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11 - 17 May 2020 Vol - 30 No. 15 Email : [email protected] Founder : Dr. Govind Narain Srivastava ISSN -2349-1221 India introduces Mosque new FDI loudspeaker saga guidelines continues Last week when I wrote about a single mosque The Department for Promotion of Industry and in Toronto using four loudspeakers to declare Internal Trade of the Ministry of Commerce “Allah is the Greatest” and that there is “No and Industry, Government of India, has God, but Allah,” I thought it was the case of introduced new guidelines for the Foreign one mosque, a few zealots and their formerly Direct Investment (FDI) policy. A press note communist councillor investing in her on the subject... Muslim vote bank... By Dr. Ankit Srivastava Page 3 By Tarek Fatah Page 2 US-Iran spat over extending arms embargo

By NDT US Bureau Page 2

Doctrine of Reincarnation cannot be Balancing between reputation Differing effectiveness by Governments in a justification for different practical and conscience confronting COVID-19 attitudes towards living things

Savitri Devi, born Maximiani Portas in 1905 of Greek- While reputation is the aggregate of all of our actions “We’re all in this together” has been voiced about English parents, wrote a very thought provoking and reflected by the people around us, conscience is our inner COVID-19 in various nations, but the leaders whose profound book called “Impeachment of Man”... voice that makes us divide the good... respective nationals are emerging from the... By Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi Page 22 By Dr. Pramila Srivastava Page 21 By David Kilgour Page 20

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Opinion NEW DELHI TIMES US-Iran spat over extending arms embargo lift embargo around that time but the On April 15, the United States complained States “should not plot against the Iranian ◆ By NDT US Bureau United States wants to extend it. Rouhani that 11 Iranian boats harassed American nation every day”. Rohani reminded that @NewDelhiTimes threatened that “Iran will give a crushing navy ships in the international waters of the the soldiers of Iranian armed forces and the response” if the United States goes ahead “Arabian Gulf”. President Trump ordered police have and will always be the guardians [email protected] with plans to extend that embargo on Iranian the US Navy to “shoot down and destroy of the Persian Gulf. trade of conventional arms. Iran and the any and all Iranian gunboats if they harass he US-Iran nuclear deal, also known as Horrors of a direct military confrontation United States have been at loggerheads our ships at sea”. Rouhani countered that T JCPOA, was signed in 2015 between between the two has loomed large on the Iran on the one side and the US joined by a international horizon twice in the recent past. host of world powers, mainly from Europe, In June 2019, Iran shot down a US drone in on the other side. Iran accepted limits to the Gulf and Trump cancelled retaliatory its nuclear programme. The West lifted airstrikes at the last minute. Trump avoided sanctions in return. military action again in January, 2020 when Iran fired a barrage of missiles at the US America withdrew unilaterally from Iran troops stationed in Iraq in retaliation to the nuclear deal in May, 2018. Iran has gradually US drone strike near Baghdad airport that rolled back its commitments under the deal killed Qasem Soleimani, the General who but maintains that it wants the agreement to headed the Revolutionary Guards’ foreign remain in place. It expected the European operations arm, the Quds Force. signatories to salvage the deal by shielding Iranian economy from the US sanctions. On Iran had committed a huge mistake in the their failure to save the deal, Iran severely past to attack the American Embassy in criticised the European signatories for failing Tehran and hold the staff hostages for years. to do so. It should watch out and refrain from similar confrontation with the US again as Washington Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in a wins ultimately in such conflicts. recent speech on May 6, repeated Iran’s longstanding criticism of Washington’s Nobody can mess with Trump and get away decision to exit the nuclear deal, calling it a with it. Iran must not mess with the US “stupid mistake”. “If America wants to return to invite destruction. Iran tells, but the US to the deal, it should lift all the sanctions on may not give warning before taking military Tehran and compensate for the re-imposition Photo Credit : Getty Images action. With a penchant for changing the of sanctions,” said Rouhani. He added, for decades. Both Tehran and Washington “the Americans should know that this gulf geography of the world, Trump calls Persian “Iran’s nuclear steps are reversible if other have threatened each other over a spate of is called the Persian Gulf, not the New Gulf the Arabian Gulf in a ploy to get under parties to the deal fulfil their obligations and incidents in 2019 involving their forces in York Gulf or the Washington Gulf”. “They Rouhani’s skin. preserve Tehran’s interests under the pact.” the sensitive waters of the Gulf. must understand the situation by that name and by the coastal nation that has protected Iran and the US need to seriously consider The United Nations had also imposed Their latest high-seas confrontation commenced this waterway for thousands of years,” making peace. But that may not be easy in weapons embargo on Iran which is due when Iran objected to the US navy Rouhani said in a televised address during the current context. Both sides are moving to expire in October. The UN is set to movements in the Gulf and stepped up patrols. a Cabinet meeting adding that the United fast towards rigid posturing. Mosque loudspeaker saga continues which we see in Paris, Amsterdam and cities scare the bravest amongst us. If Crombie “Allah O Akbar (four times) I testify that ◆ By Tarek Fatah Author & Columnist, Canada in Britain and Germany. thought the affected people would simply there is no God, but Allah (twice). roll over and hand the keys of city decision- The most blatant illustration of the power @TarekFatah making to the Mullahs of Mississauga, I testify that Mohammed is God’s Prophet, some voices in the Muslim community [email protected] she was in for a surprise. The city known Come to prayer, Come to salvation, Allah have over our municipal politicians was for its suburban subservience, triggered is the greatest (twice), There is no God, but ast week when I wrote about a single demonstrated in Mississauga where Mayor a citizen’s revolt led by one person-Ram Allah.” L mosque in Toronto using four loudspeakers Bonnie Crombie rejected the advice of her Subrahmanian who announced a plan to to declare “Allah is the Greatest” and that top administrators, and in a drive-by vote launch a constitutional challenge against the Cities across Europe and in India (home to change of Mississauga’s noise laws. the world’s second-largest population) have taken measures to ban the loudspeaker. Subrahmanian, who is part of the Peel In Germany, a non-Muslim couple succeeded Region group Keep Religion Out Of Peel in banning a mosque from broadcasting its Region Schools (KROOPS), also managed Friday midday call to prayer by loudspeaker. to received around $120,000 for this cause through a Facebook page. As of Wednesday, Elsewhere, the Green Party mayor of Subrahmanian appears to have recruited Amsterdam, Femke Halsema refused a over 6,000 people, each committing to mosque’s request for loudspeaker call to donate around $45 for the court battle ahead. prayer, saying that “given advances in technology, from alarms to apps, it was not He was joined by Muslim Canadian necessary to use loudspeakers to remind the Congress spokesperson Munir Pervaiz, faithful when to pray.” who cited many Islamic scholars who have denounced the use of loudspeakers in In India courts have ruled against the use of mosques as against the spirit of Islam. loudspeakers on mosque minarets, but the Photo Credit : Getty Images faithful continue to defy the laws. there is “No God, but Allah,” I thought it managed to pass a unanimous resolution Subrahmanian told me lawyers are was the case of one mosque, a few zealots amending the city noise bylaw that will preparing to seek a constitutional challenge The fact is that for over 1,300 years, through and their formerly communist councillor legalize the blaring of loudspeakers at all in the Ontario Courts of Justice. “This is not the conflicts of Islam’s birth in the7th investing in her Muslim vote bank. Mississauga mosques. about religion or being against Islam. This century to the ‘golden era’ of Andalusia and is about the separation of religion and state Baghdad (11th to 14th centuries), Islam’s call I was wrong. Within days, dozens of mosques When Mississauga councillors Sue and preventing any group trying to thrust of prayer was never accentuated to increase across the country deployed loudspeakers, McFadden and Ron Star on Wednesday their religion on others via loudspeakers that the decibel noise. ostensibly to soothe the loneliness of sought to overturn the first vote and have a blare religious messages into the privacy of Muslims because of the lockdown, but discussion, they were somehow persuaded by homes,” he said. According to Pervaiz, the loudspeaker has what critics may rightly claim could be the mayor into changing their mind. The fact little to do with Islam and everything to do laying the foundations to establish what are that critics of the loudspeakers have already So, what exactly is the Islamic Call to with Islamism-the use of Islam for political predominantly Muslim neighbourhoods, been labelled racist and Islamophobic would Prayer? Here is the English translation: purposes. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

11 - 17 May 2020 3

Editorial NEW DELHI TIMES India introduces new FDI guidelines foreign investment.” ◆ By Dr. Ankit Srivastava Chief Editor The guidelines further state that in the event @AnkitNDT of the transfer of ownership of any existing [email protected] or future FDI in an entity in India, directly he Department for Promotion of Industry or indirectly, resulting in the beneficial T and Internal Trade of the Ministry of ownership falling within the restriction/ Commerce and Industry, Government of purview of the above, such subsequent India, has introduced new guidelines for the change in beneficial ownership will also Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy. require the Government approval.

A press note on the subject “Review of The new rule-applicable across all Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) policy for sectors–replaces guidelines under which curbing opportunistic takeovers/acquisitions Indian neighbours, except Pakistan and of Indian companies due to the current Bangladesh, could in theory invest up to COVID-19 pandemic” has been released. 49% in a local defence company’s equity through the “automatic route”, meaning The new and revised guidelines mention that that the investment is not reviewed by the “a non-resident entity can invest in India, Government authorities. subject to the FDI Policy except in those sectors/activities which are prohibited. The earlier FDI policy was limited to allowing only Bangladesh and Pakistan via However, an entity of a country, which the Government route in all sectors. The shares land border with India or where revised rule has now brought companies the beneficial owner of an investment into from China under the government route India is situated in or is a citizen of any filter. Photo Credit :Getty Images such country, can invest only under the However, the Chinese criticisms are totally Moreover, rules of the WTO provide for Government route. In response to India’s move, Chinese unjustified. China’s assertion that the Indian exception to be made by nations during Embassy Spokesperson Ji Rong said that decision to change its FDI policy violates the situations of emergency. It may be noted Further, a citizen of Pakistan or an entity the “barriers set by the Indian side for non-discrimination principle of the World that the World Health Organisation incorporated in Pakistan can invest, only investors from specific countries violate Trade Organisation (WTO) are baseless and (WHO) Director-General declared the novel under the Government route, in sectors/ WTO’s principle of non-discrimination, and devoid of facts. The WTO does not have a coronavirus (2019-nCoV) outbreak a public activities other than defence, space, atomic go against the general trend of liberalization say in a country’s FDI rules and the right to health emergency of international concern energy and sectors/activities prohibited for and facilitation of trade and investment”. regulate foreign investment per se. (PHEIC) on January 30, 2020. Afghan peace process still an enigma related less to the pandemic but more to released 550 prisoners and the Taliban 112 Security Forces (ANSF) for better leverage ◆ By NDT Special Bureau the clashing interests of the Afghan parties. but rest of the exchange are halted over in negotiation during intra-Afghan talks. @NewDelhiTimes The persisting deadlock on intra-Afghan disagreements. The Taliban accuses Kabul The Intensified fighting has got America dialogue begs solution. The coronavirus has of deliberate delay. President Ghani insists worried. The US-backed ANSF responded [email protected] not significantly affected the US withdrawal on a reduction in violence before freeing rest strategically by counter-attacking the verything is not quite on Afghan from Afghanistan. Washington continues of 1500 prisoners in a gradual way. This is Taliban. The recent UN report highlights a E front. No party-there are too many to with its drawdown plan irrespective of a principal bargaining leverage for Ghani. surge in violence and civilian casualties. be counted-is at peace with itself nor with the others. The Afghan cauldron keeps on The US is now persuading the Taliban to boiling. settle for the release of 2,000 prisoners (not 5,000) and resume intra-Afghan negotiations without waiting for the full The Taliban and Washington signed the swap. The two need to hammer out a power- Doha deal on February 29 for reducing sharing plan but impediments are many: violence and moving towards talks with the impasse over prisoner exchange, the Ghani- Afghan government, but the Taliban have Abdullah political tussle, their opposing increased attacks and are not living up to interests and unwillingness to concede their commitments. Increasing violence anything significant to the other, lack of and political deadlock have put the fragile reconciliation, the US threat to suspend deal under severe strain. The Afghan aid and the EU warning of blocking future government, which is not part of the US- funding if the feud isn’t ended. Taliban agreement, is also not living up to its commitment. This has delayed progress Trump desires to end America’s longest on negotiations between the Taliban and overseas war that has cost so much in the Afghan government. The political feud blood and treasure. In this election year, he between President Ashraf Ghani and rival prioritises bringing troops home over fixing Abdullah, both claiming rightful leadership a troubled peace process. That explains his post-September election, has created further impatience to speed up the drawdown. The political deadlocks. Photo Credit : Getty Images US holds all parties including itself to blame intra-Afghan dialogue. American troops The Taliban argues that ceasefire has to be and demanded implementation of peace From the Doha agreement till mid-April the agreement. Taliban have mounted over 4,500 attacks in are to reduce to 8,600 by this summer, a part and not a precursor to intra-Afghan some bases are already cleared with the US negotiations. Afghanistan displaying wanton disregard The US withdrawal could unleash chaos as forces departing. The US election year makes of a pledge to reduce violence. Persistent the Taliban could declare a barbaric war on bringing troops home the top priority. The US is engaged at the highest level- phone violence could flatten the Afghan peace call to the Emir of Qatar, Pompeo’s visit Afghan security. Some troops are better left process. Keeping the Afghan government America expects flexibility from the Afghan to Kabul and Pakistan and the US special in Afghanistan for the time being. outside the deal proved as a disaster. And the government and the Taliban to break representative Khalilzad and the US and Taliban is on killing spree. the stalemate over the prisoner swap- NATO forces Commander in Afghanistan Afghans are fighting for more than 40 years the principal obstacle to intra-Afghan meeting with Pakistan Army Chief, Bajwa. first against the Soviet occupation and A wild hope that COVID-19 outbreak negotiations. Both sides are to release detainees now the US. Political wrangling, sectarian would slow down Afghanistan’s tenuous in custody-5,000 by Kabul and 1,000 The Taliban rejected Ramadan ceasefire fights and the fundamentalist Taliban have peace process has come unstuck. Peace is with the Taliban. The Afghan government and stepped-up attacks on Afghan National unleashed hell on the civilian populace.

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International NEW DELHI TIMES International Political Scenario of the Week COVID-19 Gazprom’s construction contractor ◆ By NDT Bureau Stroytransneftegaz said that it had evacuated @NewDelhiTimes 1,100 fly-in-fly-out construction workers from the Chayanda gas field in Sakha- [email protected] Yakutia Republic because of a COVID-19 outbreak at the site and following protests. Bolivia This has led to a shortage in production activity. The federation of small businesses, Fedemype, will hold a national protest in Bolivia on Ukraine May 11. The protest is against the 11.5% The Ukrainian government has extended interest rate announced by the government quarantine measures over the COVID-19 in its latest loan plan to help the sector providing they can present a recent negative property damage and roadblocks. epidemic until May 22, but has agreed to deal with the impact of the coronavirus test for COVID-19. The government has also Mexico partially ease its lockdown from May 11, (COVID-19) outbreak. It was expected that approved extended aid payments to small Prime Minister Denys Shmyhal said in the rate of interest would be approximately companies and the self-employed. In some parts of the country, armed gangs his official Telegram channel. Around 200 4-6%. Clashes between protestors and the and self-proclaimed self-defence groups Ukrainian entrepreneurs took part in a protest security personals in La Paz and other major Mali have set up checkpoints and road blocks called “Government into Quarantine!” in cities are likely. Two people suffered gunshot wounds on around their communities in hopes of central Kyiv on May 6. Czech Republic May 6, after a protest in southern Mali keeping the virus out. Some gangs have The demonstrators demand that the government against the outcome of Legislative elections enforced lockdowns and quarantines. provide support for small businesses and The Czech government has decided to lift in March and April. As per local sources, the Individuals carrying firearms are likely to ease quarantine restrictions introduced in a ban on international bus and train travel incident took place in Sikasso, in the south of threaten civilians at checkpoints, increasing March to prevent the spread of COVID-19. from May 11, a member of the government country, which has been the scene of several death and injury risks. Protesters are likely to resort to blocking said. The measure was put in place on March 14 protests since the election results were Russia major roads and bridges, temporarily in a bid to control the spread of the novel posted. Multiple demonstrations in Mali’s disrupting ground cargo, including two coronavirus. After May 11, Czechia will also capital and other parts of the country are Thousands of builders at the Chayanda major Black Sea ports and the Ukraine-EU allow entry of the non-EU seasonal workers, likely over the coming week with probable field have reportedly tested positive for land border.

