The survival of Bashar al-Assad : geopolitics and the resilience of the Syrian Army

This paper examines the history and nature of the Syrian armed forces through its evolution in post-colonial era and in particular during the era of Hafez al-Assad. It analyses the history of the political events that led to the rise Hafez al-Assad and the ways in which President Assad successfully removed sectarianism from the Syrian army. It analyses some of the key figures and how they performed along a professional ethos that Assad instilled in the Syrian army. The second part of the paper will investigate the arguments relating to the resilience of the Syrian army as the only Arab army in non-stop combat mode against the Israeli forces since 1973, including during the tense period of civil war since 2012. The key battles in the Lebanese civil war are also explored and the 2003 invasion of Iraq and how Bashar al-Assad inherited a professional army with the sole purpose of guarding against external aggression from Iraq, Israel and Lebanon

Non-puddled transplanting of rice reduces life cycle greenhouse gas emission

Wetland rice (Oryza sativa L.) production contributes 55% of agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions globally. Hence, any new technology with the potential to reduce the GHG emissions from wetland rice could make a significant contribution to total global warming mitigation by agriculture. Incorporation of conservation agriculture (CA) in the rice–based triple cropping system in the EGP remains a challenge. Measures to reduce CH4 emissions from rice fields often lead to increased N2O emissions, and this trade–off between CH4 and N2O is a major hurdle in reducing global warming potential (GWP) of wetland rice. Ideal strategies would reduce emissions of both CH4 and N2O simultaneously. A novel solution to these constraints for rice production is non-puddled transplanting of rice. The recent development of NP of rice together with residue retention is suitable for CA. A life cycle assessment (LCA) analysis of the new NP rice production technology can estimate its potential contribution to GWP. The present study was carried out to: assess the GHG emissions for conventional puddling and NP with different levels of crop residue retention; determine the hotspots contributing significantly to the GHG emissions within the system boundaries by a LCA study, and identify the causes for the predominant GHG emissions during the pre– and on–farm stages of rice production

Non-puddling practice for rice-based cropping system increases carbon sequestration in soil

In Indo-Gangetic Plains, intensive rice-based cropping systems with conventional crop establishment practices has been followed for many years. Contradictory results are reported about the effect of rice monoculture or rice-upland crop rotations on soil properties. While CA practices may sequester C into the soil organic C pool and improve soil health, in most cases, the practice of CA in rice-upland rotations is only partial; conservation tillage and residues retention are followed for upland crops only but not for rice. So, whatever benefits may accrue from CA practices followed for upland crops are lost by several wet tillage operations followed by puddling. In the EGP, rice-upland crop growers are now adopting CA increasingly, namely non-puddling of rice, in the intensive triple cropping systems (Alam et al. 2016; Haque et al. 2016). The incorporation of minimum tillage and retention of more residues in these systems of the EGP will change the dynamics of C in soil but nature of these changes has not been explored yet. The study was, therefore, conducted to determine the C cycling in soils of rice-upland triple cropping systems under CA practices

Increases in soil sequestered carbon under conservation agriculture cropping decrease the estimated greenhouse gas emissions of wetland rice using life cycle assessment

Wetland rainfed rice (Oryza sativa L.), which covers 60 million hectares in South Asia, contributes significantly to agricultural greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Mitigation strategies for GHG emissions by wetland rice production are of considerable importance. Life cycle assessment of GHG emissions can be used to assess the mitigation potential of new rice production practices such as seedling establishment on non-puddled soil. The aim of the study was firstly to determine the GHG mitigation potential of rain-fed rice production by changing to non-puddled transplanting and increased crop residue retention and secondly to determine the addition contribution of soil carbon sequestration to net GHG emissions with the altered crop establishment approach. A cradle to farm-gate Life Cycle Analysis was used to calculate GHG emissions associated with monsoon rice production in rice-based intensive cropping systems of Northwest Bangladesh. The non-puddled transplanting and low residue retention decreased the net life cycle assessment GHG emissions (CO2eq) by 31 % in comparison with the current puddled transplanting and increased crop residue retention. By contrast, non-puddling with increased residue retention reduced emission of the net GHG by 16 % in comparison with current puddling and low residue retention. Regardless of rice establishment practices, CH4 was the most prevalent GHG emission comprising 63 to 67 % of the total GHGs, followed by 17–20 % from CO2 emissions from the field. The GHG emissions tonne-1 rice after accounting for soil carbon storage ranged from 1.04 to 1.18 tonne CO2eq for non-puddling with low and increased crop residue retention, respectively. The inclusion of soil carbon in the footprint equation represents a 26 % reduction of estimated GHG emissions under non-puddled soil with increased residue retention. Overall, non-puddled transplanting with increased crop residue retention was an effective GHG mitigation option in wetland monsoon rice production because the increased yield and extra soil organic carbon storage more than offset its higher CH4 emissions than with low residue retention

Minimal soil disturbance and increased residue retention increase soil carbon in rice - based cropping systems on the Eastern Gangetic Plain

