shaheen missile - the updated Shaheen-III - which will be capable of striking the United States. This move has jolted Washington out of its slumber.

The original stated purpose of the Shaheen-III missile was to be able to strike India's naval facilities in the Andaman and Nicobar Islands with an estimated range of 2,750 km, but that was possible only if the launch pads were right on the International Border with India, in Pakistan's south eastern-most region. To change that, Rawalpindi, home to the Pak Army headquarters, is seeking help to extend the range.

A similar effort is also being made by Rawalpindi to increase the range of its other long-range missile Ababeel, which can currently strike at a distance up to 2,000 km.

China, which is the reason why Pakistan was able to have its nuclear programme to begin with, has reportedly been helping Rawalpindi reach this goal. Confirming the news, US Deputy National Security Adviser Jonathan Finer said recently that "Pakistan is working on its long-range missiles and may soon have the capability to strike targets well beyond South Asia, including in the United States".

Speaking at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace last week, Mr Finer noted that "it is hard for us to see Pakistan's actions as anything other than an emerging threat to the United States."

This is not just a concern for the US, but for Israel too. While Andaman and Nicobar is Pakistan's focus in the east, if it turns its focus westward, it already has the range to strike US naval assets in east Africa, in Somalia's Mogadishu and Djibouti. It can also strike the US base in Bahrain, in the Persian Gulf. Moving northwest, the range of these missiles, even if extended marginally, will be able to strike Israel.

US is also aware of the turmoil in Pakistan and the fact that Pakistan has the world's largest number of terrorist groups. There is always a threat of such technology falling in the wrong hands or getting transferred to regimes hostile towards the US and Israel.

LATEST SANCTIONS

As recently as last week, the US sanctioned four Pakistani entities, including the state-owned flagship aerospace and defence agency - National Development Complex or NDC - on charges related to its long-range ballistic missile program.

State Department spokesperson Matthew Miller said four Pakistani firms were slapped with sanctions under an executive order that "targets proliferators of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery."

Apart from NDC, the three other entities sanctioned by the US are Akhtar and Sons Private Limited, Affiliates International, and Rockside Enterprises. All three are based in Karachi, while the NDC is located in Islamabad. According to the US State Department, these companies worked with the NDC to acquire equipment related to the long-range ballistic missile program.

A statement issued by the US State Department last week said "The United States holds NDC responsible for Pakistan's development of ballistic missiles, including the Shaheen-series ballistic missiles." It noted that NDC and the three other entities worked to acquire several items, including special vehicle chassis intended to be used as launch support equipment for ballistic missiles, besides acquiring missile testing equipment.

PAKISTAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM - A BRIEF HISTORY

On May 28, 1998, two weeks after India carried out its nuclear test in Pokhran, Pakistan carried out its nuke test deep in the desert-region of Balochistan. Bill Clinton, the US President at the time, imposed sanctions on both countries. From there on India and Pakistan took divergent routes to shape its nuclear legacy. While India established itself as a responsible nuclear power, Pakistan has been mired in multiple acts of proliferation and repeated rounds of sanctions.

From the early 90s, China has been actively involved in ensuring Pakistan has a nuclear weapons program, regardless of the risks involved. In the process, Beijing too has been sanctioned for providing assistance and technology to Islamabad and Rawalpindi.

In June, 1991, Washington held Beijing accountable for exporting sensitive missile technology to Islamabad and imposed sanctions on China. These sanctions were lifted nearly a year later, when Beijing, which was already a nuclear weapons state, agreed to abide by the international rules of the Missile Technology Control Regime or MTCR, though till date, China has not officially joined the MTCR.

Pakistan and China lay low for a while, and again, in 1993, Washington caught Beijing exporting sensitive missile tech to Islamabad. The sanctions were re-imposed, but did not prove to be too effective. Since then, China and Pakistan steadily increased cooperation on missile technology and delivery systems, disregarding the international rules stated in the MTCR.

Even after Pakistan tested the N-bomb in 1998, US sanctions proved to be effective only temporarily, as Washington lifted those sanctions soon after the 9/11 terror attack as it needed Islamabad on its side for the 'war on terror' in Afghanistan.

