What We Are Reading Today: Your Inner Fish by Neil Shubin
Shubin shows us that our hands actually resemble fish fins, our head is organized like that of a long-extinct jawless fish, and major parts of our genome look and function like those of worms and bacteria.
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Yahoo
18 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Hegseth's Video Deleted, Reposted After Metallica's Cease & Desist Over Unauthorized Use of ‘Enter Sandman' in Drone Clip
Metallica have never taken kindly to people using their music in ways they don't approve of. The latest example is the Pentagon, which was forced to delete and then repost a video featuring Defense Sec. Pete Hegseth boasting about the administration's ramped up effort 'unleashing American drone dominance' after the rock group objected to the unauthorized use of one of their biggest hits. The original clip was cued to Metallica's 'Enter Sandman,' but according to Rolling Stone, the Department of Defense had to take it down after a copyright complaint from the group. The press secretary for the DoD confirmed the action on Friday to writer Konstantin Toropin on X, writing, 'This afternoon, representatives from X reached out to DoD regarding a video posted on our social media page and asked that the video be removed due to a copyright issue with the song 'Enter Sandman' by Metallica. The video has been taken down, corrected and re-uploaded to our page.' More from Billboard Rod Stewart Says He's No Longer Friends With Neighbor Donald Trump: 'He Became Another Guy' 'Been Busy': Tame Impala Teases New Music With Social Media Update Doja Cat, Tems, J Balvin & Coldplay Join Forces for Unifying FIFA Club World Cup Final Halftime Show Performance At press time spokespeople for Metallica and the DoD had not returned Billboard's request for comment. The two-minute video filmed in front of the Pentagon found Fox News host Hegseth boasting of the Trump administration's removal of 'bureaucratic red tape' in the manufacturing of military drones as a buzzing quadcopter carrying a memo for him to sign hovered near his head. 'Here's the memo we're signing today, delivered via drone,' he said as he signed the piece of paper. The second version of the video has no soundtrack. Donald Trump has long used music at his rallies and events without the consent of the artists, with many speaking out it over the years. From his first run for the White House in 2015 through his current term, Trump has faced backlash from musicians who objected to him playing their songs at his events, including Adele, Beyoncé, Celine Dion, Foo Fighters, Guns N' Roses, the estate of Isaac Hayes — which sued trump for using the late soul singer's 'Hold On, I'm Coming' at rallies — as well as the White Stripes' Jack White, Neil Young, Prince, R.E.M., Rihanna, the Rolling Stones and many more. Best of Billboard Chart Rewind: In 1989, New Kids on the Block Were 'Hangin' Tough' at No. 1 Janet Jackson's Biggest Billboard Hot 100 Hits H.E.R. & Chris Brown 'Come Through' to No. 1 on Adult R&B Airplay Chart
Hindustan Times
18 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Must build on progress in ties by addressing de-escalation: Jaishankar in China
New Delhi: India and China must build on 'good progress' in normalising their relations by addressing issues related to the border, including de-escalation, and avoid 'restrictive trade measures and roadblocks', external affairs minister S Jaishankar told his Chinese counterpart Wang Yi on Monday. External affairs minister S Jaishankar meets China's vice president Han Zheng, in Beijing, on Monday. (@DrSJaishankar X) Jaishankar, who met Wang in Beijing after arriving in China to attend a meeting of foreign ministers of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), reiterated that stable bilateral ties can be built only on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity. In an apparent reference to Pakistan's support for cross-border terrorism, Jaishankar told Wang that India hopes 'zero tolerance for terrorism' will be upheld at the meeting of the SCO, whose main mandate is fighting terrorism and extremism. Earlier, Jaishankar met Chinese vice president Han Zheng and told him the continued normalisation of bilateral ties can lead to mutually beneficial outcomes. This is Jaishankar's first visit to China since ties were hit by border skirmishes in April-May 2020, though he has met Wang on the margins of multilateral events several times since the two sides reached an understanding on ending a face-off along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) last October. 'We have made good progress in the past nine months for the normalisation of our bilateral relations. It is a result of the resolution of friction along the border and our ability to maintain peace and tranquillity there,' Jaishankar said in televised opening remarks at the meeting with Wang. 