20 war or conflict zones around the world. The resolution has a blank space left for COVID-19 crisis US, China block UN the WHO mention; the modalities to be decided at the end of negotiations. France could lead to 7 and Tunisia could scrap the mention of the million unintended resolution in WHO spat WHO altogether but China will veto with Russia’s support. pregnancies: UNFPA China strongly supports the WHO and ◆ By NDT Bureau China exhorts the US to “honour its insisted that its role in calling for global action ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes on COVID-19 be included in any resolution, commitment” to the WHO funding but diplomats said, while the U.S. insisted on forgets its own commitment. Speculations @NewDelhiTimes [email protected] have threatened Beijing’s reputation over the no mention of the WHO and a reference to [email protected] “transparency” on the COVID-19 pandemic, alleged initiation and spread of the pandemic he World Health Organisation has emerged which China opposed. as well as engaging the WHO in spreading T as a new subject of dispute between ccording to a research by the United the USA and China. At the United Nations, A Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), the United States and China remained at COVID-19 is having an adverse effect loggerheads on April 30 over a UN Security on women as health systems become Council draft resolution. The France- overloaded, facilities close or only provide Tunisia sponsored resolution called for a limited set of services to women and girls, humanitarian pause in conflicts worldwide and many choose to skip important medical due to Coronavirus pandemic. checkups through fear of contracting the virus. Global supply chain disruptions may also lead Then what was the stalemate about? It to significant shortages of contraceptives and pertained to whether the World Health gender-based violence is expected to soar as Organisation (WHO) should be mentioned women are trapped at home for prolonged in the resolution or not. The Security periods. As per the study, 47 million women Council at present is struggling to hammer in 114 low- and middle-income countries may out a cohesive response to the global Corona not be able to access modern contraceptives pandemic. The current rambling leaves little and 7 million unintended pregnancies are hope of a quick vote over the resolution. It’s expected to occur if the lockdown carries on a major stalemate, and nobody is moving. for 6 months and there are major disruptions And the world is literally treading water. to health services. For every 3 months the lockdown continues, up to an additional 2 The text of the resolution, authored by million women may be unable to use modern France and Tunisia and under discussion contraceptives. for weeks, calls for a 90-day humanitarian pause to bring aid to the most vulnerable “This new data shows the catastrophic populations caught in conflicts around the The role of the WHO during the early stages disinformation. The WHO’s annual budget impact that COVID-19 could soon have on globe, including Afghanistan and Yemen. of the health crisis has also come under the runs into billions of dollars. It exists to forward women and girls globally. The pandemic is It supports UN Secretary-General Guterres’ scanner. Initially, the WHO was just repeating information it receives from member countries deepening inequalities, and millions more plea for worldwide ceasefire to fight the the official Chinese propaganda. Towards the but has been alleged by many countries women and girls now risk losing the ability Coronavirus. But Washington and Beijing end of January 2020, Director-General of the for failing in its part to provide time-bound to plan their families and protect their bodies remained at loggerheads on referring to the WHO, Dr. Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus met accurate information to prevent this pandemic. and their health,” said Dr. Natalia Kanem, WHO in the text. Chinese President Xi Jinping. The stalemate could end quickly if the US UNFPA Executive Director. “Women’s and China find a compromise. The co- reproductive health and rights must be US President Donald Trump suspended The WHO delegation highly appreciated the authors of the text and other Security Council safeguarded at all costs. The services must funding to the WHO in early April 2020, actions China has implemented in response members now wait for a compromise between continue; the supplies must be delivered; accusing the U.N. health agency of failing to the outbreak, its speed in identifying the the two permanent members having right of and the vulnerable must be protected and to stop the virus from spreading when it first virus and openness to sharing information veto. But the US-China compromise over the supported.” The UNFPA research was surfaced in China, saying it “must be held with the WHO and other countries. The mention of the WHO is less likely on the short conducted with contributions from Avenir accountable,” and accusing the WHO of WHO mention is just a subsidiary issue. term. Diplomats hope against the hope that Health, Johns Hopkins University (USA) parroting Beijing. The draft focussed on ceasefire in some coming weeks will bring something new. and Victoria University (Australia). www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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International NEW DELHI TIMES Iraq faces Japan continues to Six die in plane severe economic increase defence crash in Bolivia expenditure Bolivian Air Force plane crashed in the A Amazonian region shortly after takeoff challenges ◆ By NDT Bureau on May 2 killing all those on board. The victims @NewDelhiTimes on the twin-engine propeller plane included four ◆ By NDT Bureau Spanish nationals and the two-man crew, an Air [email protected] @NewDelhiTimes Force Captain and Lieutenant. [email protected] lthough Japan has been hit by the A COVID-19 pandemic, the country raq’s economy is facing a turmoil. The plans to continue its defence modernisation. I already reeling economy in the wake According to a study by Stockholm International of the protests further suffered on account of Peace Research Institute (SIPRI), Japan’s Photo Credit : Getty Images on traditional division among land, sea, and the COVID-19 crisis. It has further been hit ($47.6 billion) was the largest military air.” In the Defence of Japan 2019 report, hard by the oil price crash. spenders in Asia and Oceania in 2019, Tarō Kōno, Defence Minister of Japan behind China and India. According to a report “Iraq Economic wrote that this increased defence spending Monitor: Navigating the Perfect Storm” is Japanese safeguard against the Chinese as published by the World Bank, Iraq once According to Defence of Japan 2019 report, well as North Korea defence moves. “As for “Japan, amid the dramatically changing again, is facing a combination of acute the regional situation, China is expanding Photo Credit : Getty Images shocks which the country is ill-prepared to security environment, needs to fundamentally and stepping up its activities in the seas and The Spaniards were en route to catch a manage. strengthen its national defence architecture airspace neighbouring Japan, with more and flight back to Spain, the Bolivian Defense with which to protect, by exerting efforts more fighters and bombers advancing to the Ministry said in a statement, identifying on its own accord and initiative, life, person Sea of Japan and the Pacific Ocean. and property of its nationals, territorial land, them as Francisco José Gallegos Gonzáles, waters and airspace, and its sovereignty Yandira Olivera Velarde, Delis Salvatierra North Korea still maintains hundreds of and independence, thereby expanding roles Velarde and Alba Aparicio Formas. ballistic missiles which cover the whole Japan can fulfil. Japan must squarely face of Japan within their range in combat The plane went down in a marshy area on the the realities of national security and ensure deployment. The series of short-range outskirts of the northeastern city of Trinidad, necessary and sufficient quality and quantity ballistic missile launches into the Sea of the statement said, adding that the investigation so as to build a new defence capability by a Japan since May indicates North Korea’s to the cause of the accident was underway. The truly effective defence capability that does intent to advance relevant technologies aircraft was also carrying coronavirus test not lie on a linear extension of the past.In even after the US-NK leaders met three samples to the city of Santa Cruz. particular, it has become essential that Japan times, which we cannot overlook. The most achieve superiority in new domains, which A statement by Bolivian Air Force said that important point in preserving the peace and are space, cyberspace and electromagnetic the crash occurred near the south-eastern independence of Japan in this severe security spectrum. To build a new defence capability city of Trinidad, from where the passengers environment is our own effort”, the Defence that combines strengths across all domains were being taken to the larger transport hub Minister wrote. (Multi-Domain Defence Force), Japan needs of Santa Cruz, the statement said. Bolivia to engage in a transformation at a pace that In December 2019, Japan approved an has closed its borders to slow the spread of Photo Credit : Getty Images is fundamentally different from the past, eighth straight annual increase in defence the pandemic. The collapse in oil prices has considerably completely shedding the thinking that relies spending to a record high. Credit : Voice of America (VOA) reduced budgetary revenues and reversed the fiscal surpluses accumulated since 2018. COVID-19, and the lockdown measures Gulf of Guinea needed to contain the pandemic have dealt a severe blow to economic becomes a hotbed activities especially to the service sectors like transport, trade, banking and religious of maritime piracy tourism, which constitute around half of the non-oil economy. ◆ By NDT Bureau The report further estimates that near- @NewDelhiTimes term economic growth will be subdued [email protected] by low oil prices, a new OPEC+ agreement that has reduced oil production quotas, he Gulf of Guinea which is a key oil and unfavourable global and domestic T production hub adjoining 8 oil-exporting conditions including disruptions from countries in West Africa, has emerged as a COVID-19 spread. hotspot of marine piracy. On April 14, 2020, the International Maritime Bureau (IMB) As a result, the economy is projected to published a report which showed that Gulf of Photo Credit : Getty Images contract by 9 .7 percent in 2020, down from Guinea remains the world’s piracy hotspot. a real GDP growth of 4 .4 percent in 2019, a ransom. While ten vessels were fired separates Malaysia and Singapore from with both oil and non-oil sectors contracting Seafarers face continuing threats from pirates upon worldwide for the whole of 2019, four Indonesia-to become the global hotspot. The by 13 and 4 .4 percent respectively. and armed robbers in the world’s seas, said the are already reported being fired at within region accounted for 64 incidents including ICC International Maritime Bureau (IMB), Nigerian Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) all four vessel hijackings that occurred in Iran oil industry has been severely hit. reporting 47 attacks in the first three months of in the first quarter of 2020. This includes 2019, as well as 10 out of 11 vessels that Although it survived during the phase of 2020, up from 38 in the same period last year. a container ship underway around 130 nm were reported coming under fire. protests, the global conditions that arose in Pirates boarded 37 ships in the first quarter of southwest of Brass. the wake of the COVID 19 crisis has hit the “We remain concerned that this region has 2020. Seventeen crew were kidnapped in three In another incident around 102 nm northwest oil production. recorded an unprecedented rise in crew incidents in the waters of Gulf of Guinea at of Sao Tome Island, another container ship kidnaps. These latest statistics confirm Iraq’s crude oil export prices crashed to distances of between 45 and 75 nautical miles was boarded by pirates. The crew retreated the importance of increased information US$28.4 per barrel in March 2020, bringing from the coast. into the citadel and raised the alarm. On exchange and coordination between vessels, the average price for Q1-2020 to US$47 receiving the alert, the IMB PRC liaised IMB’s 24-hour Piracy Reporting Centre reporting and response agencies in the Gulf dollar per barrel and slashing revenues by with Regional Authorities and the vessel (PRC) recorded 21 attacks in the Gulf of of Guinea Region. Without the necessary more than half. operator until the vessel was safe and the Guinea in Q1-2020. Of these, 12 were reporting structures in place, we will be crew had emerged from the citadel. Oil revenues for the month of April were on vessels underway at an average of 70 unable to accurately highlight the high- $1.423 billion, with an average export of nautical miles off the coast. All vessel types The number of crew kidnapped off the Gulf risk areas for seafarers and address the rise 3.427 million barrels per day (bpd). This are at risk. The perpetrators are usually of Guinea climbed 50% to 121 in 2019, of piracy incidents in these persistently marks a significant fall on March figures, armed. They approach in speedboats, up from 78 in 2018, and the Gulf has now vulnerable waters”. Michael Howlett, which saw revenues of $2.98 billion, with boarding ships in order to steal stores or surpassed more well-known areas such as Director of the ICC International Maritime an average export of 3.390 million bpd. cargo and abduct crewmembers to demand the Strait of Malacca-a waterway which Bureau, said.

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International NEW DELHI TIMES Set for new term, Netanyahu eyes risky West Bank annexation ow that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin under previous administrations. N Netanyahu has secured a new term in Trump’s Mideast plan envisions handing office, there seems to be little to prevent him 30% of the West Bank, including Israel’s from annexing large parts of the occupied dozens of settlements, to permanent Israeli West Bank as early as this summer. control, while conditionally offering the Netanyahu has a friendly ally in the Palestinians limited statehood — with Israel White House and support in Israel’s new retaining overall security control — in the parliament for his long-promised goal. An remaining territory. The Palestinians have expected visit by U.S. Secretary of State rejected the plan, and it has received little Mike Pompeo next week could provide the international support. first indications of his intentions. After the plan’s White House launch in For now, the Israeli leader appears set January, Netanyahu said he would move on moving forward. His new coalition ahead quickly with annexation plans, only agreement allows him to present an to be reined in by the Trump administration, annexation proposal to the government which said a joint committee should map out as soon as July 1. In a speech last month, areas to be annexed. Netanyahu said he was confident he would With Netanyahu’s new government expected be able to annex West Bank land this Photo Credit : AP Photo to be sworn in next week, both sides appear summer, with support from the U.S. welcome accomplishment to rally pro-Israel Israel’s founding ethos as a homeland for the ready to move forward. supporters, particularly among politically Jewish people. The Palestinians claim the entire West Bank, powerful evangelical voters. Trump’s ambassador to Israel, David “Israel and the U.S. will take full responsibility captured by Israel in the 1967 Mideast war, Friedman, told the Israeli newspaper Israel for the consequences if the annexation as the heartland of an independent state. Nonetheless, Netanyahu faces obstacles at Hayom this week that the U.S. is ready to decision is implemented,” said Abbas Annexing chunks of this territory would home and abroad. recognize annexation in the coming weeks if spokesman Nabil Abu Rdeneh. likely deal a death blow to faded Palestinian Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Israel so chooses. hopes of a two-state solution. Annexation who oversees autonomous enclaves in the The European Union’s foreign policy also would anger the international community, Oded Revivi, a leader of the Yesha settlers’ West Bank, has warned he would annul chief, Josep Borrell, last month said which overwhelmingly supports Palestinian council, urged Netanyahu to take advantage past agreements with Israel in response to annexation would be a “serious violation” statehood. of the narrow window of opportunity ahead annexation. This could mean the collapse of international law and the EU will “act of November’s presidential election. The of Israeli-Palestinian security cooperation, accordingly.” Fear of harsh international censure might presumptive Democratic nominee, Joe a relationship valued by Israel as an added help explain why Netanyahu hasn’t tried Last week, 11 European ambassadors Biden, is unlikely to support annexation. layer of protection against attacks by militants. to annex occupied territory in his years reportedly registered a diplomatic protest in power — even while boosting Jewish “I would like to see Israeli law being applied Annexation could also trigger a fundamental over the annexation plan. settlement expansion there. according to the Trump deal, in order to give shift in Palestinian aspirations — from Hugh Lovatt, a policy fellow at the it a chance,” Revivi said. setting up an independent state in parts of Those calculations gradually changed after European Council on Foreign Relations, the Holy Land to struggling for equal rights Donald Trump was elected U.S. president in Annexation would offer benefits to both said he expected the EU and its member and full citizenship in a single state between 2016. Surrounded by a team of pro-settlement sides. Netanyahu could solidify his hard- states “to go beyond mere condemnations” the Jordan River and the Mediterranean. advisers, Trump delivered diplomatic gifts line legacy and shore up support with his if annexation takes place. that Netanyahu never could have imagined nationalist base. It also would give Trump a Such a bi-national state would conflict with Credit : Associated Press (AP) Despite US boost, new Iraqi premier faces key challenges espite a boost from the U.S. hours D after his inauguration, early Iraq’s new prime minister will have to walk a tightrope to appease both powerful Iran-backed political factions and allies in Washington. Photo Credit : AP Photo Shortly after Iraqi lawmakers approved the shortfalls, the coronavirus crisis and rampant to reduce the controversy surrounding out reforms. “In the run-up to become prime government of Mustafa al-Kadhimi, the political dysfunction. the American presence in Iraq without minister he was deliberately outflanked and U.S. said it plans to grant Iraq a 120-day alienating Washington and losing financial humiliated by political blocs who showed sanctions waiver enabling the country to For now, al-Kadhimi has support from both support, said Toby Dodge, head of the him who has the power,” Dodge said. import gas and electricity from Iran to meet Tehran and Washington. London School for Economics’ Middle East its power needs-an indication of support for “What he desperately needs to do is appeal Earlier this week, an Iranian political Centre. the new premier. to rally public opinion above the widely delegation arrived in Baghdad to inform With deals being struck up until the last discredited political elite.” The exemption would be the longest period Shiite political blocs of Tehran’s support for minute, lawmakers approved 15 appointees of time in months granted to Iraq to prove it al-Kadhimi’s premiership, two senior Shiite Passing a budget law for the year will be his out of a Cabinet of 22, allowing al- is making progress in becoming less reliant political leaders said, speaking on condition first big test, officials and experts said. With Kadhimi to form a government under Iraqi on Iranian imports, a key condition for of anonymity as they were not authorized to it, Iraq can unlock much needed international constitutional guidelines. Other ministry receiving the waiver. disclose the information. loans to plug in a growing deficit amid falling portfolios will be subject to further oil prices. But austerity measures to balance Al-Kadhimi’s new program spells out Strategic talks between Washington and negotiation with parliamentary political the budget, such as cutting the country’s measures welcomed by the U.S., including Baghdad are expected next month and will blocs. bloated public wage bill, will likely create a vow to hold early elections, address Iraq’s run the gamut of U.S.-Iraq relations, from both political and public discontent. severe health and economic woes amid military to economic support, according That al-Kadhimi, who has no solid political falling oil prices, and bring arms under the base, had to change ministry portfolios to to Iraqi and U.S. officials. Key questions, Shortly after he was officially named premier, control of the state. But Iraqi officials and appease political blocs several times was a including the nature of U.S. troop presence al-Kadhimi spoke with U.S. Secretary of experts said the new prime minister will deliberate attempt to demonstrate power, said in Iraq, are expected to be discussed. State Mike Pompeo, according to a statement have to maneuver between the competing Dodge. Iraqi officials close to al-Kadhimi from the U.S. State Department. interests of Iran-backed factions and allies During these talks, al-Kadhimi will have have said he plans to consolidate control in Washington, while managing financial the difficult task of pushing the Iraqi wish within the prime minister’s office to push Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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away the aviation industry to the point that High-rise Stung by virus, Emirates President Tim Clark warned in Amnesty slams a recent conference call that “85% of all long-haul carrier airlines will be insolvent within two or three Palestinians’ tower catches months” without government assistance.

Qatar Airways Qatar Airways already faced challenges freedom of fire in United before the pandemic. In 2017, a group of cuts jobs four Arab countries, including the United expression arrests Arab Emirates, began a boycott Doha over Arab Emirates ong-haul carrier Qatar Airways said that a political dispute that continues today, mnesty International censured high-rise tower caught fire in the L A it will lay off staff as the coronavirus affecting the airline’s ability to reach vital Palestinian authorities in the West A United Arab Emirates in a city-state pandemic largely has grounded the global markets and fly over those nations. Bank and the Gaza Strip for detaining critics neighbouring Dubai, a blaze that saw flames aviation industry. and opponents for expressing their views. rapidly shoot up the sides of the building Qatar is a small, energy-rich nation on the The London-based human rights group like other recent incidents that involved The Doha-based carrier offered no figures Arabian Peninsula that juts out like a thumb said five people were arrested in March and flammable cladding. for the number of employees who will be into the Persian Gulf. The country is home laid off by the carrier, one of the three major April, including a peace activist for holding to the vast Al-Udeid Air Base, hosts some a video call with Israelis and a writer who airlines in the Persian Gulf region created 10,000 American troops and is the forward to capitalize on East-West travel. However, criticized authorities in Gaza for a deadly headquarters of the U.S. military’s Central market fire. Amnesty called the detentions a an emailed memo from the airline’s CEO Command. that leaked online said the number would “pattern of arbitrary arrests” of Palestinians be “substantial” and include members of its In Lebanon, 25 new coronavirus infections for voicing their opinions. cabin crew. were confirmed among citizens who arrived “The authorities in both the West Bank and Gaza Strip have violated the right to freedom of expression by arbitrarily detaining individuals solely for peacefully sharing their views on social media. This must immediately stop,” said Saleh Higazi, deputy Middle East director at Amnesty International. Amnesty criticized both the West Bank- based Palestinian Authority and the Islamic militant group Hamas, which rules Gaza, and called for all those arrested for expressing their views to be released. The arrests happened during states of emergency imposed in both territories over The blaze at the 48-story Abbco Tower the coronavirus outbreak, and Amnesty said in Sharjah saw flaming debris shower the detentions during a pandemic put these neighbouring dusty parking lots and left individuals at an “increased risk.” metal siding littering surrounding streets. Photo Credit : AP Photo The 190-meter (623-foot) tower is among the tallest buildings in Sharjah, one of the “The global outlook for our industry looks on a plane from Nigeria, the country’s state- seven sheikhdoms that makes up the UAE. grim and many airlines are closing or run National News Agency reported. significantly reducing operations,” Akbar Al The fire started around 9 p.m., just after Baker wrote in the memo,. “Now, we have to Lebanon, which has around 750 confirmed those fasting for the holy month of Ramadan face a new reality, where many borders are cases, has consistently reported low numbers had finished their iftar meals. At least seven closed, rendering many of our destinations of new infections in the past two weeks, but people suffered minor injuries in the blaze, closed and aircraft grounded as a result, experts warn the ongoing repatriation of up the government-run Sharjah Media Office with no foreseeable outlook for immediate, to 20,000 Lebanese returning to the country said on Twitter. positive change.” could cause a setback.

