Pakistan on Monday summoned India’s Charge d’Affaires to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and conveyed its concern over the alleged hate speeches made at a conclave held in Haridwar recently to incite violence against the minorities.

Held at Ved Niketan Dham in Haridwar from December 17-20, the ‘Dharma Sansad’ was organised by Yati Narasimhanand Giri of the Juna Akhada, who is already under police scanner for making hate speeches and inciting violence against Muslims.

At the event, several speakers allegedly made inflammatory and provocative speeches, calling for the killing of people from the minority community.

Pakistan conveyed to the Indian side that the reported hate speeches were viewed with grave concern by the civil society and a cross-section of people in the country.

According to a statement by the Pakistan Foreign Office, it was impressed upon India that it was “highly reprehensible” that neither the organisers have expressed any regret nor the Indian government has condemned or taken any action against them.

The Foreign Office said the continued incidents of violence against Muslims highlighted a “worsening trend of Islamophobia” and presented a grim picture about the fate of Muslims in India.

India is expected to investigate these hate speeches and incidents of widespread violence against the minorities and take measures to stop such incidents from recurring in the future, the Foreign Office said.

Several Opposition leaders in India, including those from the Congress and the TMC, have condemned what they said was a "hate speech conclave" held in Haridwar and called for strict action against those involved.

An FIR has been lodged against Jitendra Narayan Tyagi and others in connection with alleged hate speeches delivered at a Dharma Sansad in Haridwar to incite violence against the minorities, police said on Friday.

Tyagi, who changed his name from Waseem Rizvi after converting to Hinduism earlier this month, and other speakers at last week's event have been accused of making extremely provocative speeches and some video clips of it are doing the rounds on social media./agencies

Ten of the most extreme weather events in 2021 were driven by climate change and they displaced more than 1.3 million people and caused $170 billion in damages, according to a new report released on Monday.

The report by Christian Aid, titled Counting the Cost 2021: A Year of Climate Breakdown, said each of the 10 events cost more than $1.5 billion. Most of the estimates are based only on insured losses meaning the true financial costs are likely to be considerably higher.

Hurricane Ida which struck the US in August cost $65 billion and killed 95 people. Floods in Europe in June caused losses of $43 billion and killed 240, while floods in China's Henan province caused destruction worth $17.5 billion, killed 320, and displaced over a million.

While the report focuses on the financial costs which are usually higher in richer countries because they have higher property values and can afford insurance, most of the most devastating extreme weather events hit poorer nations.

According to Christian Aid, four of the 10 most costly events took place in Asia, with floods and typhoons costing a combined $24 billion.

Floods hit Australia in March, displacing 18,000 people and costing $2.1 billion, while floods in Canada’s British Colombia caused losses of $7.5 billion and forced 15,000 people to flee their homes.

Insurance and financial loss data on the recent tornadoes in the US is incomplete so is not included in this report.

The report cautioned that such climate devastation is set to continue without action to cut emissions while insurer Aon warned that 2021 is expected to be the sixth time global natural catastrophes that have crossed the $100 billion insured loss threshold.

All six happened since 2011, and 2021 will be the fourth in five years, the analysis showed.

"The costs of climate change have been grave this year, both in terms of eyewatering financial losses but also in the death and displacement of people around the world. Be it storms and floods in some of the world’s richest countries or droughts and heatwaves in some of the poorest, the climate crisis hit hard in 2021," said Kat Kramer, the report author and Christian Aid's climate policy lead.

"While it was good to see some progress made at the COP26 summit, it is clear that the world is not on track to ensure a safe and prosperous world," she said.

The Paris Agreement set the goal of keeping temperature rise to below 1.5°C compared to pre-industrial levels, yet the actions and policies do not leave the world on track to meet the goal.

"The climate crisis has not abated in 2021. While we heard lots of warm words from politicians at COP26, what we need is the action that will see emissions fall rapidly and support given to those in need," said Nushrat Chowdhury, Christian Aid’s climate justice advisor in Bangladesh.

"Although it was good to see the issue of loss and damage become a major issue at COP26 it was bitterly disappointing to leave without a fund set up to actually help people who are suffering permanent losses from climate change. Bringing that fund to life needs to be a global priority in 2022," she added./aa

The year 2021 saw many environmental disasters that have fueled climate change and vice versa across the world, including tropical storms, hurricanes, landslides, and deadly wildfires.

The following are the major global environmental disasters of 2021 compiled by Anadolu Agency:

JANUARY

Jan. 3:

- Mount Sinabung in North Sumatra, Indonesia, erupts, spewing ash columns up to 1,000 meters high.

Jan. 9:

- Three people are killed after an avalanche hits a ski resort in Russia's Arctic city of Norilsk.

Jan. 17:

- The Merapi volcano on Indonesia's Java island begins to spew lava as smoke and ash bellows 50 meters (164 feet) above its crater following the eruptions.

Jan. 29:

- At least five family members die and three more are missing after a landslide in Papua New Guinea.

FEBRUARY

Feb. 1:

- The US Northeast is in the midst of a massive snow storm with some areas expected to receive up to 2 feet of snow.

