Chinese GPS tracker found on seagull near Karwar Coast
Karwar (Karnataka) (PTI) Security agencies and forest officials have initiated an inquiry after a Chinese-made GPS tracking device was found attached to a seagull near the coastal belt of Karwar in Uttara Kannada district on Wednesday close to a sensitive naval zone.
Officials, however, said that preliminary findings point to scientific research rather than espionage.
Confirming the discovery, Police of Karwar Town said the incident came to light when local residents noticed an unusually tagged seagull resting behind the Thimmakka Garden area near the beach. Finding the device suspicious, they alerted the Marine Wing of the Forest Department.
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Forest officials who reached the spot safely captured the bird and examined the device.
The GPS tracker bore markings linked to the Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences under the Chinese Academy of Sciences, indicating its use for academic and ecological studies.
"The tracker appears to have been fitted to study the movement, feeding patterns and migration routes of seagulls. At this stage, there is no evidence to suggest any espionage activity," the police said, adding that authorities are nevertheless exercising caution given the strategic importance of the coastal region.
The bird has been shifted to the Marine Forest Division office for observation. Officials are attempting to formally contact the concerned research institution to ascertain details of the study, including the origin, timeline and scope of the tracking programme.
This is not the first such incident in the region. In November last year, a war eagle fitted with a tracking device was spotted within the limits of Baithkol port in Karwar. That case too was later linked to wildlife research.
However, given the proximity of the INS Kadamba naval base, one of Indian Navy's most strategic installations, the discovery has once again raised concerns about the possibility of sensitive data exposure under the guise of research.
"While wildlife tracking using GPS devices is a globally accepted scientific practice, the location where the bird was found makes it imperative for multiple agencies to verify all aspects," the police said.
Officials emphasised that further action will depend on responses received from the research body and technical analysis of the device's data transmission capabilities.
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Real Madrid fines Valverde and Tchouaméni half a million euros each for altercation
Barcelona (AP): Real Madrid slapped players Federico Valverde and Aurélien Tchouaméni with half-a-million-euro ($588,000) fines on Friday for their altercation during practice.
The massive fines came a day after the midfielders tussled when the team trained. Valverde said in a post on social media on Thursday that no punches were thrown. But Valverde knocked his head on a table and he suffered a small cut that required a brief hospital visit.
On social media, Valverde initially called it a “meaningless fight” with a teammate and said “everything has been blown out of proportion."
His employers, however, considered it a significant enough breach of team discipline to nail both Valverde and Tchouaméni with fines that bite even the bank account of a top soccer player. The half-a-million euro penalties reflect the reputational damage the club was enduring in a chaotic end to a disappointing season.
In a statement, the 15-time European champion said its disciplinary action was concluded after both players expressed to the club “their complete remorse for what happened and apologized to one another.”
Madrid added they also apologized to their teammates, the coaching staff and club supporters, as well as showing their willingness to accept whatever disciplinary action the club deemed “opportune.”
Tchouaméni was back training with Madrid on Friday, two days before they play at Barcelona in a clasico. Madrid has to win otherwise Barcelona will be crowned La Liga champion.
After being notified of the fine, he posted a public apology to the club and its fans on social media.
“What happened this week in training is unacceptable,” Tchouaméni wrote. "I say this while thinking about the example we are expected to set for young people, whether in football or at school.
“Above all, I am sorry for the image we projected of the club.”
Valverde was not at practice due to the head knock.
Both players are set to play in the World Cup next month, with Tchouaméni playing for France and Valverde for Uruguay.
Chaotic end to a poor season
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The run-in between the players, who for seasons have played side by side in Madrid's midfield, came after they argued this week in previous training sessions. But tempers boiled over on Thursday. Spanish media was rife with reports that the players previously disagreed over the club's decision to let coach Xabi Alonso go after just months on the job.
It was not the only altercation involving Madrid players during training this week. Álvaro Carreras confirmed he was in a “minor” incident with a teammate. Spanish media said he and fellow defender Antonio Rüdiger got into a scuffle.
Álvaro Arbeloa, the coach who was promoted from Madrid's reserve team when Alonso was fired in January, will face tough questions on what went wrong inside the changing room when he gives a press conference on Saturday ahead of the clasico at Camp Nou.
Madrid is facing a second consecutive campaign without a major trophy amid rumors in the Spanish media that club president Florentino Pérez is considering bringing back Jose Mourinho to straighten out his underperforming team.