Authorities gave no cause for the blaze, Qatar Airways sent a statement to The Lebanon began easing lockdown restrictions which smouldered. Firefighters used a Associated Press confirming the layoffs. in place since mid-March, allowing some ladder truck to spray water into the building, businesses, including restaurants and hair Photo Credit : AP Photo whose cement-block walls stood charred “The unparalleled impact on our industry has salons, to reopen at 30% capacity. and exposed after the fire. caused significant challenges for all airlines In the West Bank, one of the detainees is and we must act decisively to protect the Lebanon’s interior minister also announced a former member of Palestinian President Syrian Fadlallah Hassoun, who had just future of our business,” the statement said. Wednesda that churches and mosques would Mahmoud Abbas’ Fatah party who criticized finished his day’s iftar meal in his apartment be permitted to welcome worshippers on the Palestinian leader. A second detainee in the tower, told The Associated Press he Both Qatar Airways and Al Baker said the Sundays and Fridays as long as they do so had also slammed Abbas’ response to the initially dismissed the fire alarm as a test. airline hoped to rehire staff quickly once at limited capacity while respecting social COVID-19 crisis. Both were later released. He cradled his white cat Vodka, whom he global aviation emerges from the pandemic. distancing and other safety guidelines. rescued from the building. Ahmed Majdalani, the Palestinian Later, the airline said it hoped to grow Authority’s social affairs minister, denied around 30 routes still flying to over 50 by Lebanon has been hit by crippling economic “Me and family just directly went down there were any violations of freedom of the end of May and 80 by the end of June. and financial crisis that has only deepened in expression but said some individuals had with everything we just had and what we Before the pandemic, the airline said it flew the wake of the nationwide virus lockdown. were just wearing and we came down been briefly detained for “slander and to over 160 destinations a day. defamation.” immediately,” Hassoun said. The American University of Beirut, one of Qatar Airways, which began flying in 1994, the oldest and most prestigious universities “There is a big difference between freedom Many others similarly left the building with has a fleet of over 200 aircraft that it flies out in the Middle East, became the latest of expression and slander and defamation. In nothing other than their face masks required of Doha’s recently built Hamad International institution in Lebanon to announce it was the West, people can be detained and put on in the ongoing coronavirus pandemic. Airport. It competes with Abu Dhabi-based facing a crisis due to what it said was a trial for slander and defamation. No law on Hassoun praised authorities though for Etihad Airways and Dubai-based Emirates, “confluence of calamities” starting with earth tolerates that.” already contacting him there to help. two other state-owned airlines now facing the collapse of the Lebanese economy, the dire economic situation brought on by compounded by the pandemic. Gaza has been ruled by Hamas since it routed “They took our names so that they can see pro-Abbas forces in 2007. Authorities there what they can do for us and help us because the coronavirus and the COVID-19 illness it causes. It said staff would endure significant pay detained a writer who hinted in a Facebook now we came out and we have no idea what post at Hamas’ responsibility for a market we are going to do,” he said. “We are just reductions and that steps under consideration Since the pandemic, Qatar Airways like include furloughs as well as the closure of fire that killed over 20 Palestinians in March, waiting in the street and seeing what’s going and a cartoonist who criticized the detention to happen.” other Gulf airlines has flown repatriation some programs and departments. flights, as well as stepped up its cargo of the writer. Both were released. Credit : Associated Press (AP) operations. But the pandemic has chewed Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

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International NEW DELHI TIMES Inquiry: Pell Philippine TV knew of abuse network fights by Australian closure with pedophile priest court petition ustralian Cardinal George Pell knew A that a notorious pedophile priest he Philippines’ largest TV and radio had been sexually abusing children years T network, which was shut this week by before his arrest and had been aware of the a government regulator, asked the Supreme Catholic Church’s clergy abuse problem Court to allow it to return to the air amid an since the early 1970s, a government inquiry uproar over its closure. concluded. ABS-CBN Corp. said in its petition to the A report from the inquiry on child sexual court that the closure order by the National abuse had been released in 2017, but findings Telecommunications Commission muzzled concerning Pell — who was formerly Pope freedom of the press and removed a major Francis’ finance minister and at one time the provider of news and entertainment while third-highest ranking cleric in the Vatican millions are under a coronavirus lockdown. — had been redacted to avoid prejudicing “The public needs the services of ABS- juries in any future prosecutions. CBN, now more than ever, as the country The government decided to release the Photo Credit : AP Photo grapples with the effects of COVID-19,” the His lawyers have urged a judge not to “We are also satisfied that by 1973 Cardinal full report after the High Court last month broadcaster told the court. increase Ridsdale’s non-parole period when Pell was not only conscious of child sexual overturned convictions against Pell on he is sentenced on the latest convictions next abuse by clergy, but that he also had Media watchdogs have accused President charges he molested two choirboys in a week. considered measures of avoiding situations Rodrigo Duterte and his government of Melbourne cathedral in the late 1990s which might provoke gossip about it,” the muzzling independent media like ABS- when he was an archbishop. The 78-year- Searson died in 2009 without being charged three authors of the report wrote. CBN that have reported critically on issues old cleric spent 13 months in prison before over allegations that he had also molested including his anti-drug crackdown. Duterte being released last month. children in several parishes over a decade. Pell was a Melbourne auxiliary bishop when has accused the network of favoring a rival he met with a staff delegation from a Catholic candidate in the 2016 election and had Pell told the inquiry that he did not become The findings undermine Pell’s criticisms of primary school to discuss complaints about threatened to block its franchise approval. what he described as the church’s inadequate aware that Ridsdale was a pedophile until Searson, whom the inquiry described as an response to the global abuse crisis and 1993 when he was first convicted. “unstable and disturbed individual.” concealing its extent. The inquiry rejected Pell’s evidence that Complaints included that Searson harassed Pell, who now lives in a Sydney seminary, Ballarat Bishop Ronald Mulkearns had not staff and parents, killed and tortured animals said in a statement that he was “surprised by explained that Ridsdale had been removed in front of children, threatened children with some of the views” of the inquiry about his from the Mortlake parish in 1982 because a pistol and a knife, showed children a body actions. he had sexually abused children there. Pell in a coffin and used the children’s toilets. was one of the bishop’s priest advisers at the “These views are not supported by evidence,” time, known as consultors, who regularly The inquiry found Pell should have advised Pell said. met to discuss diocese matters. Melbourne Archbishop Frank Little to remove Searson. The inquiry rejected Pell’s evidence given “Cardinal Pell’s evidence that ‘pedophilia Pell responded in his statement that the by video link from Rome in 2016 that he was not mentioned’ and that the ‘true’ reason school delegation “did not mention sexual was deceived and lied to by church officials was not given is not accepted,” the report assaults and did not ask for Season’s about Australia’s worst pedophile priest, said. Gerald Ridsdale, and disturbed Melbourne removal.” Pell said that after he replaced parish priest Peter Searson. Pell said in his statement that none of his Little as Melbourne archbishop in 1996, he fellow consultors told the inquiry that they placed Searson on leave and later removed Ridsdale is in prison on convictions for had been aware of Ridsdale’s offending in him from the parish where the complaints Photo Credit : AP Photo sexually abusing boys over three decades. 1982. arose. The telecommunications commission ordered ABS-CBN to stop operating because its 25- The 85-year-old pleaded guilty last week to The inquiry also found that Pell had “turned Clare Leaney, chief executive of Good Faith year congressional franchise ended . But sexually abusing four boys aged 7 to 16 in his mind to the prudence” of Ridsdale Foundation, a charity focused on helping the move was a reversal of the regulator’s the 1970s, bringing the number of his known taking boys camping in 1973, because “if abuse victims recover, said Pell knew about earlier assurance to Congress that it would victims to 69. He has been behind bars since priests were one-on-one with a child, then offending in the church since 1973 and issue the network a temporary permit to 1994 and will become eligible for parole on they could sexually abuse a child, or at least failed to act. remain on air while legislators assess its a 34-year sentence in April 2022. provoke gossip about such a prospect.” Credit : Associated Press (AP) franchise renewal. detect censorship in communications among At least six broadcasters have been allowed accounts registered outside China. But it says Study: WeChat in the past to continue operating after it did identify surveillance of content being their franchises expired and their renewal sent exclusively between such accounts. content outside applications were still pending in the House Tencent does not clearly state in its terms of Representatives, which has exclusive of service that it is surveilling accounts power to grant and revoke such franchises. China used for registered outside of China, Citizen Lab Opposition Sen. Franklin Drilon, a former says. The researchers say they first contacted justice secretary, said the closure order WeChat in January asking about their censorship violated the constitution, which guarantees findings. They said they have not received a equal protection and treatment under the ocuments and images shared by users response despite WeChat’s acknowledgment D law, and was a “grave abuse of discretion.” outside China on WeChat, the country’s WeChat’s parent, Tencent, did not immediately in February that it had received their most popular social media platform, are respond to an online inquiry seeking comment. questions. Justice Secretary Menardo Guevarra has being monitored and catalogued for use in cited the same constitutional principle and political censorship in China, a new report Until now, WeChat was not known to be With more than a billion users, WeChat is said the network should be able to continue says. Citizen Lab, the University of Toronto subjecting accounts registered outside of the world’s No. 3 messaging app behind operating while its franchise renewal is online watchdog, says in the report that China to the same pervasive surveillance as Facebook’s WhatsApp and Messenger. pending. Foreign Secretary Teodoro Locsin WeChat users outside of China are thus domestic accounts. An estimated 100 million Within China, WeChat is censored and used an expletive in a tweet to express unwittingly contributing to censorship. people use WeChat outside China, according expected to adhere to content restrictions set his disgust with the telecommunications Content they share that censors deem to the Munich firm MessengerPeople. by authorities. commission. inappropriate is thus barred from being seen Citizen Lab says its findings are based on by users inside China. technical experiments. It says it did not Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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of American families and cost trillions of Afghanistan envoy dollars. More than 2,400 service members have died in Afghanistan since the U.S. first calls for American invaded in October 2001. contractor release But despite heavy losses on both the American and Afghan sides, Taliban insurgents have almay Khalilzad, the U.S. envoy for ignored appeals for a ceasefire, even amid Z Afghanistan reconciliation, said that the coronavirus outbreak. The Taliban has he has called for the release of an American accused the United States of not upholding citizen captured by Taliban-linked militants its end of the peace deal signed in February. in discussions with Taliban leadership as continued violence threatens to scuttle a “It is the responsibility of all military sides peace deal to end America’s longest-running to reduce the violence,” Army Gen. Scott war. S. Miller, the commander of U.S. forces in In a series of tweets from his official account, Afghanistan, said in late April. “You reduce the violence so you can give the political Khalilzad said he pressed Taliban leaders Photo Credit : AP Photo during an overnight meeting in Doha, Qatar, an eastern province along the border with its political office. “We sought progress on process a chance to take hold. We need the to secure the release of Mark R. Frerichs, Pakistan and its so-called tribal regions. a range of topics: a reduction in violence, Taliban to reduce the violence. If the Taliban a Navy veteran turned contractor who was The mountainous area historically has been humanitarian ceasefire as demanded by continue to attack, then what they should abducted by militants in late January. a haven for Taliban and al-Qaida militants. the international community to allow for expect is a response.” The investigation by the AP revealed how better cooperation on managing COVID-19 The tweets by Khalilzad mark the first public But as calls by American officials for a Navy SEALs and the U.S. intelligence pandemic in Afghanistan,” Khalilzad wrote statement about the capture from a Trump reduction in violence on Afghan security community tried to gather information that on Twitter. administration official. It comes on the forces go largely ignored by the Taliban, would lead them to Frerichs’ recovery, but heels of an investigation by The Associated He added, “Acceleration of prisoner releases a political power struggle has also stalled the trail went cold. Press last week that noted there had been by both sides, actions necessary to secure intra-Afghan negotiations. no public indications that Frerichs has been “The Taliban kidnapped my brother in the freedom of U.S. citizen Mark Frerichs, part of the peace negotiations between the January. In February, the U.S. signed a peace regional & international support for the The rivalry between Afghan President Ashraf United States and the Taliban. Khalilzad deal with the Taliban. My brother wasn’t peace process, and movement to intra- Ghani and Abdullah Abdullah — Ghani’s could not be reached for comment. The State part of the deal,” Charlene Cakora, one of Afghan negotiations.” former chief executive, who has declared Department also did not respond to a request Frerichs’ sisters, said in a statement provided himself de facto president — continues to for comment. to the AP last week. “Now we are arranging This is the second trip Khalilzad has made complicate matters. Last month, Secretary of for the Taliban and Afghan government to during the coronavirus outbreak to salvage State Mike Pompeo voiced frustrations after American officials believe Frerichs, 57, of exchange thousands of prisoners, why can’t deadlocked negotiations over provisions in he failed to mediate the political infighting Lombard, Illinois, was captured by members we make an American hostage be one of the accord signed between the United States between the two. of the Haqqani network, a militant group them?” and Taliban leadership on Feb. 29. Khalilzad aligned with the Taliban in Afghanistan and said he will be meeting again with Taliban “This is going to be resolved through a Khalilzad, the main architect of the peace designated as a foreign terrorist organization negotiators after a trip to India and Pakistan. political process, and it is time for that deal designed to offer the United States an by the Obama administration in 2012. political process to begin with all the exit from its longest war, said he had a long President Donald Trump, like his Afghans coming together around the table,” While little is known about the circumstances meeting with Mullah Abdul Ghani Baradar predecessor Barack Obama, has sought Pompeo told reporters last month. of how Frerichs was abducted, U.S. officials and his Taliban delegation. Baradar is a to end the long war in Afghanistan, which believe he was held for a time in Khost, co-founder of the Taliban and the head of has left permanently shattered thousands Credit : Associated Press (AP) Samsung’s Lee China says experimental spaceship operating apologizes over normally Chinese spaceship is working normally management, A in orbit, with its solar panels in position and a communication link established, the union busting government said. Kim Yong-hee continued a near yearlong The craft was launched aboard a new heavy- protest atop a 25-meter (82-feet) traffic lift carrier rocket, the Long March 5B, from camera tower nearby, demanding his job Hainan island. back. Kim says he was fired in 1995 for It’s on a experimental mission without Photo Credit : AP Photo trying to organize a labor union. any crew, but the capsule is reportedly an amsung heir Lee Jae-yong on expressed remain critical. All this is because of our improvement on the Shenzhou capsule “(I) offer a sincere apology to every person S remorse but did not admit to shortcomings,” Lee said as cameras flashed based on the former Soviet Union’s Soyuz who has been hurt by Samsung’s labor wrongdoing over his alleged involvement at a Samsung Electronics office in Seoul. model and can carry six astronauts instead union issues,” Lee said, without directly in a 2016 corruption scandal that spurred of three. Lee said the company “at times” had failed commenting on Kim or his protest. massive street protests and sent South to comply with laws and ethics. After The spacecraft is flying stably in a “highly Korea’s then-president to prison. bowing in apology, Lee vowed to ensure “From now on, (we) will ensure that there’s elliptical orbit, with the power supply, The vice chairman of Samsung Electronics, “there would no longer be any controversy no more talk about a ‘union-less Samsung,”’ measurements and control links normal,” the world’s biggest producer of computer over the issue of management succession.” he said. Samsung will protect workers’ the official China Aerospace Science and chips and smartphones, promised to end He left without taking questions. rights to organize, bargain collectively and Technology Corporation said, according to heredity transfers of control of South Korea’s strike, he added. the official Xinhua News Agency. Lee stepped into his leadership role after his largest business group, promising not to pass father, Samsung Electronics Chairman Lee The Korean Confederation of Trade Unions, No information was released about what the management rights he inherited from his Kun-hee, fell ill in May 2014. a major umbrella labor group, questioned went wrong with a” flexible and inflatable father to his children. the sincerity of Lee’s comments and urged He is being tried on charges that he bribed cargo return capsule” that was being tested Lee also said Samsung would stop suppressing Samsung to reinstate and compensate Kim former President Park Geun-hye and her as part of the mission. The China Manned employee attempts to organize unions. Lee’s and other employees who were fired for confidant while seeking government support Space Agency has said only that it operated news conference followed a review by a unionizing. for his control over the Samsung business abnormally during reentry and data is being Samsung committee of external experts, empire. Samsung launched the review of its analyzed. led by former South Korean Supreme business practices after a Seoul High Court justice Kim Ji-hyung, of Samsung’s The scandal ignited massive street protests The spacecraft plans to orbit Earth three Court judge overseeing Lee’s bribery case corporate behavior. It concluded he should that toppled the presidency of Park. She times before reentering the atmosphere and faulted the company for he saw as a murky apologize over the graft allegations and was formally removed from office in March landing at the Dongfeng site in north China’s management culture. He said the company address problems with the company’s 2017 and is serving a decades-long term in Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, Ji should set up an oversight system to monitor labor policies. “Samsung’s technologies prison.Samsung’s union-busting practices Qiming, an assistant to the agency’s director, its management. and products are continuously praised as have been criticized by activists for decades. was quoted as saying by Xinhua. top-rate, but people’s views on Samsung As Lee spoke, former Samsung employee Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