Feb. 14:

- The death toll rises to 51 from a glacier break in India with more bodies recovered during rescue operations, according to the Press Information Bureau.

Feb. 18:

- Libya sees its first snowfall in 15 years as a cold snap hits parts of northern Africa and the Middle East.

Feb. 23:

- Italy’s Mt. Etna, Europe's tallest active volcano, erupts.

MARCH

March 3:

- The body of 60-year-old Panamanian consul Telma Deleise Barria Pinzon is found after the vehicle she was traveling in was swept away by the rising Frio River in the municipality of Rivera in Colombia's Huila department.

March 12:

- Wildfires ravage Patagonia, Argentina, and destroy 250 homes, while 15 people are missing.

March 15:

- At least six people are killed and dozens of others missing as Beijing, northern China, and Mongolia are hit by the worst sandstorm in a decade.

March 24:

- Italy's Mt. Etna, one of the active volcanoes in the country's south, once again erupts, spewing lava and a giant cloud of ash, local media reports.

APRIL

April 6:

- At least 157 people die, dozens more are missing and thousands are rendered homeless after Tropical Cyclone Seroja batters Indonesia and neighboring East Timor.

April 12:

- Fruit growers and winemakers in France report that the majority of their harvest this year has been lost to a severe cold snap that has affected parts of Europe.

April 17:

- Forest fires erupt in western and southwestern Turkey in which over 150 forest workers, many firefighters, and water tankers battle flames that the wind helped spread in a short time over the regions.

April 24:

- At least eight people are killed and 384 others rescued after an avalanche close to the border with China hits northern India.

April 30:

- After it reactivates, lava flows from the Pacaya volcano south of Guatemala City, raising fears it may spread to nearby communities.

MAY

May 6:

- A severe snowstorm is forecast to hit Finland with accumulations of up to 30 cm (12 inches) possible, the Finnish Meteorological Institute warns.

May 10:

- At least two people are killed after a severe thunderstorm hits Wuhan, the capital of China's Hubei province.

May 16:

- Ecuador's Sangay volcano erupts, with ash rising up to 7 miles above sea level.

May 19:

- At least 37 people are killed in India from Cyclone Tauktae -- 12 in Maharashtra, eight in Karnataka, 13 in Gujarat, and two each in Goa and Kerala states.

May 20:

- A large wildfire breaks out in the village of Schinos near Corinth in southcentral Greece, prompting authorities to evacuate at least 14 villages and two monasteries.

May 27:

- Cyclone Yaas batters Bangladesh, affecting 27 subdistricts in nine southern coastal districts, according to official sources.

JUNE

June 11:

- Seven miners die who were trapped by a landslide in the Mexican state of Coahuila, according to reports.

June 17:

- A heavy sandstorm hits Kuwait, with buildings shrouded in heavy dust.

June 19:

- Severe thunderstorms strike parts of Belgium, leaving 92 homes severely damaged and 17 people injured.

June 21:

- A multi-car collision on a tropical storm-soaked interstate in the US state of Alabama leaves 10 dead, including eight children in a single van and another girl in a SUV.

June 29:

- Western Canada is sweltering under record high temperatures that may have killed scores of people in Vancouver.

JULY

July 2:

- The number of deaths rises to 719 as the Canadian province of British Columbia (B.C.) remains under a heat wave, according to the B.C. Coroners Service.

July 9:

New York City, the largest city in the US, is drying out as Tropical Storm Elsa continues to race up the northeast coastline.

July 18:

- At least 15 people are killed and several injured when a house collapses and a landslide occurs from heavy rain in India’s financial hub of Mumbai.

July 25:

- Over 1,500 people are evacuated from their homes on the Italian island of Sardinia as fires ravage 20,000 hectares (50,000 acres) of forestland.

July 28:

- A major forest fire in Turkey’s Mediterranean district of Manavgat leaves several people injured, according to the country’s agriculture and forestry minister.

AUGUST

Aug. 2:

- The US is combatting 91 active large wildfires across much of the western half of the country that have already burned over 1.8 million acres.

Aug. 7:

- Turkey has contained 209 wildfires in 47 provinces in the last 10 days, according to the country's forestry minister.

Aug. 10:

- At least 42 people die, including 25 military personnel, in the eastern part of Algeria, where wildfires spread to 36 locations across 18 provinces.

Aug. 20

- Wildfires continue raging in eastern Russia with 128 blazes in 20 regions of particular concern, says the country's Federal Agency for Forestry.

Aug. 22:

- At least eight people are killed as Hurricane Grace hits Mexico.

SEPTEMBER

Sept. 1:

- Nearly 1 million people are left without power in Louisiana after Hurricane Ida tears through the southeastern US state.

Sept. 9:

- The death toll in the US state of Louisiana from Hurricane Ida climbs to 26.

Sept. 13:

- A devastating forest fire in southern Spain claims one life and forces 2,600 people to flee from their homes.

Sept. 17:

- Mt. Otake erupts on an island in southwestern Japan, prompting authorities to raise the alert level to 3 on a scale of 5.