In another incident which highlights how China helped Pakistan with sensitive technology while enhancing its own, in August 1998, Pakistan managed to get its hands on a US-made Tomahawk missile. Two Tomahawk missiles, considered the latest technology of the time, turned out to be defective. They were a part of a barrage of 75 missiles fired by the US targeting terrorist hideouts in Afghanistan.

Pakistan secretly shipped the Tomahawk missile to Beijing, where the technology was deciphered and replicated by China. From that new technology China developed its then-latest cruise missile - DH-10. Beijing later sold these missiles back to Islamabad, where they were renamed as the Babur missile, which is nuclear-capable.

Pakistan has, since the start, found itself being caught red-handed in aiding nuclear proliferation. Islamabad has long been accused of secretly exporting sensitive nuclear weapons technology through its network of rouge elements. The most infamous of them all being when disgraced Pakistani scientist Abdul Qadeer Khan was found illegally selling nuke-related technology to North Korea, Iran, Iraq, and Libya. It left Pakistan red-faced globally and the US shut down those operations in 2004. But two decades later, North Korea and Iran continue to get their supply of equipment and sensitive technology from nefarious underground networks that experts believe stem from Pakistan - some believe with China's blessings.
 

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Quantum Teleportation Now Possible Over Everyday Internet Cable

In a groundbreaking scientific achievement, researchers have figured out a way to achieve the unthinkable: quantum teleportation. While the name may suggest that humans could be teleported through the technology, it is far from the real-life implication of the technology. Quantum teleportation allows the transfer of information instantly and over any distance without needing any future technology. Led by Prem Kumar from Northwestern University, Illinois, US, scientists demonstrated quantum teleportation over standard fibre optic cable that already carries everyday internet traffic, according to a report in ScieneAlert.

In simple terms, quantum teleportation involves sending information from one place to another using something called "quantum entanglement". Think of entanglement like an invisible twin connection where two particles, even if miles apart, are linked in a way that what happens to one instantly affects the other. Unlike sending a physical object, you are sending the state or condition of a particle.

"This is incredibly exciting because nobody thought it was possible. Our work shows a path towards next-generation quantum and classical networks sharing a unified fibre optic infrastructure. Basically, it opens the door to pushing quantum communications to the next level," said Mr Kumar.

The study involved the careful management of light scattering to ensure that the delicate quantum information, carried by photons, could survive amidst the swarm of internet data. To achieve the desired result, the scientists utilised a specific wavelength for the quantum signal and implemented filters to minimise interference from other data streams.

"We carefully studied how light is scattered and placed our photons at a judicial point where that scattering mechanism is minimised. We found we could perform quantum communication without interference from the classical channels that are simultaneously present," added Mr Kumar.

Also Read | Google's Latest Breakthrough A Major Leap In Quantum Computing

The result was a successful teleportation of a quantum state of light, which represents a significant leap towards integrating quantum communication with existing internet infrastructure. Notably, this was not just a simulation; it was done in real-world conditions, showcasing the practical viability of quantum communication alongside traditional data transmission.

One of the biggest appeals of quantum teleportation is that it can occur almost as fast as light travels. The development is a big step towards quantum internet that could revolutionise traditional computing. From secure encryption methods to enhanced sensing capabilities to potentially even connecting quantum computers on a global scale, without needing specialised infrastructure -- the potential for the technology remains immense.

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Manmohan Singh, The Technocrat Who Transformed India's Economy

Manmohan Singh -- former Prime Minister of India, renowned economist, technocrat and the architect of India's liberalisation, which pulled the country out of economic atrophy - has died at 92. Dr Singh, who had been ailing for a while, died at Delhi's AIIMS hospital this evening.

Seen as a reluctant politician, Manmohan Singh was the automatic choice for Sonia Gandhi when, after an unexpected victory of the Congress-led UPA, she stepped away from the post of Prime Minister.

Dr Singh's background as Reserve Bank of India (RBI) Governor and former finance minister, and his unimpeachable reputation made it an obvious decision.

While the economy has never looked back after the liberalisation of 1991 that pulled it out of a phenomenal low of the balance of payments crisis, delivering an average growth rate of around 8.5 per cent, Manmohan Singh took the other huge step, in foreign policy, in 2009.

The India-US nuclear deal was forged in the fire of a huge political row in the country, the withdrawal of support by the left Front, which left Dr Singh's government confronting a test of strength.