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International NEW DELHI TIMES pandemic, they don’t have bank accounts to Taiwan makes new push Veteran Chinese UN appeals for $6.7 fall back on. “And if they don’t have food, billion to fight virus you’re going to have protests, riots, unrest for inclusion in World diplomat and and destabilization. It’s going to cost the in poor countries world a hundredfold more to react after the Health Assembly fact,” he warned. aiwan’s exclusion from the upcoming he United Nations called on governments, Mao Zedong’s T World Health Assembly would harm T companies and billionaires to contribute He said that if the world doesn’t respond with the global response to the coronavirus to a $6.7 billion fund for immediate needs sufficient funding, it will be catastrophic. pandemic and cannot be excused by mere interpreter dies in fighting the coronavirus pandemic in “We’re facing famine of biblical proportions,” rules of procedure, the island’s health vulnerable countries, warning that a failure i Chaozhu, a veteran Chinese diplomat he said. “We can avert famine if we act and minister said. J who provided English translation for to help could lead to a “hunger pandemic,” we act now.” leaders including Mao Zedong and Deng famine, riots and more conflict. Chen Shih-chung told international media at The U.N.’s initial $2 billion appeal has so a news conference that global health officials Xiaoping and served as an undersecretary U.N. humanitarian chief Mark Lowcock far raised $1 billion, including a lot from “have not been honest and failed in their of the United Nations, has died, the foreign said that “COVID-19 has now affected Europe — Germany, Britain, the European responsibilities,” in an apparent reference ministry said. He was 90. every country and almost every person on Commission — with contributions also from to the U.N. World Health Organization that the planet.” Japan, Persian Gulf countries, Canada and oversees the assembly. He said the U.N.’s initial $2 billion appeal others, Lowcock said. “As I said since the beginning of the unveiled March 25 was being increased The updated appeal adds nine vulnerable epidemic, no one is able to accurately because there is already evidence of countries to the 54 nations covered in the predict how the situation will be,” Chen incomes plummeting and jobs disappearing, initial appeal — Benin, Djibouti, Liberia, said. “So the most important thing in the food supplies falling and prices soaring, and Mozambique, Pakistan, the Philippines, world pandemic is transparency. Each one children missing vaccinations and meals. He Sierra Leone, Togo and Zimbabwe. has to share what they know about it.” added that the peak of the pandemic isn’t expected to hit the world’s poorest countries Lowcock said more countries are being Beijing claims Taiwan as part of its territory for three to six months. monitored for possible addition to the list. and has excluded it from the United Nations and its subsidiary organizations. China’s Lowcock said in a video briefing launching The $6.7 billion will fund the U.N.’s growing influence in the U.N. has made the new appeal that the poorest countries humanitarian response plan to help the officials wary of crossing it, even while face “a double whammy” — the health world’s most vulnerable people deal with the the U.S. has withdrawn from or suspended impact of COVID-19 and “the impact of the pandemic now and in the coming months. funding for some of its organizations, global recession and the domestic measures Lowcock said the amount will be updated including WHO, which it accuses of taken to contain the virus.” before the end of June because the pandemic mishandling the coronavirus outbreak and displaying a pro-China bias. Photo Credit : AP Photo Ji also served as ambassador to Britain over Chen said he acknowledged that U.N. the course of a lengthy career that began member states would have to approve after he left Harvard University to return to Taiwan taking part at the World Health China during the Korean War, when U.S. and Assembly, to be held in in Geneva beginning Chinese troops engaged in vicious combat. on May 17. After briefly studying at prestigious Tsinghua However, he said there were questions as University, he was assigned by dint of his to whether WHO’s “procedural justice was fluent English to assist with the peace talks manipulated.” at the Korean village of Panmunjon between Chen Xu, China’s ambassador to U.N. the warring sides. institutions in Geneva, said that Taiwan had That led to a job as interpreter to Premier torpedoed its hopes of attending the health and Foreign Minister Zhou Enlai as well assembly, saying the “current local authority Photo Credit : AP Photo sticks to the secessionist policy” and has as Mao, with whom he appeared on the “We must be prepared for a rise in conflict, has created “a very fast-moving situation,” abandoned the one-China policy. reviewing stand atop iconic Tiananmen Gate hunger, poverty and disease as economies and will likely be revised upward again to when foreign guests were present. contract, export earnings, remittances and meet needs in 2020. After Mao’s death, Ji took on a similar role tourism disappear, and health systems are with successor Deng Xiaoping. Having put under strain,” he warned. “Lockdowns Lowcock also urged international financial been dispatched by Zhou to set up an and economic recession may mean a hunger institutions and governments to help fragile informal liaison office in the U.S. in 1973, pandemic ahead for millions.” countries deal with the pandemic and reiterated that $90 billion could provide Ji accompanied Deng to America after the The executive director of the World Food income support, food and a health response establishment of formal diplomatic relations Program, David Beasley, said there are to COVID-19 for 700 million of the world’s between the long-time antagonists in 1979 two keys to averting the possibility of 265 most vulnerable people. and later worked at the Chinese Embassy in million people being on the brink of famine Washington. by the end of the year: providing money and That’s just 1% of the $8 trillion stimulus keeping supply chains running smoothly. package that the world’s 20 richest countries That was followed by assignments as Photo Credit : AP Photo put in place to save the global economy, he ambassador to Fiji and the U.K. and five The U.N. appeals to wealthy nations for “They themselves closed the door,” Chen said. years as a U.N. under-secretary-general funding all the time, he said, but the pandemic told reporters in Geneva. “They destroyed a for development support and management is “a one-time phenomena, a catastrophe Lowcock has said probably two-thirds of the political basis for the involvement in WHO’s services, a position from which he retired in we’re hitting,” so it’s not unreasonable to $90 billion could come from international activities.” 1996. ask the wealthiest people and the wealthiest financial institutions like the World Bank Beijing’s Communist leadership has companies to give. and the International Monetary Fund and His last post was as vice president of the one-third from a one-time 20% increase in increasingly shut Taiwan out of gatherings All-China Federation of Returned Overseas “I don’t mean just a few million. I’m talking government development assistance. such as the World Health Assembly as part Chinese, from which he stepped down in about hundreds of millions of dollars, of a diplomatic and military drive to force 2005. billions,” Beasley said. “Wealthy countries will need to make Taiwan’s independence-leaning President significant one-off increases in their Tsai Ing-wen to recognize the self-governing Ji was born into a wealthy family in the He also urged action to address the foreign aid commitments,” he said. “And island democracy as a part of China. “breakdown of supply chains globally.” northern Chinese province of Shanxi in international financial institutions will Nations must ensure “that we don’t have 1929 and moved with his family to the U.S. need to change lending agreements with Beijing has threatened military force to export-import bans, restrictions at borders, when he was 9. He and his brother attended vulnerable countries.” bring Taiwan under its control and has been exclusive private schools in New York shutdown of ports, shutdown of distribution courting its handful of remaining diplomatic where he developed the fluent English and points,” he said, saying that some countries U.N. refugee chief Filippo Grandi said in allies to isolate it internationally. That has deep knowledge of American culture that have already imposed export bans that are the briefing that there has not been a major drawn a strong response from Washington, would prove him so valuable to China’s having ripple effects on food supplies. outbreak of COVID-19 in refugee camps, with whom Taiwan has strong but unofficial but warned that they have an “extraordinary drive to confront the West and restore what it As an example, Beasley said that if young ties and which is its main guarantor of vulnerability” that needs prevention efforts. views at its traditional dominant role in Asia. people in urban areas in Africa lose their security. Credit : Associated Press (AP) jobs as a result of the economic impact of the Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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International NEW DELHI TIMES Putin-Trump German woman call focuses on accuses French coronavirus, ex-president of arms control, oil sexual assault A German journalist has accused former U. S. President Donald Trump and Russian French President Valery Giscard President Vladimir Putin discussed d’Estaing of repeatedly grabbing her during progress in combating the coronavirus an interview, and filed a sexual assault pandemic along with arms control issues complaint with Paris prosecutors, according and oil prices in a phone call the White to French and German news reports. House and the Kremlin said. Giscard’s French lawyer said that the 94-year- The White House said Trump spoke with old former president “retains no memory” Putin “to commemorate and reflect upon the of the incident. Giscard was president of 75th anniversary of Victory in Europe Day.” Photo Credit : AP Photo France from 1974-1981. German broadcaster if they need ventilators, we’d love to send treaty, signed in 2010 by the presidents of the WDR reported that it investigated the alleged The Kremlin noted in its readout of the call them some. At the appropriate time we’ll do day, Barack Obama and Dmitry Medvedev. misconduct after the journalist interviewed that the two leaders exchanged greetings that.” The pact limits each country to no more Giscard for WDR in December 2018. ahead of the 75th anniversary of the Nazi than 1,550 deployed nuclear warheads and The Kremlin didn’t say if Putin accepted the defeat in World War II, emphasizing “the 700 deployed missiles and bombers, and U.S. offer, but it said in the past that Russia historic significance of the WWII alliance envisages sweeping on-site inspections to would be grateful to the U.S. if it proposed between our peoples that allowed (us) to verify compliance. assistance. defeat the common enemy.” Russia has offered to extend the New START Russian authorities made it a top priority to that expires in February 2021, while the It said that if Russia and the U.S. follow secure ventilators, but it remained unclear Trump administration has pushed for a new the spirit of their wartime alliance, they how many of the machines the country has arms control pact that would also include could score successes in dealing with such now and whether the number is sufficient. issues as ensuring strategic stability, fighting China. Moscow has described that idea as unfeasible, pointing at Beijing’s refusal to terrorism, settling regional conflicts and Russia sent a batch of medical supplies to Photo Credit : AP Photo combating epidemics. the U.S. last month. negotiate any deal that would reduce its much smaller nuclear arsenal. The journalist said Giscard grabbed her The White House said the two leaders On arms control, “Trump reaffirmed that buttocks three times and she tried to push discussed “progress on defeating the coronavirus the United States is committed to effective The Kremlin said that Trump and Putin his hand away, according to reports by pandemic,” with Trump reiterating that “the arms control that includes not only Russia, also discussed the situation in the global French daily Le Monde and German daily United States is working hard to care for but also China, and looks forward to future oil market. It noted the positive effect of Suddeutsche Zeitung. WDR said it asked Americans at home and is also ready to discussions to avoid a costly arms race,” the the OPEC+ agreement reached thanks to lawyers to investigate, and then sent a provide assistance to any country in need, White House said. coordinated efforts by the U.S. and Russian protest letter to Giscard last year saying, including Russia.” presidents that helped stabilize oil prices. “we cannot tolerate our employees being The only U.S.-Russian nuclear arms control confronted with such situations.” Trump said that in the phone call “I suggested agreement still standing is the New START Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP) Indonesia delays Seoul reports September regional elections due to virus panic buying in he Indonesian government has postponed T Sept. 23 regional elections until at N Korea amid least December because of the coronavirus pandemic. President Joko Widodo signed a economic woes government regulation in lieu of law and it he coronavirus pandemic has likely was published the next day. T taken a heavy toll on North Korea, The Election Commission earlier decided forcing leader Kim Jong Un to avoid public to postpone preparations for the elections activities and his people into panic buying after a number of organizers got sick with for daily necessities, South Korea’s spy Photo Credit : AP Photo COVID-19. “Postponing this year’s regional agency told lawmakers. active before the North closed crossings in The NIS said the virus pandemic is hurting January to try to stop the spread of the virus, North Korea’s economy, mainly because of elections was the most viable option to avoid Although North Korea has taken intense according to the lawmaker. the border closure with China, its biggest COVID-19 from further spreading to rural quarantine measures, it maintains there trading partner and aid provider. China areas,” the head of the commission, Arif are no domestic infections. Many outside The NIS declined to confirm Kim’s comments accounts for about 90% of North Korea’s Budiman, said in a statement. experts are skeptical and warn that an in line with its practice of not commenting external trade flow. epidemic could be dire because of the on information it provides to lawmakers. North’s fragile health care system. Kim did not discuss how the NIS obtained The trade volume between North Korea and China in the first quarter of this year was South Korea’s National Intelligence Service told its information. $230 million, a 55% decline from the same a closed-door parliamentary committee in Kim Jong Un ended his 20-day public period last year. In March, the bilateral trade Seoul that the pandemic is one of the reasons absence when he appeared at a ceremony volume suffered a 91% drop, the NIS was why Kim Jong Un has made much fewer marking the completion of a fertilizer factory quoted as saying. public appearances this year, according to near Pyongyang. His time away triggered Kim Byung Kee, one of the lawmakers who rumors about his health and worries about This led to the prices of imported foodstuffs attended the spy agency meeting. the future of his country. such as sugar and seasonings skyrocketing, Kim Byung Kee quoted the spy agency as Kim Jong Un appeared in public 17 times saying. Photo Credit : AP Photo this year, compared with an average of 50 The NIS repeated a South Korean government assessment that Kim remained The elections in 270 regions across the appearances in the same time period each He said the NIS also told lawmakers that in charge of state affairs even during his archipelago nation will choose nine year since he took power in late 2011, the residents in Pyongyang, the capital, recently absence. His visit to the factory was aimed governors, 37 mayors and 224 district chiefs. lawmaker said, citing the NIS. rushed to department stores and other shops at showing his resolve to address public At least 105 million people are eligible to to stock up on daily necessities and waited The NIS said it cannot rule out a virus livelihood problems and inject people with vote. in long lines. outbreak in North Korea because traffic confidence, Kim Byung Kee cited the NIS Credit : Associated Press (AP) along the China-North Korea border was as saying. Credit : Associated Press (AP)

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International NEW DELHI TIMES counter-intelligence techniques, solidify Far-Right their violent extremist views and broaden their global networks. Extreme right-wing Extremist Groups terrorist movements also continue to employ a number of tactics to magnify and amplify accelerate linkages their messaging, outreach and recruitment.

◆ By NDT Bureau On April 6, 2020, the U.S. Department of State designated the Russian Imperial @NewDelhiTimes Movement (RIM) as a Specially Designated [email protected] Global Terrorist (SDGT) entity. According to Nathan A Sales, Coordinator for number of far-right extremist groups Counterterrorism in US Department of A have established linkages through State, “RIM is a terrorist group that provides Photo Credit : Getty Images international networking thereby posing a paramilitary-style training to neo-Nazis and outside a café. Two months later, they due to the fact that the various actors relate grave security threat and challenges to the white supremacists, and it plays a prominent bombed a migrant centre, gravely injuring to each other and can serve a wide range of law-enforcing to law enforcement agencies. role in trying to rally like-minded Europeans one person. And three weeks after that, they right-wing populist to right-wing extremist According to the Trend Alerts of April and Americans into a common front against placed another bomb at a campsite used to topic. 2020 of Counter-Terrorism Committee their perceived enemies. RIM has two house refugees”. Executive Directorate (CTED) established training facilities in St. Petersburg, which According to Deutsche Welle (DW), the by the UN Security Council, extreme right- likely are being used for woodland and This is not an isolated case of far-right study by Deitrich also reports that extremists wing terrorist groups and individuals are urban assault, tactical weapons, and hand- extremist making contact and establishing on Instagram have begun spreading their becoming more transnational. to-hand combat training. network with organisations or groups with ideology by linking them to popular similar ideological dispositions. According hashtags. The Identitarian Movement in Research has long recognized the potential This group has innocent blood on its hands. to a study by Miro Dittrich that monitored particular, it states, has started disseminating for extreme right-wing groups to forge strong In August 2016, two Swedish men travelled online activities of far-right extremist far-right extremist content though seemingly transnational links and build networks. to St. Petersburg and underwent 11 days groups over the past 5 years, Members of the innocuous pictures of parties and sports Recent evidence suggests that there has been of paramilitary-style training provided by right-wing extremists group have different events. a greater exchange of views between like- orientations and focal points - they can play RIM.A few months later, these men and Moreover, extremists have begun creating minded individuals, both online and offline. essential roles or specialize in marginal another person conducted a series of terrorist their very own online platforms which issues. These connections allow extreme right-wing attacks in the Swedish city of Gothenburg. effectively shut out anyone who does not groups to improve their tactics, develop better In November 2016, they detonated a bomb The networking also becomes more robust share their worldview.