Sept. 24:

- Some 400 homes and 200 hectares (494 acres) of land are destroyed as a volcanic eruption on the Spanish island of La Palma continues.

Sept. 30:

- A small tornado hits Germany’s northern port city of Kiel, injuring seven people and damaging properties.

OCTOBER

Oct. 1:

- Ashes from the Cumbre Vieja volcano on the island of La Palma blanket most of the island in Spain’s Canary Islands.

Oct. 4:

- Tropical Cyclone Shaheen kills at least 13 people in Oman and Iran, while five Iranian fishermen go missing.

Oct. 11:

- Just months after devastating fires, residents in the northern part of Greece's Evia island face the raging storm Athena.

Oct. 20:

- Japan's largest active volcano Mt. Aso erupts, spreading ashes up to a 1 kilometer (0.6 mile) radius, according to the country's weather agency.

Oct. 26:

- A Nor'easter, a strong extratropical cyclone, hits the US East Coast, causing high water levels and strong winds.

NOVEMBER

Nov. 3:

- A landslide in Colombia's Narino province kills at least 11 people.

Nov. 6:

- A dust storm hits Uzbekistan, the worst since the country started keeping meteorological records in 1871.

Nov. 10:

- The first "severe" smog episode hits India’s national capital and the National Capital Region, according to an analysis by the Centre for Science and Environment think tank.


Nov. 19:

The strongest earthquake since a volcano on the Spanish island of La Palma began erupting is felt on the other nearby Canary Islands. According to Spain's National Geographic Institute, it has a magnitude of 5.1.


Nov. 30:

- Four people die as Turkey’s metropolitan city Istanbul is hit by a fierce storm with gale-force winds.

DECEMBER

Dec. 4:

- Nearly 55,000 people are evacuated as a tropical storm lashes parts of southern India with heavy rains.

Dec. 10:

- A fire in Western Australia's Margaret River region destroys over 6,000 hectares of forests.

Dec. 14:

- The death toll stands at 74 from a wave of tornadoes that hit the US state of Kentucky last week, with 100 people still missing.

Dec. 22:

- Dozens of people are missing after a landslide hits a town in Myanmar./aa

The death toll from a powerful typhoon in the Philippines has climbed to 389 on Monday, the country’s National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council said.

The typhoon, locally called Odette and identified as Rai internationally, hit the archipelago nation last week.

The council said 64 people remain missing while 1,146 have been listed as injured, according to daily Phil Star.

It is reportedly the strongest typhoon that hit the Philippines this year.

The typhoon brought disaster in many areas of the country where besides deaths and injuries, roads were broken up, electricity is off after poles were plucked out as the typhoon ravaged through townships.

The officials said electricity was restored in 154 cities and municipalities while only 115 have had telecommunications fully restored.

Philippines military soldiers were dispatched to support search and rescue efforts.

The super typhoon, which reached a speed of 195 kilometers (121 miles) per hour, caused power outages and serious destruction in the southeastern islands.

Bicol, Western Visayas, Central Visayas, Eastern Visayas, Zamboanga Peninsula, Davao, Mimaropa, and Caraga regions are the most affected.

The Department of Social Welfare and Development said 1.8 million people were affected by the typhoon.

The devastation brought by the typhoon drew aid from many countries including China, the US, and international agencies, including from the UN.

The UN had called for the provision of $107.2 million in life-saving aid to over half a million people in areas devastated by Typhoon Rai.

Meanwhile, the Istanbul-based Humanitarian Relief Foundation (IHH) launched emergency relief works in the region affected by Typhoon Rai.

The aid group said that after the typhoon disaster, more than 300,000 people were settled in evacuation camps in the country and over 200,000 moved to different parts of the Philippines.

In the first phase of the aid activities, the IHH distributed food to 500 families in the Cagayan De Oro region of the country./aa

Spider-Man: No Way Home has become the first film during the pandemic to reach $1 Billion at the box office worldwide.

“Sony’s comic-book epic has eclipsed that milestone in a near-record 12 days, tying with 2015’s “Star Wars: The Force Awakens” as the third-fastest film to reach the billion-dollar benchmark,” US entertainment magazine Variety reported on Sunday.

This came at a time when countries are taking measures to stem the spread of the highly transmissible omicron coronavirus variant and restricting closed-door events.

The blockbuster film, which stars Tom Holland, 25, in the lead role, is “the only movie since 2019’s “Star Wars: The Rise of Skywalker” to surpass $1 billion globally,” the magazine said.

“No other Hollywood film has come close to nearing those box office revenues in the last two years,” it added.

The sequel is directed by Jon Watts and stars Holland, Benedict Cumberbatch as well as Zendaya.

“For the first time in the cinematic history of Spider-Man, our friendly neighborhood hero's identity is revealed, bringing his Super Hero responsibilities into conflict with his normal life and putting those he cares about most at risk,” according to the film’s website.

The film hit Turkish theaters on Dec. 17 and has been seen by 1.3 million people so far, according to the Turkish Box Office./aa