'This is the fundamental basis for mutual strategic trust and for smooth development of bilateral relations. It is now incumbent on us to address other aspects related to the border, including de-escalation,' he said. While the two sides withdrew frontline forces from the two remaining 'friction points' of Demchok and Depsang along the LAC last year, the process of de-escalation and pulling back troops to peace-time positions is yet to be completed. Jaishankar noted there are various dimensions to relations between major economies such as India and China and said the normalising of people-to-people exchanges can foster mutually beneficial cooperation. 'It is also essential in this context that restrictive trade measures and roadblocks are avoided,' he said without giving details. He was apparently referring to China's curbs on exports of rare earth minerals – used in everything from smartphones to electric vehicles and in many of which Beijing has a near monopoly - and fertilisers. The restrictions on rare earth exports have been officially raised through diplomatic channels by India, especially in view of the impact on manufacturers of electric vehicles. Jaishankar said stable and constructive ties between India and China, which will benefit the two countries and the world, can be built by 'handling relations on the basis of mutual respect, mutual interest and mutual sensitivity'. He added, 'We have also earlier agreed that differences should not become disputes, nor should competition ever become conflict. On this foundation, we can now continue to develop our ties along a positive trajectory.' Referring to the SCO foreign ministers' meeting on Tuesday, Jaishankar pointed out that the nine-member bloc's primary mandate is to combat terrorism, separatism and extremism. 'This is a shared concern and India hopes that zero tolerance for terrorism will be strongly upheld,' he said. Jaishankar's remarks assume significance as a recent meeting of SCO defence ministers couldn't adopt a joint communique after Pakistan objected to a reference to the Pahalgam terror attack in the document. Indian defence minister Rajnath Singh had refused to endorse the communique. Pakistan was also backed by China during four days of hostilities with India in May, triggered by Operation Sindoor that was launched by New Delhi to target terror infrastructure on territories controlled by Islamabad. India and China, Jaishankar said, need to adopt a 'far-seeing approach' towards their relationship. The relationship has been 'gradually moving in a positive direction' since Prime Minister Narendra Modi and President Xi Jinping met in the Russian city of Kazan in October 2024. 'Our responsibility is to maintain that momentum,' he told Wang. Recent meetings at international events offered opportunities for strategic communication, and Jaishankar said India expects that this process will now become regular and take place in each other's countries. India and China are also marking the 75th year of diplomatic relations, and New Delhi appreciates the resumption of the Kailash Manasarovar Yatra after a gap of five years, Jaishankar said, thanking the Chinese side for its cooperation on the pilgrimage to a holy mountain and a lake in Tibet. At his meeting with vice president Han, Jaishankar said bilateral relations have been 'steadily improving' since the meeting between Modi and Xi in Kazan last October. 'Continued normalisation of our ties can produce mutually beneficial outcomes,' Jaishankar said, adding that his discussions during this visit will maintain the 'positive trajectory' in the relationship. China's state-run Xinhua news agency quoted Han as saying that China and India, as important members of the Global South, should be 'partners contributing to each other's success'. Han said both sides should steadily advance pragmatic cooperation, respect each other's concerns and promote the sustained and stable development of bilateral relations. India and China reached an understanding last October to end the four-year military standoff in Ladakh sector of the LAC. Two days after the understanding, Modi and Xi met in Russia and agreed to revive several mechanisms to normalise bilateral ties and to address the long-standing border dispute. Since then, there have been several meetings between the foreign and defence ministers and NSAs of the two countries. Bilateral relations were taken to their lowest point in six decades by the face-off on the LAC and deadly clashes in Galwan Valley in June 2020 that killed 20 Indian soldiers and at least four Chinese troops. However, ahead of Jaishankar's visit, the spokesperson of the Chinese embassy in New Delhi said on Sunday that Tibet-related issues such as the Dalai Lama's reincarnation are a 'thorn' in bilateral ties. The spokesperson's remarks came in the wake of the Dalai Lama's announcement that only a trust set up by him can recognise his reincarnation. Beijing has insisted that the Dalai Lama's successor must be approved by the Chinese government, while New Delhi has said it doesn't take any position on matters concerning religious practices.