that the US government recently passed business, we have responded with difficult Boeing sells $25 the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic GE Aviation cost-cutting actions over the last two Security (CARES) Act that provides fast and months. Unfortunately, more is required as direct economic assistance for American announces plans we scale the business to the realities of our billion of bonds workers, families, and small businesses, and commercial market.” ◆ By NDT Bureau preserve jobs for our American industries. Under the $2 trillion act, Boeing is eligible to cut a quarter @NewDelhiTimes for loans worth up to $17bn from the US [email protected] government. of its staff Following the poor first-quarter results ◆ By NDT Bureau he COVID-19 crisis has affected Boeing saw its credit rating downgraded T @NewDelhiTimes the aviation industry too. In order to from BBB/A-2 to BBB-/A-3 by S&P Global, minimise the downward spiral aviation taking the company one step downwards [email protected] industry giant has sold $25 billion of bonds towards ‘junk’ status. in the largest offering this year. This massive he aviation industry is hard-hit by In its statement, Boeing added: “We’re bond offering includes debt instruments T the COVID-19 pandemic. According pleased with the response to our bond across seven tranches with maturities ranging to estimates released on May 5 by the offering today, which is one of several from three to 40 years. In a statement, International Civil Aviation Organization steps we’re taking to keep liquidity flowing the company added: “The bond offering (ICAO), there has been an overall reduction through our business and the 17,000 includes debt instruments with an aggregate of international passengers ranging from companies in our industry’s supply chain. principal amount of $25 billion across seven 44% to 80% in 2020 compared to 2019. tranches with maturities ranging from three Boeing president and CEO Dave Calhoun The May 5 ICAO report further estimated Photo Credit : Getty Images to 40 years. We will continue to assess our said that the company’s focus would a loss of over 50% of passenger traffic and The decision follows an announcement liquidity position as the health crisis and our be maintaining cashflow and liquidity 57% or over USD97 billion airport revenues on March 23 to slash the company’s U.S. dynamic business environment evolve.” throughout the crisis. Calhoun remarked in 2020 compared to business as usual as workforce by 10 percent. At the time the “All of this puts near-term pressure on well as a 48% decline of revenue passenger company also instituted temporary layoffs our cash flow. We’re taking steps to keep kilometres (RPKs, both international and affecting 50 percent of its U.S. maintenance, liquidity flowing through our business and domestic) in 2020 compared to 2019. repair, and overhaul employees for 90 days. supply chain. As such, aviation industry has been forced The company estimated the move-along We’re reducing operating costs and to reduce its workforce to cover for these with a hiring freeze, the cancellation of discretionary spending, suspending dividend losses. General Electronic (GE) Aviation the salaried merit increases, a “dramatic” payments, extending our existing pause on has announced plans to cut a quarter of its reduction of all non-essential spending, stock buybacks, reducing or deferring R&D work staff. GE Aviation said it is cutting up and a significant decrease in its contingent and capital expenditures, and accelerating to 13,000 jobs. workforce-would save it between $500 some progress payment receipts with help million and $1 billion. Since March 23, from our defence customers. Our chairman “As this pandemic continues to advance, our however, market “realities” have dimmed, and I are also foregoing our salaries for the understanding of its impact on our industry as aircraft manufacturers plan reduced year. And as you know, we’re exploring and our business has also evolved. The production schedules well into 2021. GE potential government funding options and deep contraction of commercial aviation is expects global traffic to decline by 80 advocating for access to credit for the entire unprecedented, affecting every customer percent during the second quarter compared aerospace manufacturing supply chain.” worldwide,” said GE Aviation President and with the start of the pandemic’s effect on Photo Credit : Getty Images CEO David Joyce. China in early February 2020. “As a result of the response, and pending the Boeing is the world’s largest aerospace closure of this transaction expected Monday, company and leading manufacturer of “Global traffic is expected to be down GE Aviation, a subsidiary of General May 4, we do not plan to seek additional commercial jetliners, defence, space and approximately 80 percent in the second Electric, is headquartered in Evendale, Ohio, funding through the capital markets or the security systems, and service provider of quarter when compared to the start of the outside Cincinnati. GE Aviation is among U.S. government options at this time,” the aftermarket support. As America’s biggest pandemic’s effect in China in early February. the top aircraft engine suppliers, and offers company said in a statement. manufacturing exporter, the company Our aircraft manufacturers have announced engines for the majority of commercial supports airlines and U.S. and allied reduced production schedules that will aircraft. GE Aviation is part of the General Boeing has also ruled out federal aid preferring government customers in more than 150 extend into 2021 and beyond reacting to the Electric conglomerate, which is one of the capital funding. It may be mentioned here countries. projected prolonged recovery. To protect our world’s largest corporations. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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International NEW DELHI TIMES Sudan undertakes Images show North review of military Korea nearing business companies completion of a ◆ By NDT Bureau missile building site @NewDelhiTimes ◆ By NDT Bureau [email protected] @NewDelhiTimes UNA, the official news agency of [email protected] S Sudan reported that in a meeting held on 22 April 2020, Sudanese Prime Minister ashington-based think tank Center for Abdallah Hamdok was briefed about the W Strategic and International Studies progress made in reviewing the status of (CSIS) has released a set of images that show industrial and commercial companies of the North Korea nearing completion of a missile Sudanese army. Besides Hamdok, the meeting Photo Credit : Getty Images building site located near the Pyongyang included Mohamed Hamdan Daglo’’Hemetti”, agreed on the need to expedite its transfer of a wider drive since November 2019 to Airport. Beyond Parallel, a North Korea and Lt Gen Ibrahim Jaber a member of the to commercial companies under the civil abolish the system introduced under ousted Sovereign Council and Lt Gen Mirghani Idris and commercial laws.The changes planned president Omar al-Bashir. the Director-General of Sudan’s Military by the authorities, including the stepping Industry Corporation (MIC). back of Sudan’s security apparatus from The review is to be carried out by a joint the political and economic spheres, remain committee of the Ministry of Industry The meeting reviewed the work model of the main demands of the powerful civilian and Trade and the MIC, and led by the the defence industries system, as well as the opposition Forces of Freedom and Change Empowerment Removal Committee (ERC), mechanisms of joint governance between (FFC) and are likely intended to encourage which was established for this purpose in the Corporation and the government and also foreign investment. The initiative is part November 2019. US Department of Defense (DoD) concerned at foreign SIGINT acquiring a prominent investment in Defence role in intelligence gathering industry through private companies that offer certain ◆ By NDT Bureau ◆ By NDT Bureau forms of satellite-based signals capture @NewDelhiTimes and subsequent analysis. This capability is @NewDelhiTimes currently available only at cost and is targeted [email protected] [email protected] at governments and large corporations, but it is feasible that elements of space-based ignals intelligence (SIGINT) is intelligence- signals capture could become available to he US Department of Defense (DoD) gathering by interception of signals, S a wider, open-source intelligence (OSINT) T is working with Congress to strengthen whether communications between people audience. One such technique is radio foreign investment rules to prevent adversaries or from electronic signals not directly used frequency (RF) monitoring. A vital piece of in communication Signals intelligence is a SIGINT collection is repositioning and this subset of intelligence collection management. also applies to RF monitoring. Historically, As sensitive information is often encrypted, signals could be received and analysed signals intelligence in turn involves the use of Photo Credit : Getty Images and the location of emitters determined cryptanalysis to decipher the messages. through two methods. The first involved a analysis website run by the Washington- The United States Department of Defence single satellite receiver that determined the based Center for Strategic and International has defined the term “signals intelligence” direction of arrival (also called the ‘angle of Studies (CSIS), said in a report accompanied as a category of intelligence comprising arrival’) of a signal to the satellite’s position. by satellite imagery released Tuesday that either individually or in combination all However, this method was not optimal, as it the facility was in Sil-li, 17 kilometers (10.6 communications intelligence (COMINT), required the location and orientation of the miles) from Pyongyang, nearly adjacent to electronic intelligence (ELINT), and satellite to be accurately known. Pyongyang Sunan International Airpo On foreign instrumentation signals intelligence May 5, CSIS Korea from its verified twitter (FISINT), however transmitted and Historically, this first method was used account (@CSISKoreaChair) revealed these extensively because of the lack of a satellite from deceitfully using mergers and acquisitions such intelligence which is derived from images in a series of tweets. constellation involving multiple satellites (M&A) to obtain sensitive US technology, communications, electronic, and foreign working in unison, but the second method – “North Korea’s new ballistic support facility’s according to a Pentagon official. “What I am instrumentation signals. Satellite-based once a number of satellites became available – most visually distinctive features are its three concerned about is nefarious [merger and intelligence-gathering dates back to just involved Time Difference of Arrival (TDoA). large interconnected drive-through buildings. acquisition] practices,” as companies struggle after the Second World War. It was first Other commonly used signal geolocation Its construction began around June 2017. to stay afloat, the Pentagon’s top acquisition proposed in 1946 by author Arthur C Clarke methods include frequency difference of The largest drive-through building measures official, Ellen Lord, said today. “We’ve talked but was ignored until 1954, when the RAND arrival (FDOA), time of arrival (TOA), and approximately 122-meters-by-43-meters’, CSIS a lot with other nations, particularly in Europe, Corporation produced Project Feedback. At frequency of arrival (FOA), or a combination Korea tweeted. and we’ve seen a lot of shell companies the time, there was growing uncertainty of calculations. In the TDoA methodology, coming in where the beneficial owner ends up surrounding Soviet strategic forces and the One of the tweets further mentioned that “The the exact locations of two or more receiving being one of our adversaries. I’m particularly number of Soviet long-range bombers. building also has a 37-meter-by-30-meter satellites need to be known in terms of their concerned about that,” Ellen Lord said. elevated center section high enough to allow Project Feedback provided the foundation speed and velocity. These two calculations are for the United States to proceed with a for a Hwasong-14 or Hwasong-15 ICBM on often the source of gelocation errors because a TEL”. Lord also expressed concerns at the flow satellite reconnaissance programme in an they are not exactly known. The location of the down of primes. “I believe that the major attempt to close perceived intelligence gaps. emitter can then be determined by measuring Sil-li is therefore potentially another component primes are flowing down — they have Intelligence gathered by satellite came to the difference of times of arrival to each of North Korean ballistic missile infrastructure committed — but I always like to trust, cover multiple disciplines including imagery individual intercepting satellite, regardless of that underwent modernisation and expansion yet verify,” Lord said. “I encourage all of intelligence (IMINT) through electro- the orientation of the satellite itself. in the 2010s. those companies to be as transparent and optical, synthetic aperture radar, thermal forthcoming as they can be because we have and multispectral sensors, and signals More recent applications supporting TDoA Although the precise function of the a responsibility to the taxpayer as well as the intelligence (SIGINT), for the interception have typically employed at least three satellites facility is unclear, its configuration and mid-tiers and the small companies to make of electronic communications. Although to uniquely determine two-dimensional the size of its buildings and underground sure that actions we take at the prime level commercially available, paid-for IMINT geolocation on the Earth’s surface. If operators facility (UGF) indicate that it can be used do go down all the way through the chain. boomed in the late 2000s, SIGINT has largely have a requirement to calculate for altitude, or for the assembly of ballistic missiles from However, I need to rely on CEOs of major remained the preserve of the nation-state. three-dimensional geolocation, at least four components delivered by rail from nearby primes to come forth with that data.” However, capabilities are coming on-stream satellites will be deployed. ballistic missile component factories.

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 14 11 - 17 May 2020

Delhi/NCR NEW DELHI TIMES Delhi government nods for resumption of construction work if labour is available on site Capital for over 40 days. Such a move would ◆ By NDT Bureau certainly set the ball rolling … we will start @NewDelhiTimes the assessment of the availability of labour and inventory of construction materials [email protected] at the site. Labourers at some project sites are available, so we can start construction n a relaxation in the third phase of activities there in a few days,” said PK Vats, I the nationwide lockdown, the Aam PWD’s Engineer-in-Chief. Aadmi Party government in the National Capital has given its nod for the resumption of construction activities on major Adding further, he said that the resumption infrastructure projects in the city. would allow work on the 1.2km tunnel between Mathura Road and the Ring However, the relaxation comes with the Road, the project forming a part of the condition that construction can be resumed Central government’s ITPO Pragati Maidan only on those projects for which workers are redevelopment project, an underpass “available on-site”. connecting Benito Juarez Road with San Martin Road, Barapulla Phase-3 elevated “Construction activities on infrastructure corridor and flyovers at Shastri Park and projects were completely shut in the National Seelampur. Photo Credit : Getty Images Delhi CM announces NDMC announces Rs. 15 lakh compensation Liquor in Delhi Rs. 5,000 for to kin of any employee who dies of E-rickshaw owners contracting COVID-19 while in duty to be charged

without PSV badge ◆ By NDT Bureau with ‘special ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes Corona fee’ [email protected] @NewDelhiTimes ◆ By NDT Bureau [email protected] compensation of Rs. 15 lakh has been A announced by the New Delhi Municipal @NewDelhiTimes n a move to provide financial aid to Council (NDMC) on for the family of [email protected] I E-rickshaw owners without Public any of its employee who dies of Covid-19 Service Vehicle (PSV) badge, Chief Minister contracted while on duty. n a move to boost government revenue of the National Capital, Arvind Kejriwal I that has been hit hard due to the announced to give Rs. 5,000 to them. This comes after the Delhi government declared Coronavirus-forced lockdown, the Aam Rs. 1 crore compensation to all “COVID Aadmi Party government in the National warriors” who dies from the deadly disease. Capital has decided to impose a 70 per cent ‘Special Corona Fee’ on liquor sale in the A senior officer with NDMC said, “This Capital city. would include all manners of engagement Photo Credit : Getty Images with us - regular, contractual and outsourced deceased.” Adding further, he said, “This wagers. All such cases will be screened compensation will be available to all eligible by a committee set up by us, comprising cases for a period of three months from the of Director (Medical Services), Director date of issue of this order. There is no age (Finance) and concerned head of department limit. It will not cover those not attending with the Director (Welfare), before the duties, and if death from COVID-19 cannot amount is sanctioned to the legal heir of the be ascertained or attributed to duty.” Union Health Ministry notifies new set of warnings to be printed on packets of all tobacco products ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes Photo Credit : Getty Images [email protected] Announcing the move on social media, the Chief Photo Credit : Getty Images Minister tweeted, “We are giving Rs. 5,000 to otifying new sets of enhanced health As a result of which, the liquor in Delhi PSV badge holders to help Delhi drivers N warnings to be printed on packets will cost more. The order by the Finance Photo Credit : Getty Images during the lockdown. of all tobacco products, the Union Health Department, imposing the fee, was issued or distribution of cigarettes or any tobacco Ministry stated that tobacco products late on May 4. products shall ensure that all tobacco product Meanwhile, we came to know that thousands manufactured or imported or packaged packages shall have the specified health of E-rickshaw owners do not have PSV on or after September 1 this year will be Describing the fee, the Finance Department warnings exactly as prescribed.” badges. Today the Cabinet has decided to mandated to display the first set of images order signed by the Deputy Secretary read, give Rs. 5,000 aid to all such E-rickshaw while those after September 1 next year Adding further, it said that violation of the “70 per cent of the maximum retail price on owners.” will display the second set of images. Citing provision will land you in imprisonment all categories of liquor sold through retail the amended Cigarettes and other Tobacco or fine as prescribed in Section 20 of the licences for consumption off the premises.” The AAP-led government relaxed the Products (Packaging and Labelling) Rules, Cigarettes and Other Tobacco Products restrictions imposed due to Coronavirus the statement by the concerned Ministry said, (Prohibition of Advertisement and Regulation According to the statement, “It will be 70 pandemic and allowed the opening of public “Any person engaged directly or indirectly in of Trade and Commerce, Production, Supply per cent of the MRP. The new rates will be offices in the Capital city. the manufacture, production, supply, import and Distribution) Act, 2003. imposed from Tuesday (May 5) morning’. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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Delhi/NCR NEW DELHI TIMES Central Road Research Delhi government Institute issues initiates cost-cutting recommendations measures, freezes for safe use of public DA, DR of employees transport till June 30 ◆ By NDT Bureau ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes @NewDelhiTimes [email protected] [email protected] n order to ensure safe use of public I n the wake of the substantial hit to transport once the nationwide lockdown I is lifted, the Central Road Research revenues with a complete shutdown of Institute’s (CSIR-CRRI) has issued certain industries and trade due to the nationwide recommendations that include limiting the lockdown put in place to contain the number of passengers in buses and separate Photo Credit : Getty Images spread of Covid-19, the Aam Aadmi Party gates for boarding and alighting Metro pedestrians crossing on to opposite sides do state governments and ministries in the government in the National Capital has coaches. not come in contact with each other. central government as the transport experts initiated cost-cutting measures. at CSIR-CRRI say that these moves will Also it proposes a dynamic display showing The guidelines also propose creating a help manage crowds, encourage pedestrians the number of available seats in Metro trains partition between the driver’s seat and the and cyclists to ensure social distancing and buses, and also earmarking the waiting back seat in taxis using a plastic sheet along and ensure the presence adequate transport area in stations. with painting additional zebra crossings infrastructure to discourage people from at each intersection to make sure that These guidelines are to be shared with all using private vehicles. Delhi government Government schools in Delhi Photo Credit : Getty Images allows only people The Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal led to shut from May 11 to June 30 government in the Capital city has frozen with no symptoms the dearness allowance (DA) and dearness relief (DR) of its employees and has kept to enter state for Summer break any proposal for spending not related to the Covid-19 outbreak in abeyance till June 30. ◆ By NDT Bureau Only Rs. 400 crore has been generated by the @NewDelhiTimes AAP government in tax revenues in April - a [email protected] tenth of its projected collections. In a move to cover this deficit, the administration has fter giving its nod to the movement of been directed to cut expenditure and initiate A the migrant workers and others stranded measures to recover the economy. across the city into the state, the Aam Aadmi party led government in the National Capital Delhi’s ‘special allowed only people with no symptoms of Covid-19 to enter the Capital city, as Corona fee’ on liquor per standard operating procedures (SOP) released on Tuesday, May 5. fails to impact crowds

◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes [email protected]

elhi government’s imposition of 70 per D cent ‘special Corona fee’ on alcohol failed to deter the crowds and the demand of liquor in the Capital city on Tuesday, May 5. There were huge crowds and long queues outside the liquor shops even on the second Photo Credit : Getty Images day of the third phase of nationwide place in the school during the vacations will Covid-19 lockdown but the situation was ◆ By NDT Bureau be suspended due to Coronavirus outbreak, less chaotic than it was on Monday, May 4. @NewDelhiTimes said the education department. Photo Credit : Getty Images [email protected] “It is possible that we are detecting more Binay Bhushan, director of education, said, cases now that we are testing more. Earlier, he Aam Aadmi Party government in “We used to conduct Mission Buniyaad only those who were symptomatic were T the National Capital on Wednesday, classes and remedial classes during vacation, being tested. However, now we know that May 6, announced that the government and which won’t take place this time. around 80% people either have no symptoms government-aided schools in the capital city or very mild symptoms. So, we might have will shut for summer vacations from May 11 So, we will be continuing all online classes missed many cases who have now spread the to June 30. and sending daily activities to students, infection in the community,” said an official. through text and interactive voice response Photo Credit : Getty Images The decision announced, applies only to (IVR) calls.” Several liquor shops in parts of south and Those found with mild symptoms will be government and government-aided schools south-east Delhi’s Govindpuri, Mandawli, mandated to download the Aarogya Setu while the private schools, as usual would It is to be noted that since March 23, regular Ashram and Kalkaji, of the total 172 app, following which they will be home decide the dates of their vacation. classroom teaching, due to the nationwide government liquor shops that opened after quarantined for 14 days. Those found lockdown, has been suspended in schools 43 days of shutdown, remained shut on with symptoms like high fever, difficulty Following a similar summer vacation and the government and private schools Tuesday, May 5 due to running out of stock breathing, cough and chest pain will be schedule to that of previous years, additional continued with the teaching through web while others said they did not have enough tested for Covid-19. teaching-learning activities that used to take classes, texts and automated messages. volunteers to ensure an orderly queue.