The adoption of conservation agriculture (CA) in the intensive triple-cropping, rice-based systems of the Eastern Gangetic Plain (EGP) alters the dynamics of carbon (C) in the soil, but the nature of these changes is poorly understood. Our aim was to determine whether CA in these systems involving non-puddled transplanting of wetland rice and strip planting of dryland crops plus increased residue retention would increase the C storage in soils relative to conventional crop establishment practices. Long-term field experiments were studied in two locations of northwestern Bangladesh to determine C turnover as well as examining C cycling under three levels of soil disturbance (conventional tillage (CT), strip planting (SP) and bed planting (BP)) in combination with low residue (straw) retention (LR, the current practice) and increased residue retention (HR) in Calcareous Brown Floodplain soil (Alipur) and Grey Terrace soil (Digram). The total nitrogen (N), organic C, microbial biomass C (MBC) and water-soluble C (WSC) values were measured in soil samples from 0 to 10 cm depth collected at different stages during the growth of the 13th and 14th crops at Alipur and the 12th and 13th crops at Digram since the treatments commenced. At each location, SP and BP with either LR or HR retained more soil organic C (0–10 cm) from C inputs than CT with HR and LR. In general, the CO2 emissions relative to the stored soil organic C in the soils (0–10 cm) under SP with LR and HR were approximately 13 to 59% lower than those under CT and BP with LR and HR. The higher levels of C mineralization were associated with higher WSC contents in the soil. In contrast, the MBC contents in the HR treatments followed the order SPHR > BPHR > CTHR. Similarly, in SPLR and SPHR, the potentially mineralizable C (PMC) was higher, while the decay rate constant was lower. Increased residue retention with minimal soil disturbance practices (SP and non-puddled transplanting) after 14 crops at Alipur and 13 crops at Digram modified the C cycle by decreasing C emissions and increasing the levels of total organic C in the soil. The application of both minimal soil disturbance and increased residue retention enhanced soil organic C (0–10 cm) concentrations in the two soils under intensive rice-based cropping systems on the EGP

Protection Works Against Wave Attacks In The Haor Areas Of Bangladesh: Analysis Of Sustainability

Haor is the local name of the saucer-shaped, naturally depressed areas of Bangladesh. There are 414 haors in the northeast region that comprise approximately 17% of the country. These areas are submerged under deep water from July to November due to the overflow of rivers and heavy rainfall, causing them to appear like seas with erosive waves. Recently, the wave attack has drastically increased because of de-plantation and changing cropping patterns to allow for more agricultural production. The local people, government and Non-Government Organisations (NGOs) have tried many techniques to protect life and property against wave attacks. A cost comparison shows that Cement Concrete (CC) blocks over geotextile on the slope embankment is a cost-effective, environment friendly and socially acceptable method to prevent loss of life and property. However, the design rules employed by the engineers are faulty because there is knowledge gap in the application of wave hydraulics among these professionals. As a result, damage frequently occurs and maintenance costs are increasing. This study explores the sustainability of the CC blocks used in the Haor areas by evaluating two case studies with the verification of available design rules

Hubungan Perilaku Ibu Terhadap Hidup Bersih Dan Sehat (PHBS) Dengan Kejadian Diare Pada Balita Di Wilayah Kerja Puskesmas Boloh Kecamatan Toroh Kabupaten Grobogan

Background: The incidence of diarrhea worldwide is still quite high. Villagers Boloh not all apply PHBS and annually increased diarrheal disease that attacks all age groups. This study aims to know the relation of PHBS with the incidence of diarrhea in infants. Methods: This study is observational analytic research using cross sectional design that is carried on 21 December 2015 in the Boloh Community Health Center Sub-district Toroh District Grobogan. The study population was all the mothers who have children aged 2 months - 5 years amounted to 50 people. While sampling used Probability Sample with Cluster Random Sampling technique. Results: This study analyzed using Chi-square test and get the results (x2) = 3,004 with p-value = 0.083. Conclusions: There was no relation between mothers behavior about Clean and Healthy Lifestyle (PHBS) With the Incidence of Diarrhea In Infant and Toddler In The Boloh Community Health Center Sub-district Toroh District Grobogan. Essay. Faculty of Medicine, University of Muhammadiyah Surakarta

Changes in soil organic matter, plant nutrients and system productivity under conservation agricultural practices in the rice-jute cropping system

Soil organic matter (SOM) is central to soil quality and nutrient cycling. In Bangladesh, depletion of soil fertility is a serious threat to sustainability of agricultural production due to high cropping intensity and agriculture practices based on conventional tillage and residue removal (Rijpma and Jahiruddin, 2004). In this situation, CA practices (minimum tillage, crop residue retention and diverse crop rotations) could be a good option for the improvement of soil quality and crop productivity in Bangladesh. However, CA practices are poorly developed for intensive rice-based cropping system and their effect on SOM, plant nutrients and system productivity have not yet been properly addressed. Hence, the present study was undertaken to monitor the changes in SOM and other plant nutrients with system productivity under CA practices in the rice-jute cropping system in the Low Ganges River Floodplain of Bangladesh