Foreign news
Chinese scientists generate Turkish earthquake relief analysis for UN
The United Nations Satellite Centre (UNOSAT) has activated its emergency mapping service in quake-hit areas in Türkiye to aid relief efforts.
A research team from central China’s Wuhan University was invited to map the lights in the areas at night using remote sensing data to help better analyze disaster situations in different areas and allocate relief resources.
Li Xi, a professor at the State Key Laboratory of Information Engineering in Surveying, Mapping and Remote Sensing at Wuhan University, together with his team, provided remote sensing data of the quake-hit areas to UNOSAT.
The initial assessment results, disrupted by rain and snow, show that the lighting reduction ratio is over 90 percent, 50 percent and 70 percent in Hatay, Kahramanmaras and Adiyaman, respectively.
The results indicate that the power and other infrastructure losses in the disaster-stricken areas are serious.
“In the past, it was generally believed that the closer the area was to the epicenter, the greater the loss. In fact, this did not take into account the different disaster resistance capabilities of different areas,” said Li.
The changes in the lights can directly reflect the scale of damage in different cities and can be used to assess disaster resistance capabilities. In the case of resource shortages, it can play an important role in the formulation of more targeted rescue strategies, Li added.
Generating data via satellites
Li’s team analyzed satellite data, which is updated every day, combining macro and micro observations. They used China’s high-resolution satellites to carry out the high-precision monitoring of lights in affected areas at night.
Earth science satellite SDGSAT-1, developed by the Chinese Academy of Sciences, provided pre-disaster data for researchers to compare with the post-disaster conditions.
In addition, commercial space telescope Yangwang-1, developed by Origin Space Technology Co., Ltd., and micro-nano satellite QMX-1, developed by Wuhan University, have been employed.
Besides observing lights through high-resolution satellites at night, the team also took help from Suomi-NPP, a U.S. meteorological satellite, to obtain data with longer timeframe and broader range, and to analyze the light trends.
The team reported analysis results to UNOSAT, the World Food Program and other agencies. The results could be used to help formulate relief policies and monitor the progress of post-disaster reconstruction.
“The data may help policymakers analyze the disaster situations in different areas and allocate relief resources better,” Li said.
“We’ve been involved since the day after the earthquakes, and we will be tracking and observing the area for the coming months or even years.”
Team mission
Currently, Li’s team and UNOSAT are collaborating under the pilot initiative “Night-Time Light Remote Sensing for Sustainable Development Goals” from the Group on Earth Observations.
The initiative aims to quantify the progress of several indexes related to the 2030 Sustainable Development Goals using night-time light data.
Since 2012, Li’s team has been engaged in the research field of luminous remote sensing, assessing impact of humanitarian disasters with related data.
Their previous researches in Syria, Yemen and other places have proved that changes in nighttime lights can be used to assess humanitarian disasters efficiently, serving the United Nations Security Council and other agencies for multiple times.
(With input from Xinhua)
Foreign news
Court of Arbitration Declares Indus Waters Treaty Fully Operational Rejects India’s ‘Abeyance’
Cyril Ogar
The Court of Arbitration has unanimously reaffirmed that the Indus Waters Treaty (IWT) remains fully in force, ruling that India cannot unilaterally place the 1960 agreement in “abeyance” or suspend its obligations under the treaty.
The decision represents a significant legal development in the longstanding dispute between India and Pakistan over the management and use of the Indus river system.
The Court’s finding addresses a fundamental issue at the heart of the dispute: whether either party can unilaterally suspend the treaty outside the legal framework agreed by both countries.
In its unanimous determination, the Court made clear that the IWT continues to bind both India and Pakistan and that its obligations cannot be set aside through a unilateral political declaration.
The ruling means India remains subject to the treaty provisions governing the use of the Western Rivers, including requirements relating to the design and operation of hydroelectric projects, as well as the dispute-resolution mechanisms established under the agreement.
The Court has also ordered interim measures concerning the Ratle Hydroelectric Plant, restricting specified construction activities while the broader dispute remains under consideration.
The measures are aimed at preserving the effectiveness of the arbitration process and preventing developments that could prejudice the outcome of the proceedings.
For Pakistan, the decision represents significant legal validation of its longstanding position that the IWT is a binding international agreement and contains no provision allowing either party to unilaterally place it in abeyance.
Pakistan has consistently maintained that disagreements over the treaty should be addressed through the institutional mechanisms established by the agreement, rather than through unilateral action.
The IWT provides a structured framework for resolving disputes through mechanisms including the Permanent Indus Commission, Neutral Expert and Court of Arbitration processes.
The latest ruling therefore reinforces the principle that treaty obligations cannot simply be disregarded because of deteriorating political relations between signatories.
The significance of the decision extends beyond the India-Pakistan dispute. It underscores the broader international-law principle that agreements governing shared rivers and other transboundary resources must be respected and disputes resolved through established legal and institutional channels.
The Indus river system supports agriculture, livelihoods, food security and communities across the region, making the stability of the treaty particularly important.
The ruling also highlights the distinction between seeking to amend an international agreement through mutually agreed procedures and attempting to alter its obligations unilaterally.
The IWT has endured wars, prolonged diplomatic tensions and periods of limited bilateral engagement. Its continued operation demonstrates the importance of rules-based mechanisms in managing shared resources when relations between neighbouring states become strained.
For Pakistan, the outcome provides an opportunity to frame the decision not merely as a bilateral legal victory, but as an affirmation of international law, treaty compliance and peaceful dispute resolution.
The central message from the ruling is clear: the Indus Waters Treaty remains in force, its obligations continue to bind both parties, and disputes concerning shared waters must be addressed through the legal mechanisms agreed by India and Pakistan.
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