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Neighbourhood NEW DELHI TIMES Rohingya refugees COVID-19 not floating at sea land on affecting Afghan Bangladesh island border fencing, t least 29 Rohingya refugees from a Pakistan Army says A fishing boat floating for weeks in the Bay of Bengal have landed on an island in fficials in Pakistan say a unilateral southern Bangladesh, officials said. O construction effort has erected a robust fence along “more than 70%” of the The refugees, including 15 women and six country’s roughly 2,600-kilometer border children, landed on Bhasan Char island with Afghanistan, and the coronavirus and are believed to be from one of several pandemic has not hampered the work. boats stuck at sea, said Tonmoy Das, the chief local government official in Noakhali The army-led, roughly $500 million project district. Das said food, doctors and a team to secure the largely porous and historically Photo Credit : Getty Images of 10 policemen were sent to the island to open frontier was launched in 2017, and “The fencing activity has not stopped. The boundary”. The border fencing in a traditionally take care of the refugees. An official from officials expect it to be finished by the end of stretch of Pak-Afghan border in Khyber lawless border region followed years of Bangladesh’s Refugee Commissioner’s this year or by summer 2021. Pakhtunkhwa is near completion and the sustained counter-militancy operations, office in Cox’s Bazar district said the office The fence has been installed along more work is speedily underway on the stretch in killing thousands of militants and pushing was aware of the development. The official than 85% of the border in north-western Baluchistan,” Iftikhar told Pakistani ARY many others into volatile border provinces spoke on condition of anonymity because he Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, and almost news channel in an interview broadcast. of Afghanistan. was not authorized to speak to the media. 70% percent in southwestern Baluchistan Officials maintain the fence would go a long The Pakistani military says it has effectively province, according to the information way in addressing concerns of Pakistan “dismantled” terrorist infrastructures in shared with VOA by the military’s media and Afghanistan stemming from illegal the area, leading to improved security and wing, the Inter Services Public Relations crossings and militant infiltration. a sharp reduction in militant attacks in the (ISPR). Afghan officials are opposed to Pakistan’s country. The pair of three-meter-high mesh fences, a border security measures because Kabul One of the border districts, North Waziristan, couple of meters apart, are filled and topped disputes the 1893 British colonial era however, has experienced a spike in attacks with coils of razor wire, running through demarcation, what Afghans still refer to on Pakistani security forces in recent months, rugged terrain and snow-capped mountains as the Durand Line. Islamabad rejects the fuelling concerns militants are trying stage a as high as 12,000 feet. Additionally, objections and maintains Pakistan inherited comeback in their former stronghold. hundreds of new outposts and forts, equipped the international frontier after gaining with modern surveillance gadgetry, also are independence from Britain in 1947. The ISPR dismissed those concerns and being built. The United States also has hailed Pakistan’s explained the violence stemmed from Chief military spokesman Major-General border security measures and the U.S. officials ongoing “intelligence-based” security Photo Credit : Getty Images Babar Iftikhar told a local news channel that told lawmakers during recent Congressional operations to clear remaining “terrorist Rights groups said recently that hundreds of the coronavirus-related lockdown has not hearings that Washington “sees the Durand hideouts” and “sleeper cells” in the district. Rohingya are stranded on at least two fishing affected the border security project. Line as the internationally recognized Credit : Voice of America (VOA) trawlers between Bangladesh and Malaysia. The refugees reportedly attempted to illegally reach Malaysia, but failed because Sri Lankan poll of strict patrols to keep out the coronavirus. The United Nations, the British government date of June 20 and Human Rights Watch have recently urged Bangladesh to shelter all the refugees challenged in floating at sea, but the government had a lukewarm response, saying all other nations in the Bay of Bengal region should also Supreme Court share the responsibility of sheltering them. Bhasan Char was previously submerged by ◆ By NDT Bureau monsoon rains but Bangladesh’s government @NewDelhiTimes said in January that it was ready to house [email protected] up to 100,000 Rohingya refugees from the crowded and squalid camps where they’ve he dissolution of the Eighth Sri lived for years in Cox’s Bazar. T Lankan Parliament and the decision to Bangladesh’s navy was involved with a hold Parliamentary elections on June 20, has multimillion-dollar project under which been challenged in the country’s Supreme flood protection embankments, houses, Court. hospitals and mosques have been built on the island. In separate petitions, the Samagi Jana Balawegaya (SJB or United People’s Front), But no refugees have agreed so far to the opposition party led by former Leader move to the island, and the U.N. and other of Opposition Sajith Premadasa, senior 2020. The Petitioners have stated that while their fundamental rights. international agencies did not show much journalist Victor Ivan, the Colombo-based optimism about the relocation to the newly the said Gazette remains in place, a new NGO Centre for Policy Alternatives, and The Petitioners have observed that it is built island. date for the election of the Ninth Parliament Attorney-at-Law Charitha Gunarathne cannot be fixed beyond June 2, 2020. impossible to hold a free and fair election The U.N.’s refugee agency said that it was have contested the Election Commission’s in the context of the COVID-19 crisis. concerned about the refugees. decision to hold polls on June 20-it has said The Petitioners argued that regardless of The health risk would seriously impede the date is subject to review-arguing that the how it is dissolved, Article 70(5) of the campaigning efforts and voter turn outs, “The U.N.’s longstanding position is that environment was not conducive to hold a Constitution provides a mandatory time which are essential for a free and fair comprehensive technical and protection free and fair election. limit within which a new Parliament should election. assessments to evaluate the safety and meet, i.e. three months from the date of sustainability of life on Bhasan Char are Due to the rapid spread of COVID-19 dissolution. Further, it would be difficult for election essential before any relocations to the island pandemic, the Election Commission on officers and voters to maintain social take place. The U.N. has long been prepared April 20, 2020, postponed the election and The Petitioners state that if March 2, 2020, distancing during the election and the to proceed with onsite assessment work,” fixed the election for June 20, 2020. dissolution is permitted to stand, this would preparation for the same, which would Louise Donovan, a spokeswoman for the have required the new Parliament to meet increase the risk of the spread of the virus. United Nations High Commissioner for The Gazette by which the Eight Parliament for the first time by June 2, 2020. Thus, a As such there is a likelihood that elections Refugees, or UNHCR, said in an email. was dissolved fixed the date for the first decision to hold the election on June 20, could be further postponed beyond June Credit : Associated Press (AP) meeting of the Ninth Parliament for May 14, 2020 is unconstitutional, and a violation of 20. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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North America NEW DELHI TIMES Social distancing long routine in areas run by armed groups or people in Mexican towns and The peace promised by President Andrés López Obrador has denounced it, but said it the virus going to scare you?” But there are F villages where criminal gangs, armed Manuel López Obrador hasn’t arrived, and was inevitable. signs that some Mexicans are scared, and are groups and drug traffickers hold more sway organized crime runs rampant. People shrug trying to protect themselves. In the rugged Tarahumara mountains of than the state, the novel coronavirus is just when asked to take precautions for the northern Chihuahua state, where organized Nobody knows violence like residents of the the latest danger. The threat of death and the coronavirus. crime controls drugs, the illegal logging western state of Sinaloa, but unlike those in inability to move freely are nothing new. “We’ve been living 10 years in quarantine,” business and most movement, patrolling some other remote outposts, they also know From the northern border to the western the woman said. “It’s not hard to stay home soldiers advise residents to take precautions coronavirus, especially in the capital. The sierra to the Gulf Coast, hundreds of anymore.” to avoid COVID-19, according to a resident state saw 92 people succumb to the virus in Mexican communities have been under in Sisoguichi. a month; that same time, 74 were murdered. In some places, the changes are just aesthetic. curfew and quarantine for years. Their But the government’s presence has always residents are unable to move around at night, Agua Prieta, a desert border outpost across Even as life goes on in working-class been perfunctory and fleeting. The criminals or from their town to another under control from Arizona, is a drug-smuggling spot and neighbourhoods of the state capital Culiacan are the authority and they don’t pause or of a different gang. a place where migrants cross illegally into -- a city where dead drug capos rest in more seem much concerned about the health the U.S. luxury than most living residents -- it appears Death from a bullet or after disappearance emergency. that some in Sinaloa are taking the virus has long been an ever-present possibility -- seriously. “The drug traffickers, the bosses, “It can sound really cold, but if we compare making the risk of coronavirus seem abstract, are afraid, they’re in their bunkers fearing the dead from violence and those from the even as the toll grows around Mexico. infection. They know they can die from it”, pandemic, the first are more,” said a local said Juan Carlos Ayala, expert in violence “A lot of people don’t believe it, aren’t who declined to be identified, because at the Sinaloa Autonomous University. careful, I think because of what we’ve been days earlier a group had entered the town “They are worried when someone arrives through,” said a woman from Tamaulipas, a shooting, killing four and kidnaping two from Culiacán. And of course, the wave of northern border state long plagued by cartel more, one of whom later turned up dead. violence keeps going. They’re killing each violence across the Rio Grande from Texas. “Using a mask and gloves doesn’t protect other the same as before” “They say if 10 years of war haven’t killed you from bullets.” us, a virus isn’t going to.” In the mountains, the domain of the Sinaloa The man doesn’t minimize the virus. With cartel, a resident said some have stocked She spoke on condition of anonymity the nearest medical specialist 300 kilometers up with essentials to avoid having to travel because in Ciudad Miguel Aleman, the (about 185 miles) away, he can imagine to Culiacan, and you see fewer. cars on the border town where she lives, it’s dangerous what would happen if the coronavirus spread highway. to speak with journalist even about an through ravines connected by sinuous dirt epidemic. In Tamaulipas -- in big cities roads. He’s also worried about the economic Néstor Rubiano, a mental health expert with Photo Credit : AP Photo with assembly plants churning out washing impact. But he said others are sceptical. Doctors without Borders, said doctors have machines and flat screen TVs for the U.S. A humanitarian worker there recently trouble getting to towns in the mountains “A lot say its rumors to scare the people, that market, or in remote ranching communities noticed a street-level drug dealer was of Guerrero state, and competing criminal it’s not going to come there, that it’s made -- any home could be a safe house holding wearing a mask, and the local crime group groups control access. This is the land of up by the government,” he said. “There’s a migrants, drugs, guns or cash. was giving away food and other necessities. opium poppy production, with checkpoints lot of disbelief.” The 34,000 murders last year surpassed It’s a public relations tactic seen in various manned by rifle-toting narcos. any year on record. And last month’s toll of parts of Mexico during the past month There is a “desensitization” toward violence So, he said, some residents decided to self- 3,000 homicides was highest for any month to curry favor with locals; among those for those who live close to death, said quarantine. since July 2018, according to official data. handing out relief kits were the daughter psychotherapist and trauma expert Susana Another 61.000 people are missing. of kingpin Joaquin “El Chapo” Guzman. Uribe. “If you already live scared, how is Credit : Associated Press (AP)

in the U.S. State Department’s Bureau of US willing to Western Hemisphere Affairs, said, “When Puerto Rico files the authorities deny public data, it is even increase sanctions more difficult to know how the pandemic fiscal plan, rejects is.” austerity measures on Nicaragua He noted that the U.S. government has he United States government said already sanctioned 18 people tied to the uerto Rico’s government said it has T it is prepared to step up pressure on government, including Ortega’s wife, P asked a federal control board to delay the administration of Nicaragua President Vice President Rosario Murillo, and two austerity measures for at least two years Daniel Ortega and applauded sanctions of their children, and six public entities, and warned it doesn’t have enough money announced a day earlier by the European including the National Police. “We are open to pay bondholders as it struggles with the to increasing the pressure, applying more costs of recent earthquakes, the COVID-19 Union against six government officials. Photo Credit : AP Photo sanctions not only on individuals linked to crisis and the aftermath of hurricanes Irma its request for a delay in austerity measures. Ortega, but also entities that facilitate the and Maria. repression,” he said. “Puerto Rico must be realistic and prudent Officials said that they submitted a revised in conserving its resources in preparation The government violently put down fiscal plan requested by the board that for unknown and unexpected events that are street protests that began in April 2018 oversees the island’s finances and said becoming increasingly inevitable,” the plan and accused those who participated of the U.S. territory is bracing for billions of states. attempting to overthrow the government. dollars in losses as a result of shrinking tax Murillo appeared to allude obliquely to the revenue and a drop in tourists, among other The federal control board did not European Union’s sanctions in an address as factors. immediately respond to a request for “the pandemic of hate” pushed by “empires comment. It’s unclear whether it would that have built themselves on the deaths of The filing came as the U.S. Federal accept the proposed changes, which include thousands of people.” Emergency Management Agency announced a rejection of pension cuts sought by the it was extending its suspension of field Nicaraguan children continue attending board. operations related to a series of earthquakes school and the country still holds sporting Last week, the board ordered that Puerto due to a coronavirus lockdown. events and other mass gatherings. Ortega Rico’s municipalities pay a total of $66 Photo Credit : AP Photo has tried to block parallel citizen efforts A magnitude 5.5 earthquake caused damage million owed to the central government The comments came in the midst of the aimed at providing information about the in several southern towns, continuing a despite some mayors warning that such a COVID-19 pandemic, which Ortega’s virus outbreak. string of quakes that began in late December move would leave them bankrupt. government has made little move to confront. “We have not finished and we will not finish and have caused an estimated $1 billion in The minuscule number of coronavirus Omar Marrero, executive director of the with the measures we have until we see damage. cases acknowledged by the government are Puerto Rico’s Fiscal Agency and Financial concrete steps on the part of Ortega,” said widely believed to be a dramatic undercount The government cited those costs, as well Advisory Authority, said in a statement that Piechowski, who listed freeing all political and international health organizations have as an upcoming hurricane season that is he hopes to reach “reasonable agreements” prisoners without conditions and electoral urged the government to be more proactive. expected to be more active than usual and a with the board in upcoming weeks regarding reforms. COVID-19 crisis that officials estimate will the revised fiscal plan. Deputy Assistant Secretary Jon Piechowski, Credit : Associated Press (AP) have a $5.7 billion impact on the economy in Credit : Associated Press (AP)

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Africa NEW DELHI TIMES Al-Shabab releases radio address amidst COVID-19 pandemic Terms the health crisis as divine punishment China and the United States. He gave ◆ By NDT Bureau as examples China’s mass detention of @NewDelhiTimes hundreds of thousands of Uighur Muslims in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region [email protected] and US military involvement in Afghanistan, Iraq, North Africa and the Sahel, Somalia, n 27 April, a new 28-minute radio Syria, and Yemen. O address by Ali Mohamud Rage (alias Ali Dheere), Harakat al-Shabaab al- The “disbelievers” (kuffar; singular: kafir), he Mujahideen’s official spokesperson, was continued, were being severely afflicted by broadcast on Radio al-Andalus and Radio the pandemic as divine punishment for their al-Furqan, the two terrestrial radio stations persecution of Muslims and as a sign to them Photo Credit : Getty Images of the Somali militant Islamist group. The from Allah that he can strike them down at serve as a reminder to Muslims of the many to repent for their sins and return to Islam, release of the new message was hinted at by any time despite their worldly wealth and their more severe punishments awaiting them in engaging regularly in the obligatory and Rage in a 25 April radio address marking the military and economic power. Hell if they do not repent and reform their supererogatory prayers, and increased start of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan. In lives, he said, invoking the Quran, ahadith charity to the poor and those hardest hit the earlier broadcast Rage said that Muslims Rage said that Muslims and Muslim-majority (reports of the Prophet Muhammad’s sayings by the pandemic. Somalis should also, should perform the optional but religiously countries have been negatively impacted by and actions; singular: hadith), and Islamic he added, only trust doctors and medical recommended Tarawih prayers at night Covid-19 as a divine punishment for their law (sharia) and jurisprudence (fiqh). personnel who are good Muslims, and throughout the month when Sunni Muslims sins, in particular for the Ummah’s (global stay away from foreign kuffar and apostate gather to recite parts (juz) of the Quran, Muslim community) slide toward unbelief Rage offered a number of recommendations (murtadd) doctors such as those affiliated acknowledging that mosques may be closed (kufr) and its embrace of unIslamic practices to Somali Muslims to address the pandemic. to the African Union Mission in Somalia because of the pandemic, but saying that the in their societies. By allowing the spread of Chief among these was a call for them to (AMISOM) and Federal Government of prayers can still be performed at home. “moral corruption” (fasad) in their societies rededicate themselves to Islam and shun Somalia (FGS). Somalis should only accept Muslims have allowed the steady erosion of Western and other unIslamic influences medical treatments that do not contravene The countries hardest hit by the pandemic, Islam and Islamic principles in the heartlands on their lifestyles. Despite the hardships sharia, and must not empathize with kuffar Rage said, were those that are the “most of the religion, he said. Pandemics like brought by Covid-19, Rage contended that afflicted by the virus because it is a divine hostile” to Islam and Muslims and include Covid-19 are punishments from Allah and it also presented an opportunity for Muslims punishment. Emirates and other key Arab countries. The French commander: Libyan official: 5 government in Tripoli is backed by Turkey, South African brewer which deployed troops and mercenaries to Extremists in Africa killed, dozens wounds help defend the capital in January, as well says it may dump try to exploit virus in Tripoli shelling as by Italy and Qatar. Mercenaries, mainly 400M bottles of beer from the Syria battlefield, are now fighting slamic extremists in West Africa’s rtillery shelling by Libya’s eastern- on both sides and complicating the already outh African Breweries, one of the I Sahel region are trying to exploit A based forces killed more than five complex proxy war. S world’s largest brewers, says it may COVID-19 to gain followers but haven’t had civilians and wounded dozens in the capital, have to destroy 400 million bottles of beer Meanwhile, a report by U.N. experts monitoring much success, according to the commander Tripoli, an official with the country’s U.N.- as a result of the country’s ban on alcohol sanctions against Libya obtained earlier this of the French military’s Operation Barkhane supported government said sales that is part of its lockdown measures to week said that a private Russian security there. combat the spread of the coronavirus. It was the latest attack on Tripoli by the company has provided between 800 and eastern forces’ commander Khalifa Hifter, 1,200 mercenaries to support Hifter’s The coronavirus has had little impact on who launched a push last year to capture the offensive on the capital. counterterrorism operations by the more city. The fighting, which has killed hundreds than 5,000 French soldiers in the arid region Hifter’s artillery hit two Tripoli neighborhoods, of civilians and displaced tens of thousands, just below the vast Sahara Desert, Gen. Tajoura and Abu Salim, according to Amin al- has mostly stalemated in recent months. Pascal Facon told reporters. Hashemi, the Health Ministry’s spokesman with the Tripoli-based government. Children COVID-19 “doesn’t change anything and and paramedics were among the 46 civilians everyone is very focused on the way the wounded in the shelling, al-Hashemi added. mission goes,” he said, adding that they have learned to adapt accordingly. “Much “This the first time since the beginning of 2020 that residential neighborhoods are that has been done to implement individual Photo Credit : AP Photo and collective measures to ensure that this intensively targeted,” he said. South Africa stopped all sales of alcohol constraint is as minimal as possible.” Artillery shells fired by Hifter’s forces struck when its lockdown came into effect on the area around the Italian ambassador’s March 27 and the brewery has seen beer pile He attributed the very few cases among residence, killing two civilians, according to up at its production facilities. The brewer is French soldiers to constant vigilance and a the Italian Ministry of Foreign Affairs. seeking special permission from government wide distribution in the field that minimizes to move the beer to other storage facilities. the risk of large-scale virus transmission. “These attacks are unacceptable and denote contempt for international law and human The transport of alcohol has also been outlawed in South Africa. But cases are rising in Burkina Faso, Mali, life,” the ministry said in a statement. Niger, and Chad. Health authorities have SAB told news station eNCA that if it’s not At the United Nations, U.N. spokesman confirmed more than 120 COVID-19 deaths able to move the beer, which amounts to Stephane Dujarric said the world body in the countries where Barkhane is active, about 130 million liters (34 million gallons), continues “to remind the parties of their it’ll be forced to “discard” it at a loss of obligations under international humanitarian Experts have said that limited testing about $8 million. That loss would put 2,000 law to take all feasible measures to avoid capacity in remote and volatile parts of jobs at risk, SAB said. Africa means health authorities aren’t able civilian harm.” It would also be frustrating news for millions to track the virus well. Photo Credit : AP Photo Earlier this week, the International Criminal of thirsty South African beer drinkers who Libya has been in turmoil since 2011, Court’s prosecutor Fatou Bensouda said her are going without. As for the extremists, Facon said “they when a civil war toppled long-time dictator office is working on new arrest warrants for exploited it as propaganda by saying it was Moammar Gadhafi, who was later killed. possible war crimes committed in Libya. South Africa is one of just a handful of punishment.” The country has since 2015 been split countries that have prohibited alcohol sales Attacks on civilians may constitute crimes between rival administrations in the east as part of its fight against the coronavirus. He said Barkhane has recorded substantial under the Rome Statute that established and the west, each backed by armed groups India and Thailand also had bans on alcohol progress in the fight against the Islamic State the ICC, she said, adding that military supported by an array of foreign powers. sales, but recently lifted their restrictions. in the Greater Sahara, though he wouldn’t commanders will be held accountable for Panama and Sri Lanka still have bans in give specific details. crimes committed by their forces. Hifter’s offensive is supported by France and place. Credit : Associated Press (AP) Russia, as well as Egypt, the United Arab Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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South America NEW DELHI TIMES