The deal he stood by ended the era of sanctions placed on India after the Pokhran 2 nuclear tests of 1998, with partial sanctions by IAEA that covered only the civil nuclear facilities. It also steered the country away from the Nehruvian policy of non-alignment, placed it front and centre of the international community and secured it a place at the nuclear club high table.  

Dr Singh's political journey of over three decades saw his meteoric rise from a post-partition humble background to the country's highest office.

Born in Gah in undivided Punjab (now in Pakistan) on September 26, 1932, Dr Singh was a brilliant student who got a first class degree in Economics from Cambridge University and a DPhil from Oxford in the early 1960s.

He was handpicked as finance minister by former Prime Minister PV Narasimha Rao after having held almost every top job in the government: Chief Economic Advisor, Deputy Chairman of the Planning Commission,  Reserve Bank of India Governor and Union Finance Secretary.

While Dr Singh's personal honesty was never questioned, his government faced allegations of corruption and  policy paralysis in its final years. Allegations linked to the 2G, CWG and Coal block allocations were seized by the Opposition BJP.

The other huge criticism against his government was sparked by the perception of then party chief Sonia Gandhi as a parallel power centre. 

His critics even disparagingly dubbed him as the "Accidental Prime Minister".

Dr Singh, however, maintained that history would be kinder to him.

In January 2014, addressing his last press conference as Prime Minister, he said, "I honestly believe that history will be kinder to me than the contemporary media, or for that matter, the Opposition parties in Parliament".

Even his fiercest rivals, however, respected and admired him - which is rare in today's politics.

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"Mohan Bhagwat Isn't Feeling Hindus' Pain": Shankaracharya On Temple Remark

RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat has been criticised by a prominent spiritual leader over his recent remark against raking up temple-mosque disputes. "Mohan Bhagwat does not understand the plight of Hindus," said Shankaracharya Swami Avimukteshwaranand Saraswati on Wednesday.

"Several Hindu temples are being demolished. This is the truth. He is not feeling the pain of Hindus. It is clear from his statement. He does not truly understand the plight of Hindus," he said.

The RSS chief had on December 19 expressed concern over the resurgence of several temple-mosque disputes and asserted that certain individuals, after the construction of Ayodhya's Ram temple, seem to believe they can become "leaders of Hindus" by raking up such issues.

"Mohan Bhagwat has claimed that some people raise these issues to become leaders, but I want to clarify that ordinary Hindus do not aspire to become leaders," Swami Avimukteshwaranand said.

Mr Bhagwat, delivering a lecture in Pune on 'India-The Vishwaguru,' at Sahjeevan Vyakhyanmala (lecture series), advocated for an "inclusive society."

"Raking up new issues every day for disdain and enmity should not be done. What is the solution here? We should show the world that we can live in harmony, so we should have a little experiment in our country," he had said.

His comments also sparked a political controversy with Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav saying that the RSS chief must make his appeal for "harmony" to the BJP. "If he even makes a call to the chief minister (Yogi Adityanath), then there will be no survey and no such controversy," Mr Yadav said.

Congress general secretary in-charge communications Jairam Ramesh slammed Mr Bhagwat's statement and termed it as "double standards".

Uttar Pradesh has witnessed several litigations filed in various courts related to temple-mosque disputes from Sambhal's Shahi Jama to Budaun's Jama Masjid Shamsi, Atala Masjid in Jaunpur and Gyanvapi mosque in Varanasi, where Hindu petitioners have sought permission to offer prayers, claiming that ancient temples existed at the sites where the mosques now stand.

Recently, clashes between protestors and police over the court-ordered survey of the Jama Masjid in Sambhal resulted in five deaths in November. Dozens were injured in the violence that also triggered a massive political row. The issue also reached the Supreme Court, which halted survey action and directed the mosque's management committee to approach the Allahabad High Court.

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Nothing Phone 3a, Phone 3a Plus Tipped to Offer Upgraded Camera Capabilities

Nothing Phone 3a, Phone 3a Plus, and the CMF Phone 2 are said to be in the works. The phones were also spotted in the IMEI database earlier this month. Most recently, camera specifications and other details of the unannounced Nothing smartphones have surfaced on the Web. The Nothing Phone 3a is tipped to come with a telephoto camera. Meanwhile, the Nothing Phone 3a and Phone 3a Plus are said to be equipped with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC, whereas the CMF Phone 2 could run a MediaTek SoC.