Hindustan Times
18 minutes ago
- Hindustan Times
Anti-sacrilege Bill tabled in Punjab assembly special session
The Aam Aadmi Party government on Monday tabled the anti-sacrilege Bill in the Punjab assembly, proposing punishment up to life imprisonment for sacrilegious acts against religious scriptures. Chief minister Bhagwant Mann arriving to attend the proceedings on the third day of the Punjab assembly special session in Chandigarh on Monday. (Ravi Kumar/HT) Chief minister Bhagwant Mann introduced the Punjab Prevention of Offences Against Holy Scriptures Bill 2025 in the Vidhan Sabha on the third day of the special assembly session. Leader of opposition and Congress MLA Partap Singh Bajwa described the sacrilege issue as serious one and urged Speaker Kultar Singh Sandhwan to hold the discussion on the Bill on Tuesday, the concluding day of the session. Before the start of the session at 2pm, the state-specific Bill was cleared by the cabinet at a meeting chaired by chief minister Mann at his official residence in Chandigarh. The Bill mandates strict punishment, extending up to life imprisonment, for the desecration of holy scriptures, including Sri Guru Granth Sahib, the Bhagavad Gita, Bible and Quran, an official spokesperson said after the meeting. With the enactment of the law, the state seeks to further strengthen the ethos of communal harmony, brotherhood, peace, and amity. It will also act as a strong deterrent against anti-social and anti-national activities by ensuring severe punishment for perpetrators, said the spokesperson. The spokesperson said there have been numerous incidents in the past involving the sacrilege of Guru Granth Sahib and other scriptures, wounding public sentiments and causing unrest in society. While Sections 298, 299 and 300 of the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita, 2023, address such issues, they do not prescribe sufficiently stringent penalties to serve as an effective deterrent, said the spokesperson. Considering the gravity of such offences and the imperative to preserve communal harmony and religious sanctity, the cabinet found it necessary to introduce state-specific legislation providing enhanced penalties, including life imprisonment, for those convicted of sacrilege against any scripture. Consulting stakeholders Until now, no specific legislation directly addressed offences against 'holy granths', often resulting in leniency or evasion of serious action by culprits, said the spokesperson. This new legislation aims to fill that legal void by criminalising and prescribing punishments for acts of sacrilege across all sects and faiths. Under the proposed law, any person found guilty of sacrilege may face imprisonment ranging from 10 years to life. Those attempting the offence may be sentenced to three to five years, while individuals found abetting the crime will be punished in accordance with the offence committed. There is also a provision for setting up special courts to deal with cases pertaining to desecration of scriptures. There will be no parole for those guilty of sacrilege acts. Mann had earlier said that the state government would seek the opinion of all stakeholders and religious bodies for the proposed legislation, indicating it would not be enacted immediately. 'We are drafting it. A law is going to be enacted. But for this, we will talk to stakeholders, religious organisations. We will present the draft legislation (in the assembly).' Past attempts This is not the first time that a law is being brought in the state for stricter punishment for perpetrators of sacrilege acts. In 2016, the then SAD-BJP government brought in the IPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016 and CrPC (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2016, recommending life sentence for sacrilege acts against Guru Granth Sahib. The Centre later returned the Bill, saying all religions should be treated equally given the secular nature of the Constitution. In 2018, the Amarinder Singh government had passed two Bills --the Indian Penal Code (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, and the Code of Criminal Procedure (Punjab Amendment) Bill, 2018, which stipulated a punishment of up to life imprisonment for injury, damage or sacrilege to Guru Granth Sahib, Bhagavad Gita, Quran and the Bible. However, the two Bills did not get the President's assent. Acts of sacrilege against religious scriptures has been an emotive issue in Punjab and there has been a demand from various quarters for stringent punishment for the acts of sacrilege against religious texts. The incident related to the theft of a 'bir' (copy) of Guru Ganth Sahib from Burj Jawahar Singh Wala gurdwara, putting up handwritten sacrilegious posters in Bargari and Burj Jawahar Singh Wala and torn pages of the holy book found scattered at Bargari, had taken place in Faridkot in 2015. These incidents had led to anti-sacrilege protests. In the police firing on anti-sacrilege protesters in October 2015, two persons were killed in Behbal Kalan while some persons were injured at Kotkapura in Faridkot. Regulating crusher units Meanwhile, the Cabinet also granted approval to the Punjab Regulation of Crusher Units, and Stockists and Retailer Rules, 2025, to ensure that crusher units, stockists, and retailers operate within a regulated framework. These rules have been formulated pursuant to the Punjab Regulation of Crusher Units, and Stockists and Retailer Act, 2025, which was enacted to prevent the procurement of illegally mined sand and gravel by crusher units. The new rules define detailed procedures, prescribed forms, timelines, authorities, and compliance mechanisms to facilitate effective, transparent, and accountable implementation of the Act. They aim to eliminate ambiguity in operational processes, prevent royalty evasion and illegal mineral trade, and promote environmentally sustainable and legally compliant business operations. Furthermore, these regulations are expected to enhance transparency and curb illegal mining practices across the state.