been a staunch ally of opposition leader Virus fears begin to Maduro airs video of Juan Guaidó, the lawmaker recognized by Bolsonaro accused nearly 60 nations as the country’s legitimate haunt crowded slum American detained in president. U.S. Secretary of State Mike of meddling in Rio in Argentine capital Venezuela plot Pompeo reiterated Trump’s claims from a day earlier that there was no direct U.S. federal police cry all night. I have panic attacks enezuelan President Nicolás Maduro involvement. resident Jair Bolsonaro was in a stir “I because I’m horrified to think that we touted a video showing a scruffy- V again after Brazil’s former justice could get sick,” the 43-year-old woman looking American divulging details about a “If we’d have been involved, it would have P minister reportedly accused him of trying said from the door of a home surrounded by failed invasion as proof that U.S. authorities gone differently,” he chided. to personally pick the head of federal police rusting sheets of roofing, cardboard boxes backed an alleged attempt to forcibly remove A senior Trump administration official operations in Rio de Janeiro, where the far- and other debris. “My little girl is a patient him from power. reiterated Pompeo’s stance and said the U.S. right leader has a home and two of his sons at risk. If she gets infect, she could die.” Maduro aired a video of Luke Denman on government is intensely monitoring for any are politicians. With the traffic of the wealthier city rushing state television in which the 34-year-old potential threats to the safety and security of by above, Villa 31 is a symbol of Argentina’s Texas native claims he signed a contract Guaidó. TV Globo and mainstream Brazilian inequality. Some 45,000 people live in its 70 with a Florida-based company to train rebel Democratic congressional staff, meanwhile, newspapers reported that former Justice hectares (170 acres), between the capital’s troops and carry out the assault in exchange contacted the State Department multiple Minister Sérgio Moro told investigators that port and a main rail line. for up to $100,000. times seeking any information about possible Bolsonaro pressured him in March to accept contacts with Goudreau or knowledge of his a political appointee to head the country’s Until this week, the area had been relatively “I was helping Venezuelans take back federal police office in Rio. spared by the pandemic, which began to control of their country,” he said. activities. spread in wealthier districts. But officials Denman and Airan Berry, both former U.S. In the video aired, Denman said Goudreau The president’s sons, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro worried that infections may quickly rip special forces soldiers who served in Iraq, tasked him with training troops, and then and city council member Carlos Bolsonaro, through the crowded district began to do were detained following what authorities staging an attack to “secure” Caracas and the are under investigation by Rio state widespread COVID-19 testing. described as a botched beach landing in airport. He said he arrived in Colombia in prosecutors and police. The president the fishing village of Chuao. Both men are mid-January, driving to the border with two said that neither he nor those two sons are associated with Silvercorp USA, a private others to instruct about 60 people. subjects of federal police investigations. firm founded by Jordan Goudreau, an ex- “I believed it was helping their cause,” he Moro, who shot to fame as the judge who Green Beret claiming responsibility for the said, dressed in a gray T-shirt and sporting a oversaw the mammoth Car Wash corruption alleged incursion. coarsely cut hairstyle and goatee. investigation that convicted dozens of President Donald Trump has said the United Denman’s family released a statement politicians and business executives, is States had nothing to do with the purported describing him as a decorated soldier who seen as a hero by many Brazilians and was attack and Goudreau is under federal took up civilian jobs at a tree farm and a publicly granted free rein to operate in the investigation for arms trafficking, according hotel since leaving the military in 2014. Bolsonaro administration. to current and former U.S. law enforcement More recently, he’d begun working as a officials. Nonetheless, the Venezuelan leader deep-sea diver. He resigned April 24 after Bolsonaro fired Photo Credit : AP Photo insists his U.S. adversary was behind the the head of the federal police without “The first indication we had of anything apparent attempt to force him out. consulting him. Quarantine measures strictly enforced different is the images coming out of elsewhere in Buenos Aires seemed more “There’s the proof,” he said, pointing to Venezuela,” said Mark Denman, his older The president confirmed that the head of haphazard here. the video, in which Denman indicates that brother. “Our only concern only concern federal police operations in Rio was leaving Trump was behind Silvercorp’s incursion. at this time is getting Luke home safely.” In the commercial heart of the district, the that post, but said the officer was being “And there will be more.” Nonetheless, Maduro accused Guaidó of being behind the “Playón Oeste” a narrow street was crowded promoted. with small stands of venders offering vegetables, cereals, used clothes and, these “I have nothing against the superintendent days, face masks and alcohol. of Rio de Janeiro, and I don’t interfere in the federal police, and he’s being invited to Sitting behind a table offering spices be an executive director,” Bolsonaro told and other products was Jacinto Asmat, a reporters in the capital, Brasilia. 75-year-old Peruvian, who acknowledged he was afraid the virus, but said he had no The embattled Brazilian leader also accused other way to make a living — a condition he Moro of violating national security law by shared with many around him. allegedly giving journalists the content of their conversations. The aroma of cheap carne asada drifted from nearby restaurants, where customers sat indoor, ignoring quarantine prohibitions, and it mixed with the exhaust of little motorcycle-trucks carrying merchandise. A hair salon was serving a couple of customers. Photo Credit : AP Photo At dusk, youths gathered close to one of opposition critics and observers said the attack, holding up a written agreement with the neighbourhood’s main entrances, while testimony should be taken with a grain of Goudreau that allegedly bears his signature music pounded nearby. A group of men salt, noting that Venezuelan authorities as evidence. have a record of forcing statements. Though drank beer, all ignoring orders to wear face Goudreau has said he was hired by Guaidó masks and seeming unimpressed by the Denman did not appear under duress, one expert noted that he made an unusual and and is backing his claim with an eight- presence of police in bulletproof vests and page agreement. In a televised interview carrying guns. exaggerated gesture with his eyes in what may have been a covert signal to those with “Factores de Poder,” a Miami outlet “We understand that isolation can’t be the watching. popular with Venezuelan exiles, he contends same as in the formal city,” said Ignacio he never got a “single cent” for his work Curti, who works in the social integration “Special operation soldiers are trained to find but continued to prepare men for battle. JJ department of the Buenos Aires city creative ways to discredit any propaganda Rendon, a Miami-based adviser to Guaidó, government. “We know that the people live videos they are forced to make if captured said he gave Goudreau $50,000 as requested by the enemy,” said Ephraim Mattos, a Navy in a situation of greater vulnerability or with to cover some expenses. Photo Credit : AP Photo SEAL who had visited the rebel training less space in their homes. It’s sometimes According to the leaked summary of Moro’s camps in Colombia but was not involved in Guaidó has denied any involvement. advantageous and necessary for their deposition in the southern city of Curitiba, the operation. families for them to get out.” Maduro deferred when asked whether the former minister said Bolsonaro sent him the latest developments were grounds for “more or less” the following message in a text The government had admitted that pandemic He said that the odd eye movement immediately arresting Guaidó, saying prosecutors would message: “You have 27 superintendencies crackdown measures will be especially tough after saying Trump was Goudreau’s boss need to conduct an investigation. (of the federal police). I just want one, the on the 36 percent of the population already is “a clear sign from Luke that he is being one in Rio de Janeiro.” The reports did not considered to live in poverty, particularly forced.” As for the captured Americans, he said they show printed images of that exchange. informal workers and the self-employed. are, “convicted and confessed.” The confusing events have sparked new tensions Credit : Associated Press (AP) between Venezuela and the U.S., which has Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 20 11 - 17 May 2020

Opinion NEW DELHI TIMES Differing effectiveness by Governments in confronting COVID-19 about 120,000 per day. Merkel termed ◆ By David Kilgour the virus Germany’s “greatest challenge” Author & Lawyer since W.W.2, but was able to keep fatalities to 6,050, far fewer than other European countries. Germany’s states have made face masks compulsory on public transport and e’re all in this together” has been voiced “W while shopping. about COVID-19 in various nations, but the leaders whose respective nationals Denmark’s Prime Minister, Mette Frederiksen, are emerging from the pandemic fastest and was one of the first Europeans to close least damaged are often women. They place borders and enforce lockdown. She also health before the economy with leadership introduced successful economic policies styles that are both empathetic and assertive. to sustain Danes during the crisis. She has begun loosening restrictions, starting Effective strategies require a willingness with schools and small businesses. Larger to listen to health experts and scientists enterprises are assessing how to bring Photo Credit : Getty Images and then take decisive action on the best employees back to work safely. for celebrating extra-judicial murders, Russia’s Vladimir Putin lost support at home available evidence. This seems easy in minimized the COVID-19 threat. An overly after a very slow response to the pandemic. theory but is hard to do in practice. Leaders Simon Tisdall noted recently in the severe clampdown followed a belated Shielding himself, he watched as Russia’s with these unique skills care deeply about Guardian newspaper that authoritarians, lockdown. He ordered the police to kill those virus caseload spiralled upwards and the people, says Mia Mottley, Prime Minister of including Donald Trump, Jair Bolsonaro, who did not comply: “Shoot them dead.” global oil price, the main source of Kremlin Barbados. Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Rodrigo Duterte, Xi cash, sagged. Jinping, and Vladimir Putin, make the worst Brazil’s Bolsonaro appears to think he can New Zealand’s Prime Minister, Jacinda leaders in a pandemic by mishandling their turn the poor’s opposition to job-destroying Autocrats, including elected ones, have so Ardern, early on imposed self-isolation on all responses and placing political interests lockdowns to political advantage. failed the COVID-19 challenge that the world entering her country. She ignored the WHO ahead of public safety and health. “Bolsonaro has compared the coronavirus might hopefully begin to reverse a trend advice not to close airports to foreigners and to a mild flu, incited his supporters to towards authoritarian governance. Overall, moved to lockdown when New Zealand had The least effective performers, he notes, are oppose lockdown measures adopted by local democracies, especially those led by women, fewer than 150 confirmed cases. regimes that “refuse democratic and legal governments, [and] promoted unproven with the notable exceptions of the United constraints, abuse civil and women’s rights, States and Great Britain, have responded well Taiwan’s President, Tsai Ing-wen, stopped drugs on social media as miracle cures,” reject media scrutiny, tolerate corruption, during the crisis because their citizens feel that the spread of COVID-19 without the mass noted Eduardo Mello, a Sao Paulo professor. and believe that they, personally, know governance works for them. They trust it and disruptions seen elsewhere by speedily best”. rally around a national effort to beat back the closing her country to visitors from Wuhan China’s Xi Jinping is using the pandemic to advance his totalitarian goals, as evidenced disease. This lesson will hold true long after and later from all of China, and accessing Turkish President Erdoğan’s initial response by the recent arrest of 15 Hong Kong pro- the virus has been contained. citizen travel records for health checks. was to put the economy before lives. The democracy leaders. He’s lost face virtually Taiwan has a remarkably low rate of performance of Istanbul’s Mayor, a possible David Kilgour, a lawyer by profession, everywhere in the wake of the COVID-19 infection and under ten deaths. Enhanced 2023 Presidential rival, appears to worry served in Canada’s House of Commons for disaster. The Beijing cover-up of the hygiene and public disinfection measures him more than COVID-19. Erdoğan missed almost 27 years. In Jean Chretien’s Cabinet, outbreak in Wuhan and dissemination of were enacted so quickly that a lockdown an opportunity to build national unity when he was secretary of state (Africa and Latin disinformation has already cost more than wasn’t needed. an early release of prisoners excluded his America) and secretary of state (Asia- 250,000 lives and 3 million confirmed political opponents, journalists and human Pacific). He is the author of several books Germany, led by Angela Merkel, was one infections worldwide; it has plunged much rights advocates. and co-author with David Matas of “Bloody of the first in Europe to begin fast-track of the world into lockdown and economic Harvest: The Killing of Falun Gong for tests for antibodies, which currently total In the Philippines, Rodrigo Duterte, notorious calamity. Their Organs.” Trump leverages US military support to Saudi for oil production cut the will of all 23 countries in the OPEC rival Iran which unleashed 18 drones and Crown Prince and Russian President Putin. ◆ By NDT Bureau plus-an oil-producing nations’ coalition three missiles on key Saudi oil facilities in In the April 2 call, Trump asked the Crown @NewDelhiTimes led by Russia. 2019. Prince to “cut them off” over Congress proposal to end defence of the Kingdom and [email protected] Trump initially welcomed lower oil prices to impose tariffs on oil imports from Saudi and cheap gasoline prices as tax cut for Arabia and Russia. n April 2, US President Trump called drivers but Saudi declaration in mid-March O up Saudi Crown Prince Salman to end to pump a record oil output unleashed a On April 3, Trump met with Senators and oil price war with Russia and suggested that price war with Russia. As Saudi supply Executives from oil companies. Cramer without the OPEC cutting oil production, exploded during stay-home phase, battered suggested Trump to divert the dollars the the US lawmakers could pass legislation to fuel demand infuriated Republican Senators US spends defending Saudi Arabia to other withdraw the US troops from the Kingdom. from the US oil states. military priorities. The prospect of losing Then, Trump phoned Putin for production the US military protection resulted in the cuts. It seems that the US pressure exerted On March 16, 13 Republicans wrote to Saudi’s decision to cut oil production. on Saudi Arabia gave the desired results Crown Prince reminding Saudi’s strategic from the country’s point of view. reliance on Washington and urged Despite the agreement to cut a tenth of investigation on flooding of the US oil global production, oil prices had a free fall. On April 12, a landmark global deal was market by Saudi Arabia and Russia. The US oil futures dropped, Brent futures, signed to slash oil supply. The world’s the global oil benchmark, also fell. Supply biggest oil-producing nations agreed with On March 18, Senators called the Saudi cuts will boost prices when economies open Trump to the largest production cut ever Ambassador to Washington, Princess Reema up and demand rise with increased travel but negotiated. The OPEC, Russia and others to remind their support over Yemen in 2019 the US showcased extraordinary influence slashed production by about 10 per cent of and rising opposition in the Senate due to over global oil output. global output, half of those by Saudi Arabia damage to the US oil industries. and Russia, whose budgets depended on Falling oil demand could crash prices and high oil-and-gas revenues. Trump showed On March 30, Republican Senators Kevin dwindle financial clout of the OPEC + group keenness to protect the US oil industry from Cramer and Dan Sullivan introduced bill to though Trump hailed the deal. Riyadh also a historic price meltdown caused by world- Photo Credit : Getty Images withdraw US military protection-the US troops, sought credit that the Crown Prince had wide shut down. President Roosevelt and King Saud signed Patriot missiles and anti-missile defence been “instrumental”. the US-Saudi Arabia strategic partnership systems-from Saudi Arabia and called Trump administration notified Saudis that in 1945. The US granted military protection Trump to know how the US military assets In the highly interconnected world of without production cuts, the US Congress in exchange for access to Saudi oil reserves. there would be moved elsewhere to protect today, oil crash takes down thousands of cannot be stopped from imposing Now the US Navy’s Fifth Fleet and three the US troops unless Saudis cut oil output. companies’ worldwide dependent on oil and restrictions leading to withdrawal of the thousand troops are stationed to protect energy, resulting in job loss. Trump’s work US forces. The US is defending the Saudi Saudi oil exports. Saudis rely on America Trump’s oil diplomacy began with a is commendable for oil industry and in the oil industry. The agreement represented for weapons and protection against regional whirlwind of calls with Saudi King Salman, process he showcased the US might. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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Think - Tanks NEW DELHI TIMES Balancing between reputation and conscience life and pull out our self-worth from these ◆ By Dr. Pramila Srivastava values and principles, we tend to base your @PramilaBK self-worth on what you believe others think of us and base our actions on what is right [email protected] from others’ point of view. And, all this is not because you are wrong and others are right hile reputation is the aggregate of all but because we are afraid of our reputation W of our actions reflected by the people that others have helped making of us. around us, conscience is our inner voice that makes us divide the good from the Reputation plays an important role in life bad. Reputation has a direct connection and so do conscience but overrating one and with anything and everything we do as it letting the other getting compromised can is the determinant of our social standing never be a good choice. in the society. Success is something that is Photo Credit : Getty Images aimed by everyone and every successful Thus, as human beings and the only creatures our spirit that makes it even more important compromising with your conscience? person has always stressed upon the given the ability of being rational and logical, to deal with it. building and maintenance of reputation as one should be well aware of the consequences the fundamental ingredients in the making The reason behind it is very simple yet of letting one get compromised at the cost of of success. As a known fact, reputation Consciences are personal moral compasses confusing as the dilemma is that with the other. One should be well aware of creating takes a lot, like all other good things, to get that help us segregate, as per our inner voice, time passing, the human being has become and maintaining a balance between the two. built but not even a single second to get it the right from the wrong while reputation inclined to what he has as a society. Being ruined. When anything comes at such a cost, which is considered as per the public morality a social animal, the human being has more A principle-based life is the basis of one’s it would be next to impossible to let it lose becomes public spectacles, defining our own attachment to the society he lives in rather survival, as it provides the peace of mind within minutes. Thus, the human psyche in personality. While Conscience is something than what he has inside of him. What others and clarity. Also, it helps us propel our past some way or the other is more concentrated that is possessed by every individual based see of us has become more important than huge challenges with the self-belief it builds on the reputation than any other thing in life. on what one has inside of ourself reputation what we see of ourself. Thus, whatever be in us. On the other hand, reputation plays an is built and maintained by one, keeping the the situation, the human psyche has pushed important part by being the staircase for our Conscience, on the other hand, is at the heart society as a key parameter to decide one itself to what others might think of us if us success. of every person that makes us aware and for us. Conscience is what we build for do this or what opinion would others have enables us to differentiate between the right ourself, reputation is what others keep ready of us if we do that. The matter has become With both claiming such importance in life, and the wrong, good and the bad. In spiritual for us based on our actions and reactions more of others’ opinion of us and not what one must not be taken for granted at the cost terms, god resides within every soul and to certain issues, problems, situations and we have as inner voice for our own selves. of other and shall be maintained in a balance this conscience is our most sacred core and conditions. While both the reputation and with. Both reputation and conscience, giving sanctuary where we are in depth with our conscience bear same importance in our The dependency on others has become more the true essence of a life with worth shall not echoes and prevail to to make good choices, life, why is it that us possess more fear common that rather than letting our own be ever considered as forgotten parameters guided by morals. It is the leading part of towards maintaining your reputation and selves be content in living a principle-based of life. Guyana’s Green State Development Strategy: Vision 2040 The Green State Development Strategy: for providing sustainable and decent consistent recruitment and retaining of top- ◆ By International Institute for Non - Aligned Studies Vision 2040 not only aims to foster employment opportunities for the local quality personnel in the health and education sustained economic growth that is low- workforce. Moreover, this objective calls systems with better compensation packages, @iinsNAM carbon and climate resilient, but a socially for improving the operating environment associated with performance measures has [email protected] cohesive citizenry, based on better business for businesses through monitoring of the been identified as a priority in this respect. and job opportunities, improved health and performance of key public institutions and on-Aligned Movement has stressed education systems, capable institutions that reviewing outdated business regulation. on building an inclusive development Moreover, as part of strengthening institutional N can execute well their mandates to build framework that leaves no one behind. capacity, the Strategy identifies that a a resilient, diversified and internationally A major component of the second objective In line with these principles, Guyana’s comprehensive stocktaking of Guyana’s competitive economy. The Green State is building resilient infrastructure, green national development plan, the Green transparency and accountability architecture Development Strategy: Vision 2040 is based towns and urban public spaces. The theory State Development Strategy reflects the needs to be undertaken, in partnership on three key objectives. of change of the Green State Development Government’s firm commitment to leaving with civil society and include the political Strategy: Vision 2040 describes infrastructure no one behind and outlines a vision for opposition, with a view to modelling best The first objective pertains to managing development-including power generation building an inclusive and prosperous international practice. natural resource wealth. This incorporates from renewable energy sources, as a key country-a country that is capable of formulating a fiscal and monetary policy driver of the economic transformation. providing a good quality of life for all for managing development of the country’s Implementing the Green State Development citizens, including persons with disabilities, Strategy: Vision 2040 involves phasing-in natural resource wealth. The Strategy The third key objective of the Green State based on adequate infrastructure, sound activities sequentially in order to prioritise further identifies sustainable management of Development Strategy: Vision 2040 is education and social protection, low-carbon investment and drive outcomes, appreciating land resources as another critical component to build human capital and institutional resilient development, justice and political the interdependency of strategic actions, of the first objective. Further, resolving the capacity. The Strategy states that healthy, empowerment. along with the required and available land rights issues of indigenous peoples has educated and socially cohesive population capacity, skills and technology. also been recognised as an integral element. provides the foundation for human capital The Strategy was developed from a Overall first objective aims to ensure that development. To that end, a key objective (in arrangement with multi-layered, nationwide, stakeholder the country’s natural wealth must not be is to ensure equal and universal access consultation process. A first-level produced News from Non-Aligned World) lost to economic growth but managed with to quality healthcare and education. The www.iins.org the Framework1 completed in 2017 that a long-term perspective that embraces the prioritised Guyana’s long-term development principles of sustainable development. within seven themes. In the following year, seven multi-stakeholder, thematic expert The second objective pertains to supporting groups with 116 participating professionals economic resilience. The Strategy states that from Guyana’s public and private sector economic competitiveness and resilience will and civil society groups, were formed to be achieved through green and inclusive deliberate on the development themes. economic diversification. Agricultural producers will be assisted to overcome Their work established the policy trajectory persistent barriers and to make the switch under each theme. A third layer of to more sustainable techniques (e.g. consultations ensured input from Guyanese organic farming), while also expanding citizens through meetings held at 33 cluster into processing, thus increasing value sites in coastal and hinterland areas, drawing added. Supporting emerging and high participation from more than 1,600 citizens value-adding service industries to compete in surrounding communities and villages. in international markets is also essential

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 22 11 - 17 May 2020

Technology & Health NEW DELHI TIMES Doctrine of Reincarnation cannot be a justification for different practical attitudes towards living things animal world. Such a breach, according to millions of births and to become, in course But it has not happened. Why? ◆ By Smt. Maneka it, is artificial. of time, an all-knowing, liberated sage, a Sanjay Gandhi “tirthankara” as the Jains say, but the soul “The answer appears to be that a profound A believer in the doctrine of reincarnation of every individual earth worm, of every pessimism, and undervaluation of finite @ManekaGandhiBJP can never be quite sure that the mangy dog individual snail or toad, ass or pig, man or life as such, pervades the whole of Hindu that he sees lying in the slush is not one of monkey - of every living creature - is by thought. avitri Devi, born Maximiani Portas in his deceased relative or friends. Maybe the nature, substantially, identical to that of the S 1905 of Greek-English parents, wrote man’s human enemy is none but the hungry god-like sage. It only differs in broadness To the Hindu, to the Jain, to the Buddhist, a very thought provoking and profound dog that lay at his door some thirty years and clearness of consciousness, that is individual life itself is sorrow, with, at the book called “Impeachment of Man” in most, few flashes of passing joy. To break 1945 on different religions and their the iron cycle of birth and rebirth, and never “compassion factor”. She spent 30 years again to enter a womb, is the goal of every in India undertaking a systematic study true Hindu. The obsession of the transience of the world’s great religions. She spoke of earthly joy, the burdensome realization seven languages and supported herself by that “all personality is a prison” and the teaching and translation work. She died in consequent craving for “liberation” from the 1982, in poverty, sustained somewhat by her necessity of successive finite existences, are admirers round the world. traits inseparable from Hindu thought.