Nothing Phone 3a Camera Details Leaked

Android Authority claims to have received information about the Nothing Phone 3a, Phone 3a Plus, and the CMF Phone 2, stating that they're in the works with codenames steroids, asteroids_plus, and galaga, respectively. The Nothing Phone 3a is said to include a telephoto camera, while the Phone 3a Plus will reportedly boast a periscope zoom camera.

If this turns out to be true, the Phone 3a series could be the first in the Nothing lineup to switch to dedicated sensors for optical zoom. Existing Nothing Phones boast a wide and ultra-wide rear camera setup.

The report further states that the Nothing Phone 3a and Phone 3a Plus could be the first phones from the UK brand to offer eSIM support. They are likely to provide two physical nano-SIMs or an eSIM with a physical nano-SIM for dual-SIM configurations.

CMF Phone 2, on the other hand, is likely to stick to physical SIM only. Further, the report reiterates that the Nothing Phone 3a and Phone 3a Plus will be reportedly equipped with the Snapdragon 7s Gen 3 SoC, while the CMF Phone 2 will run a MediaTek SoC.

The Nothing Phone 3a series is expected to be launched in the first quarter of 2025. It is speculated to ship with Android 15-based Nothing OS 3.1 user interface.

 

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Childhoods Chained, Dreams Sold In Forgotten Corner of Madhya Pradesh

In the heart of Madhya Pradesh, nestled amid the rugged terrains of Rajgarh district, lies Jaitpura - a village where time seems to have stopped, leaving dreams in shackles and childhoods stolen. Here, innocence is traded, and the cruel weight of tradition drags children into adulthood long before their time.

Our journey began where the road ended, over narrow, broken paths that echoed the hardship of lives untouched by development.

In these forgotten corners of India, we found children whose laughter has been silenced by customs like child marriage and engagement, bound by the age-old practice of Jhagda-Natra. 

This grim tradition demands exorbitant amounts from families seeking to break free from pre-arranged marriages, perpetuating a cycle of poverty and despair.

The stories of Jaitpura are a reflection of a broader malaise plaguing 50 villages, where over 700 children have lost their right to a carefree childhood. 

Rama Bai, now 40, recalls how her childhood ended abruptly three decades ago.

"I got married at the age of 10 years... Every day, girls here are married off. This must stop," she said, her voice heavy with the weight of her past. 

Geeta, just 22, carries her young daughter in her arms. Engaged at two, married at 16, she refuses to let history repeat itself. "I will not engage my daughter. This must end with me," she asserts, her resolve a tiny ray of light amid the darkness that lies heavy over the lives of the children.

One parent explained the harsh reality: "Here relationships are often fixed even before birth. When a woman is six months pregnant, families decide-'if you have a boy and we have a girl, they will be engaged.' They stick to their word. As children grow, more money is required, and sometimes, in a drunken state, engagements are finalised. This happened in our family too," she said, a tone of resignation in her voice.

Childhood Dreams in Chains

These decisions impact children profoundly, robbing them of their innocence and dreams. Some are as young as one year old when they are engaged, marked with bracelets or lockets to signify the commitment.

Dinesh, a young boy, shared a bittersweet moment about his fiancee: "My fiancee is frim Gangapar. She was given a bracelet and a pendent during the engagement."

Another child, Mangilal's fiancée, said: "I was just a year old when I got engaged. I don't remember much, but I know his name is Mangilal. I didn't receive anything during the engagement."

For many, these symbols of commitment are not cherished but burdensome. 

A boy, just 10 years old, was vocal about his discomfort. "I was given sweets when I got engaged, but I didn't want to. I've decided-I won't marry. I'm in the 5th standard, and I want to become a doctor," he said.

For the young girls, anklets and bangles are not adornments but symbols of oppression. The pain, both physical and emotional, weighs heavily on them.

"My feet hurt a lot because of the anklets. I tell my parents every day, but they say I must wear them. This is bondage. I want freedom from these," a girl said.

For most, these ornaments represent a lifelong burden. 

A 10-year-old, married when she was far younger, said: "The bangles were put on me during my engagement and marriage. They're said to enhance a girl's beauty, but to me, they are shackles. Sometimes, when there is trouble at my in-laws' house, these bangles are removed and sold."

Villagers justify the system as a compulsion - a way to escape debt, or wedding expenses. But it is the children who pay the price, their lives reduced to mere transactions.

Govardhan Tanwar, the deputy sarpanch, sounded matter of fact. "Engagements happen when parents are drunk. They take loans, marry off their daughters, and the cycle continues."

According to the National Family Health Survey-5, 46 per cent of women aged 20-24 in Rajgarh were married before they turned 18. Education remains a distant dream, with over half the women in the district illiterate.

Breaking these shackles comes at a cost. Families must pay hefty fines to annul pre-arranged marriages, often appearing before social panchayats. 

The price of freedom is crushing, leaving many resigned to their fates. In certain regions of Rajasthan and Madhya Pradesh, if a girl dares to break free from this bondage or refuses to go through with a prearranged marriage, she and her family are summoned before social councils. These councils impose fines, known as 'jhagda' (penalty), for canceling the marriage. In some cases, practices like nata or natara, involving widows or abandoned women returning to society, are also intertwined with these traditions. 

Amid these statistics and age-old customs, this story is not just about Jaitpura village-it is a reflection of countless tales of pain and struggle. It is the story of countless villages where tradition chains childhood, and dreams are sold.
 

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Scarlett Johansson Shocked As Husband Colin Jost Jokes About Her On SNL

Scarlett Johansson was left shocked as she made a surprise appearance on the latest episode of Saturday Night Live (SNL) with her husband, Colin Jost, making numerous jokes about the Hollywood star's age, their child and their sex life. During the "Weekend Update" of SNL's Christmas edition, anchors, Mr Jost and Michael Che were doing their annual "joke exchange" where they both write jokes for each other. The prompts are designed to land either of them in hot water and this year, Mr Jost received the short end of the stick.

“I want to dedicate this next joke to my boo, Scarlett Johansson,” said Mr Jost, reading the joke from the teleprompter as the Avengers star looked on nervously from the backstage.

“Oh my gosh, she's so genuinely worried,” said Mr Jost, briefly breaking his on-screen character.

“Y'all know Scarlett just celebrated her 40th birthday, which means I'm about to get up out of there,” he added, with the camera quickly panning away to Ms Johansson, who was both simultaneously laughing and gobsmacked.

“Shiz! Nah, nah. I'm just playin',” he added.

“We just had a kid together, and y'all ain't see no pictures of him yet, because he's Black as hell!” said Mr Jost as a photoshopped image of himself and Ms Johansson was displayed on the screen.

Just when Mr Jost thought the segment had ended, another joke popped up which he reluctantly began to read.

“Costco has removed their roast beef sandwich from its menu, but I ain't tripping. I be eating roast beef every night since my wife had the kid,” said Jost causing an eruption of laughter from the entire cast and crew.

Ms Johansson looked shocked, mouthing, “Oh my gosh".

Colin Jost and Michael Che just did their annual SNL joke-swap where they write each other's jokes

this joke about Scarlett Johansson...and then the camera cutting to her for her shocked reaction...omg pic.twitter.com/q7CKknJB1q

— Spencer Althouse (@SpencerAlthouse) December 22, 2024

2024 Christmas Joke Swap with Colin and Che! pic.twitter.com/0uExTX8MHL

— Saturday Night Live - SNL (@nbcsnl) December 22, 2024

Internet reacts

The jokes left the audience as well as social media users in split who said Mr Che had landed his colleague in trouble with the brutal jokes.

"Scarlett is either a fantastic actress or was truly genuinely shocked," said one user, while another added: "Haven't laughed like this watching Saturday Night Live in a while. Che definitely got Colin this year. Lol."

A third commented: "The Weekend Update joke swap has become the best part of the show and tonight did not disappoint."

Notably, this is not the first instance when Mr Jost has been forced to make such jokes about her wife. In July, earlier this year, during another joke swap segment, Mr Che made his colleague say:

“ChatGPT has released a new voice assistant feature inspired by Scarlett Johansson's AI character in Her,” a nervous Mr Jost told viewers. “Which I've never bothered to watch, because without that body what's the point of listening?”

While the jokes are made at the expense of both anchors, the segment is often the most-watched part of SNL.

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