Why am I fascinated by her writings? Those traits are not congenial to action. Because she has brought a new insight into It may be that the selfless, emotionless, something that I believe in – reincarnation – detached action urged in the Bhagwad-Gita and holds this belief responsible for all the is the ideal. But in ordinary everyday life, it viciousness that “devout” Hindus show. is not the type of action which men generally do. In fact, without the impulse of personal This lockdown has been an eye opener for love, fear or hate - they generally do nothing. me, and I have never been so shaken. I have And the deep- rooted belief that individual life never seen so many Indians being so cruel Photo Credit : Getty Images has little value, that the sooner it is overcome to their fellow beings-especially to women- before, and whom he did not care to feed. to say, in the degree of knowledge. And the better, and that creatures’ suffering in this and to animals. Poisoning and beating to It may be that a woman’s son, source of joy the sage himself has lived through untold world is nothing but the unavoidable result of death of animals have become a norm and to her, is none but the abandoned kitten that millenniums of ignorance and unrest. King their own bad deeds in past lives, that belief, is the harassment of single women has become she once picked up in the street. No one can Bharat is said to have been reborn as a deer; the least capable of rousing in average people a blood sport. Where does all this animosity tell and as soon as one admits the possibility and good king Asoka, the most powerful any personal feeling for the welfare of men or come from? for the same everlasting individual soul to patron of Buddhism-was reborn as a boa- beasts. pass from one body to another according to constrictor, in punishment for a temporary This is what Savitri Devi has to say – its deeds - one can be expected to feel the lack of equanimity according to Buddhist Hinduism is the least capable of prompting majestic unity of life which underlies the tradition”. So far so good. This is my them to do something positive, whether it be “Hinduism can be summarized in one endless diversity of the visible world, and to deepest, most genetically ingrained belief, to make human society more comfortable sentence: it consists of seeing, in all forms look upon animals (and plants) as potential and this is what propels my actions on a day for the majority of its members, or to make of life, manifestations of the self-same men and supermen, and treat them with to day basis. the world at large a better place for all living divine power at play on various levels of loving kindness. beings, including animals and plants. consciousness. It is centred around the But she does not stop there. To Read Full Article : https://www. fundamental idea of the everlastingness of The Hindu teaching stresses the fundamental newdelhitimes.com/doctrine-of-reincarnation- the individual soul and of its life in millions identity of all the individual souls, be “It would seem, at first sight, that nothing cannot-be-a-justification-for-different-practical- and millions of bodies, through millions of they incarnated in many or any stratum of can prepare a man to love all living nature attitudes-towards-living-things successive births. It proclaims the continuity the living world. Not only is every soul better than that Grand vision of universal To join the animal welfare movement of life in time and space and denies the now embodied in an earth-worm “on its evolution, physical and spiritual, provided contact [email protected], breach between man and the rest of the way” to earn superior consciousness after by Hindu Pantheism.” www.peopleforanimalsindia.org Billions projected to will live in extremely hot areas. That’s a third of the projected 2070 population. suffer nearly unlivable But even scenarios considered more likely heat in 2070 and less severe project that in 50 years a n just 50 years, 2 billion to 3.5 billion couple of billion people will be living in I people, mostly the poor who can’t places too hot without air conditioning, the afford air conditioning, will be living ina study said. climate that historically has been too hot to “It’s a huge amount and it’s a short-time. handle, a new study said. This is why we’re worried,” said Cornell Photo Credit : AP Photo With every 1.8 degree (1 degree Celsius) increase University climate scientist Natalie at places projected to get uncomfortably and on the climate altering choices humanity in global average annual temperature from Mahowald, who wasn’t part of the study. considerably hotter than the sweet spot and makes over the next half century, according man-made climate change, about a billion or She and other outside scientists said the new calculated at least 2 billion people will be to lead author Chi Xu of Nanjing University so people will end up in areas too warm day- study makes sense and conveys the urgency living in those conditions by 2070. in China. in, day-out to be habitable without cooling of the man-made climate change differently than past research. technology, according to ecologist Marten Currently about 20 million people live in With enough money, “you can actually Scheffer of Wageningen University in the live on the moon,” Scheffer said. But these In an unusual way to look at climate change, places with an annual average temperature Netherlands, co-author of the study. projections are “unlivable for the ordinary, a team of international scientists studied greater than 84 degrees (29 degrees Celsius)- for poor people, for the average world How many people will end up at risk humans like they do bears, birds and bees far beyond the temperature sweet spot. That citizen”. depends on how much heat-trapping carbon to find the “climate niche” where people area is less than 1% of the Earth’s land, dioxide emissions are reduced and how fast and civilizations flourish. They looked back and it is mostly near the Sahara Desert and Places like impoverished Nigeria-with a the world population grows. 6,000 years to come up with a sweet spot of includes Mecca, Saudi Arabia. population expected to triple by the end temperatures for humanity: Average annual of the century-would be less able to cope, Under the worst-case scenarios for population But as the world gets more crowded and temperatures between 52 and 59 degrees (11 said study co-author Tim Lenton, a climate growth and for carbon pollution-which warmer, the study concluded large swaths of to 15 degrees Celsius). scientist and director of the Global Systems many climate scientists say is looking less Africa, Asia, South America and Australia Institute at the University of Exeter in likely these days-the study in the journal We can-and do-live in warmer and colder will likely be in this same temperature range. England. Proceedings of the National Academy of places than that, but the farther from the sweet Well over 1 billion people, and up to 3.5 Sciences predicts about 3.5 billion people spot, the harder it gets. The scientists looked billion people, will be affected depending Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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Entertainment & Lifestyle NEW DELHI TIMES Salman Khan Taika Waititi to sends packets direct new ‘Star full of ration for Wars’ film aika Waititi, the New Zealand T filmmaker of “Jojo Rabbit” and “Thor: nearby villagers Ragnarok,” will direct a new “Star Wars” film. ◆ By NDT Bureau Waititi had for months been expected to @NewDelhiTimes take the reins of the galaxy far, far away, [email protected] having already directed the season finale of the “Star Wars” streaming spinoff “The everal celebrities from the film fraternity Mandalorian”. But the Walt Disney Co. S have come forward to help needy waited until the franchise’s unofficial in these tough times by making massive holiday, May the Fourth, to make Waititi’s donations and otherwise, making their Photo Credit : Getty Images hire official. every bit to help frontline workers and daily The actor posted several videos on his social farmhouse where the actor is quarantined wagers who lost their livelihood due to the media handles, in which he along with ever since the nation-wide lockdown was Coronavirus outbreak. his friends, actress Jacqueline Fernandes, announced. rumoured girlfriend Lulia Vintour, Waluscha Salman Khan, known for his generous De Sousa, Niketan Madhok, Kamaal Khan In the caption for the video posted by him, and philanthropist efforts and initiatives, and others can be seen loading huge packets the 54-year-old actor thanked his friends. It recently made another effort in making his of ration into the bullock carts and tractors is to be noted that this is not the first time that bit to help needy in this lockdown period. to be sent to the villages near to his Panvel he has donated help in this tough situation. 1963 letter to Winfrey, Roberts appear in Satyajit Ray by global virus relief livestream Kishore Kumar is prah Winfrey keeps updated with the Shriver and then Bishop T.D. Jakes, who O coronavirus news, but she has often prayed with her. Jakes showed remorse for the latest treasure focused her attention more on the positive those who had family members and friends “acts of valour” while being on lockdown die from the virus. But the Bishop, who is trove of keepsake during the pandemic. The media mogul a talk-show host, entrepreneur and best-

◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes Photo Credit : AP Photo [email protected] Waititi will co-write the film with Krysty Wilson-Cains, who wrote the World War I ishor Kumar’s letter to Satyajit Ray thriller “1917” with Sam Mendes. Both K written in 1963 is the latest treasure Waititi and Wilson-Cains were screenplay discovered by latter’s son Sandip Ray, a well- nominees at the Academy Awards earlier known filmmaker himself at the auteur’s this year; Wilson-Cains for the original Bishop Lefroy Roadhouse in Kolkata. script to “1917” and Waititi for his adapted Nazi satire “Jojo Rabbit”. Waititi won. The announcement potentially suggests the Photo Credit : AP Photo new path forward for “Star Wars” theatrical said that she wants people to digest daily selling author, said he believes the world films following considerable upheaval information wisely during the Call to Unite can pull through. “We have seen this before in Lucasfilm’s development plans. Last 24-hour livestream global relief event. She and survived,” Jakes said. “Just a 100 years October, “Game of Thrones” David Benioff was among 200 star-studded participants ago, we went through something like this. and D.B. Weiss departed their planned including President Bill Clinton and Julia And before that, the Bubonic plague. We are trilogy. Rian Johnson, director of “The Last Roberts to take part in the event. resilient. We will work our way out as we Jedi,” was developing a separate trilogy but hold each other and love each other.” The event was initiated to help inspire people its status is unclear. Johnson has instead to endure and overcome the challenges of President George W. Bush said he believes been focused on a sequel to his 2019 film, the coronavirus pandemic. solidarity is also a solution. “Knives Out”. “I have a small diet and managed how I took “Even at an appropriate social distance, we In December, Lucasfilm wrapped up the in the news,” said Winfrey from her home, can find ways to be present in the lives of Skywalker saga with the release of “The Kishore Kumar’s son and playback singer where she has been self-quarantining with others to ease their anxiety and share their Rise of Skywalker”. But that release was the Amit Kumar recently shared the letter on three others for nearly 50 days. She said she burdens,” he said in a message. worst reviewed of the previous eight “Star social media, in which Kumar addressed hopes the event can help the world become Wars” films and not as strong at the box Ray as ‘Manik Mama’. The letter explained Clinton delivered an encouraging message office. It grossed $1.08 billion. better. that “we can get through this together”. to Ray why Kishore Kumar won’t be able To help rejuvenate the franchise, Disney “If you leave it on all the time-as I know to come down to Kolkata for recording a Roberts read a “Rescue the Princess” children’s has turned to Marvel President Kevin Feige some people do-you will be consumed by song for the iconic film Charulata, a movie book in one video, and Josh Groban sang (who produced Waititi’s “Thor: Ragnarok”) the agitation, the hysteria, the confusion based on Rabindranath Tagore’s novella a song while playing his keyboard piano and Jon Favreau, creator of the well-received and constant angst that has been put into “Nastanirh” (The Broken Nest). in another. Charlamagne Tha God gave “The Mandalorian”. your phone, home and into your spirit,” inspiring words for people dealing with Among other things, Sandip Ray has she continued. “I have chosen to focus “The Mandalorian,” for which a third season discovered unseen negatives from the sets of mental illness while hunkered inside their on so many acts of courage and valour, homes. is reportedly already in the works, has also the auteur’s films, and letters from stalwarts determination and people not giving up.” opened up other series options for “Star such as Richard Attenborough and Akira “Hawaii Five-O” actor Daniel Dae Kim said Wars”. Other shows in development include Kurosawa. These made the treasure trove of Each participant will answer calls in their he has donated his plasma after recovering an Obi-Wan Kenobi spinoff starring Ewan keepsake. own way, whether through performing a from the virus. “I hope I can be a source for McGregor and a spinoff from “Rogue One” song, sharing a story or offering a prayer. He said, “We are hopeful there will be many hope,” Kim said. based on the character Cassian Andor. more surprises.” Winfrey spoke with event organizer Tim Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 24 11 - 17 May 2020

Sports NEW DELHI TIMES Sports Leagues come together for Real Heroes Project to honour frontline healthcare workers ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes [email protected]

ince the COVID-19 outbreak, the S sports world has supported their Photo Credit : Getty Images local and national communities in their Basketball Association (WNBA), Women’s and Victoria Azarenka announced that they “honour the frontline healthcare heroes who own respective efforts. In a welcome Tennis Association (WTA), and World would cover their name on their jerseys or inspire us”. NHL Legend Wayne Gretzky, move, fourteen major sports leagues (12 Wrestling Entertainment (WWE). The two uniforms and replace it with the name of Chicago Blackhawks Captain Jonathan professional and two e-sports leagues) have e-sports league that are a part of Real Heroes their healthcare hero. Toews and Toronto Maple Leafs Assistant come together to recognise and celebrate Project are Activision Blizzard Esports and Director of Player Development and Bob and Mike Bryan, one of most successful healthcare workers on the frontlines of the Electronic Arts (EA). former Canadian Women’s ice hockey Gold men’s tennis double team of all time and COVID-19 pandemic through the Real Medalist Hayley Wickenheiser are those winners of a record 119 doubles titles Heroes Project. Each participating athlete will share honouring the healthcare workers. a personal thank you message to their together, are paying tribute to a California The professional leagues are namely chosen healthcare hero on social media doctor Dr. Joshua Wolfsohn, an infectious Among other athletes participating are Association of Tennis Professionals (ATP), utilizing #TheRealHeroes. With the help diseases expert working in their childhood New York Yankees all-star outfielder Aaron Major League Baseball (MLB), Major of creative agency 72andSunny, creative home town of Camarillo, California. Judge and Milwaukee Brewers slugger League Soccer (MLS), NASCAR, National production company Hecho Studios, and Christian Yelich (MLB), Utah Jazz point Orlando City SC captain Nani is the Basketball Association (NBA), National media publication Adweek, the multi league guard Donovan Mitchell (NBA), Arizona representative of Major League Soccer Football League (NFL), National Hockey public service announcement made its Cardinals wide receiver DeAndre Hopkins while, Orlando Pride forward Alex League (NHL), National Women’s Soccer debut on May 6, across league and team and San Francisco 49ers tight end George Morgan represents the National Women’s League (NWSL), United States Golf platform. WTA stars Ashleigh Barty, Bianca Kittle (NFL), Chicago Blackhawks Soccer League. Nani is paying tribute to Association (USGA), Women’s National Andreescu, Coco Gauff, Naomi Osaka, captain Jonathan Toews and Hockey Hall Dr. Raymond Franklin, while Morgan of Famer Hayley Wickenheiser (NHL) has honoured Dr. Steve Cheung, whose as well as Los Angeles Galaxy forward Pathology and Laboratory teams at Orlando Javier “Chicharito” Hernández, Toronto Health came together to create a COVID-19 FC forward Jozy Altidore (MLS) and Kyle test that provides results in a matter of hours, Busch (NASCAR). not days, thus expediting patient care. As part of EA Sports Stay & Play initiative, WWE has been represented by John Cena, top esports athletes across FIFA, Madden Triple H and Charlotte Flair. John Cena NFL, and Apex Legends have come together posted in in a twitter message to join and to recognize the healthcare heroes. La Liga aims to restart in June; will begin testing players he Spanish league said that it is T confident it can restart in June and finish its season by the end of the European summer, with players beginning to be tested this week so they can return to training for the first time in nearly two months. Photo Credit : AP Photo Basic training was allowed to resume in of everyone involved as we work to restart Spain after the government eased some LaLiga. Circumstances are unprecedented, of the lockdown measures that had been but we hope to start playing again in June in place since mid-March because of the and finish our 19-20 season this summer.” coronavirus pandemic. All players, coaches and club employees Spanish league players are expected to get who are going to be involved in the initial back on the field after they are tested for training phase will have to be tested two COVID-19 and after the clubs’ training days before the individual practices can facilities are properly prepared and begin. disinfected. Credit : Associated Press (AP) “The return of football is a sign that society is Contact New Delhi Times progressing towards the new normal. It will also For Complaints & Suggestions bring back an element of +91-9999331600 life that people in Spain & and around the world For Advertisements know and love,” Spanish +91-9999337800 league President Javier Tebas said in a statement. A-2/59, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi-110029 “People’s health is paramount, so we have a V i s i t u s a t : t w i t t e r @ N e w D e l h i T i m e s comprehensive protocol facebook.com/newdelhitimes to safeguard the health Printer and Publisher: Dr. (Mrs.) Pramila Srivastava, on behalf of Dr. Ankur Srivastava, Printed at Sudhir Printers, 151, Desh Bandhu Gupta Market, Karol Bagh, Delhi - 110005, Published at A-2/59 Safdarjung Enclave New Delhi-110029. Ph.: 26102520, 26105846 Fax: 26196294 Email: [email protected], Vol. 30, No. 15 Editor : Dr. Ankit Srivastava www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper