NEW DELHI TIMES R.N.I. No 53449/91 DL-SW-1/4124/20-22 (Monday/Tuesday same week) (Published Every Monday) New Delhi Page 24 Rs. 7.00
15 - 21 June 2020 Vol - 30 No. 20 Email : [email protected] Founder : Dr. Govind Narain Srivastava ISSN -2349-1221
India’s road to UNSC The death of journalism as we knew it unperturbed Wendy Mesley was sacrificed on Tuesday at the altar A great news from the Corona-scared world. of political correctness. India is set to be elected as a non-permanent Her 40-year career as a stellar journalist with the member of the United Nations Security CBC turned into ashes as she was first backstabbed Council (UNSC) for a two-year tenure on by her colleagues at work and then offered by CBC June 17, when the United Nations General management as a human sacrifice to vultures on a diet Assembly (UNGA) is scheduled to elect five of cancel culture. states for the two-year terms in the Security Council. Generally, such election is... The CBC story on its website reported... By Dr. Ankit Srivastava Page 3 By Tarek Fatah Page 2 Turks solidifying diplomatic turf
By NDT Special Bureau Page 2
Help Animals India: Makes a Success: The result of a India, Australia strengthen mark in Animal protection stronger foundation defence ties
During this time of lockdown, thousands and thousands Is there any difference between the Pyramid of Giza and On June 4, India and Australia strengthened defence ties of Indians, especially women, have cut back on their daily the Leaning Tower of Pisa? Can we analyse the difference through a pact to boost military logistics support and food and fed the street animals instead... between the two? Actually, the difference... maritime cooperation. Heightened tensions... By Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi Page 22 By Dr. Pramila Srivastava Page 21 By NDT Bureau Page 4
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Opinion NEW DELHI TIMES Turks solidifying diplomatic turf Soft Power diplomacy at its best medical supplies in Niger. “Turkish Armed of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan On June 7, Turkey’s state-run aid agency ◆ By NDT Special Bureau Forces aircraft carrying medical supplies on donation in the field of health” was delivered medical supplies to Bangladesh @NewDelhiTimes for use against the COVID-19 outbreak has signed on May 15 in Ankara. As part of landed in Niger,” Turkey’s Defence Ministry the deal, Turkey will donate a number [email protected] said in a statement on Twitter. of medical and lab devices including “5 pieces of patient observation machines, 10 O n June 9, Turkish Foreign Minister Turkey has also provided aid to Latin pieces of ventilators, 10 pieces of oxygen Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu during an online American countries, Brazil and Paraguay. concentrator, 10 pieces of oxygen regulators, event called “Refugees and Displaced On June 7, a shipment of 650 domestically 10 aspirators, 2 pieces of steam sterilizer Persons During the Pandemic: The Need produced respirators from Turkey arrived autoclave, 10 laryngoscopes, 2 defibrillators, for International Cooperation” held under in the Brazilian city of Sao Paulo. A video 3 PCR machines, 10 nebulizers and 30,000 the framework of Antalya Diplomacy of their delivery was posted by Turkish COVID-19 RT-q PCR diagnostic test kits”. Forum stated that Turkey has provided Industry and Technology Minister Mustafa aid to a total of 125 countries that asked Varank on Twitter. Turkey will also donate medications to for support for their struggle against the Afghanistan, which include 1,000 boxes COVID-19 outbreak. “During this phase, According to the Brazilian local media, the of Vitamin C, 1000 boxes of azithromycin, we once again realized the importance of 650 respirators are among 1,500 ordered 1000 hydroxychloroquine sulphate-used effective international cooperation in the from Turkey and will be distributed to for treating coronavirus, and 500 boxes face of global crises, though painfully. hospitals. Turkey has signed a cooperation of Vitamin D. Another 25,000 pieces of Analysts contend that the medical aid provided by Turkey is an attempt at soft- disposable N95 face masks and 50,000 power diplomacy to end its ‘isolation’. Turkey also wants to posit itself as an pieces of surgical and normal masks are alternative to China as a supplier for medical equipment. to be donated to Afghanistan as part of the agreement.
When considering the severity and the agreement for the health sector. As part of “This donation is granted by the government Photo Credit : Getty Images global nature of the outbreak, Turkey took this agreement, Turkey has committed to of the Republic of Turkey to the government in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic. early action on delivering help to others. send medical aid to Paraguay which includes of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan as “TIKA (Turkish Cooperation and So far, we have met 125 countries’ requests 50,000 protective suits, 30,000 N95 masks, a gesture of friendship and goodwill,” the Coordination Agency) provided one for assistance. We will continue our relief 100,000 surgical masks, 2,000 protective agreement said. thousand N95 masks, one thousand PPE efforts,” he said, addressing the event. glasses and 50,000 footwear protection suits, two ventilators and five thousand covers. Analysts contend that the medical aid Turkey also signed an agreement on similar medical masks to support Bangladesh in provided by Turkey is an attempt at soft- On June 9, a ruling published in the lines with the Oceanic island-nation of New fighting COVID-19,” the Turkish Embassy power diplomacy to end its ‘isolation’. country’s Official Gazette mentioned that Guinea on April 17 in Ankara. According to in Dhaka said in a statement. Turkey also wants to posit itself as an Turkey will send medical aid to Afghanistan the deal, Turkey will donate 300,000 surgical In addition to these, Turkey has provided alternative to China as a supplier for medical and Guinea to help these nations address the masks, 50,000 N95 face masks, 20,000 assistance to Western European countries as equipment. Last week, the Turkish National COVID-19 crisis. According to the Gazette, pieces of protective coveralls, 30,000 PCR well as those in Balkans including Serbia, Defence Ministry announced the arrival of “The agreement between the government of diagnostic kits, 30,000 extraction kits and Kosovo, Bosnia-Herzegovina, Montenegro, Turkish military cargo plane loaded with the Republic of Turkey and the government 30,000 swabs to Guinea. North Macedonia and Bulgaria. The death of journalism as we knew it endy Mesley was sacrificed on Tuesday about her? pockets. No more. Today, the phenomenon ◆ By Tarek Fatah W Author & Columnist, Canada at the altar of political correctness. Mesley’s apology was not to the of ‘activist journalism’ has been Political correctness, Her 40-year career as a stellar journalist person who ratted on her, but born. Free from the supervision @TarekFatah identity politics, cancel with the CBC turned into ashes as she was to all of Canada. She tweeted: of an editor, these ‘journalists’ [email protected] culture and “white first backstabbed by her colleagues at work “I hurt people and for that, I leap straight to ‘opinion writing,’ guilt” have combined and then offered by CBC management as a am very sorry. I am also deeply never ever going through the to make the exercise of rigours of covering the courts, human sacrifice to vultures on a diet of ashamed.” ‘objectivity’, hitherto cancel culture. crime or natural disasters unless No, Wendy, you did not hurt the essential device in there was an ethnic or racial The CBC story on its website anyone. You quoted someone a reporter’s toolbox, twist in the story. reported: “Wendy Mesley and only that person, and she or almost a swear word. suspended from hosting after he alone is responsible for those Truth be damned. The pressure using ‘careless’ language in words. is on to bury the facts, lest it discussing racial issue.” upset the sensibilities of guilt-ridden left- I can walk in the shoes of many activists wing whites. Notwithstanding the casualties It left the clear impression who proclaim “Black Lives Matter”, as I they cause, political correctness is the rule of that Mesley had uttered some have done since the days of the Canadian the day for them. racist remark on air. At no place Black Action Defence Committee. I marched did the story elaborate what the in the Million Man March, having lived as The CBC incident rings the memory of “careless” language was or that a child in a climate of anti-Black racism that Winston Churchill’s speech on March it was used in a staff meeting and is ubiquitous in the Indian subcontinent and 5, 1946, in Fulton, Missouri. Free from that they were not Mesley’s words. the Arab World. But none of that history political correctness and No. 10 Downing Street, Churchill bellowed: “From Stettin in “It was not aimed at anyone, I justifies the depiction of Wendy Mesley as the Baltic, to Trieste in the Adriatic, an ‘iron was quoting a journalist we were a racist. curtain’ has descended across the continent, intending to interview on a panel Some may consider it an exaggeration, but allowing police governments to rule Eastern discussion about coverage of racial the slow strangulation of what is permitted Europe.” inequality,” Mesley said in an apology language in newspapers and broadcast statement posted online. networks across North America is the death Today, from coast to coast to coast, another iron curtain has descended on Canada, The un-authored CBC story made no effort of journalism as we knew it. allowing ethnic vote banks to taint our to clarify the ‘when’ and ‘where’ of the Political correctness, identity politics, cancel Photo Credit : Getty Images Photo Credit politics and cut off journalism from the story. Was Wendy Mesley the sacrificial culture and “white guilt” have combined to principle of balance and objectivity, a lamb for other errors in CBC make the exercise of ‘objectivity’, hitherto situation that leads to a defenceless and reporting and judgment the essential device in a reporter’s toolbox, voiceless Wendy Mesley. that were documented at almost a swear word. There was a time when the original Canadaland opinion writing was reserved for those who Take it from this man of colour, Wendy: You are story breaking the news had a decade or more of reporting in their not a racist, you are a journalist par excellence. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper
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Editor’s Desk NEW DELHI TIMES India’s road to UNSC unperturbed Race to become non-permanent partner is almost secured India is running for the Asia-Pacific group have supported each other in election to Swaraj-India’s ex-Foreign Minister-who ◆ Dr. Ankit Srivastava seat to be vacated by Indonesia. India’s the various UN bodies and got elected represented India with absolute confidence, Chief Editor victory is almost secured for no contest from alternatively on rotational basis. dignity and grace. Comity of nations look @AnkitNDT other regional countries. Last year, India was up to India’s leadership. India has earned [email protected] nominated uncontested by the 55-member India is a great nation of 135 billion people respect on the world stage. Its importance regional group. The 2021-22 term for newly and the biggest democratic country on the has grown at the world fora. India had given A great news from the Corona-scared elected members would start from January Earth. It is set to be Number 3 economy in China a permanent seat in the UN and now world. India is set to be elected as a non- 1, 2021. This would be India’s eighth tenure the world by 2032. Prime Minister Narendra reclaims its rights. The world now needs permanent member of the United Nations at the Security Council as a non-permanent Modi is leading from the front and under his India to counterbalance China. A democratic Security Council (UNSC) for a two-year member. astute leadership Indian per capita income is and secular India truly deserves to become a tenure on June 17, when the United Nations set to rise significantly in coming decades. permanent member of the UNSC. General Assembly (UNGA) is scheduled to India will still face the ballot. The UN elect five states for the two-year terms in the election rules for principal organs require The UNSC can never acquire a truly China has lost moral rights to remain in Security Council. 129 votes out of 193 UN members which representative character sans India. the UNSC after unleashing the greatest should not be difficult given the group’s Permanent membership is welcomed but pandemic and economic collapse of the Generally, such election is held in the 21st century. It should bow out at least for a UNGA hall through secret balloting but decade to make way for India. the COVID-19 being on the rampage has India is a great nation of 135 billion people and forced postponement of all meetings till the biggest democratic country on the Earth. It is A permanent seat for India won’t be easy as the end of June. So, elections to the UNSC the current five members won’t like to break this year would be held through a changed set to be Number 3 economy in the world by 2032. the status quo and share power. China will procedure. There will be multiple venues object to inclusion of India which is backed and the member states would cast ballots by more than 120 member countries. The at specified venues during designated time endorsement. Pakistan will find raising its absence does not impact India’s foreign world wants peaceful and visionary India slots due to restrictions on large gatherings. Kashmir issue a tad difficult despite China’s relations or policy as the US, the UK, France to replace China whose efforts to hold India support. It can no more misuse the UN as a & Russia provide concrete support to India has run its course. The UNSC consists of 15 members: 5 drawing room to barge into at the flimsiest in the UNSC on important matters. India’s permanent members- the US, the UK, excuse. Initiating a discussion or exclusive aspiration to be a superpower is recognised India is a country of 135 billion people, France, Russia and China; and 10 non- meetings on Kashmir won’t be easy; as globally. so deserves the UNSC’s permanent permanent members of which 5 members China is the butt of world’s hatred. representation. The proposals to abolish are selected every two years. Those are India has lot of friends in the world and enjoys veto power and election for a short term divided into regional groups: African Group, India should control the narrative on the support of majority of countries. It has will be objected tooth and nail by the veto Asia-Pacific Group, Latin American and Kashmir and never let formal or informal emerged stronger after COVID-19. India’s powers who would never like to surrender Caribbean Group, Western European and debates initiated by Pakistan to increase its unopposed election to the non-permanent their special rights. Better to include India Others Group. importance. Historically, India and Pakistan seat can be attributed to late Sushma for better representation of humanity.
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India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 4 15 - 21 June 2020
International NEW DELHI TIMES International Political Scenario of the Week working conditions and situation in the ◆ By NDT Bureau French healthcare sector. The leader of the @NewDelhiTimes CGT union, Philippe Martinez, called on French citizens to join demonstrations on the [email protected] day to support striking healthcare workers.
Algeria Germany
Algeria has announced a gradual deconfinement The German branch of the environmental starting from June 14. Some shops are activist group, Extinction Rebellion starting to reopen in Algeria as part of a (XR), has announced that it plans to hold series of measures to ease the lockdown demonstrations and organise other forms in place to fight COVID-19, while partial of protest action across Germany in what is confinement remained in force in most of the calls as civil disobedience from June12 to country until June 13. There may be protest June 21. The protests target the government, related to these but they will be peaceful. ministries, lobbyists, and companies that the activists believe are not doing enough to Bolivia prevent what they see as a climate emergency that threatens the future of humanity. On June 15, the National Confederation of Micro and Small Businesses (Conamype) Libya has announced that it will hold a protest in La Paz. They are demanding deferral of Last week, the Libyan government launched loan payments and the temporary reduction another successful military operation - Path of payments of basic services due to the of Victory - to liberate cities in eastern and impact of the COVID-19 outbreak. Traffic central Libya, including Sirte, Jufra, towns Mexico More demonstrations are planned for June disruptions may take place but risk of in Wadi Wishka, Buerat, Jarif and Qasr Abu 14 in La Paz, Baja California Sur state, and violence is low. Haid. Protesters in Mexico clashes with police Morelia, Michoacán state, and are likely over the beating death of a 30-year-old to continue over the coming weekend France They were supported by the Turkish forces. man found hours after police arrested him in Mexico City, Guadalajara and other There is a severe risk of recurring airstrikes for not wearing a face mask in public. cities, with risk of looting and vandalism Several French trade unions, including the around Tripoli and Misrata, including the Video showed protesters in Guadalajara of commercial establishments as well as CGT, FO, SUD, and Unsa, have called for port, as the LNA attempts to cut GNA supply breaking through the government palace street confrontations between protesters and a strike warning for June 16 regarding the lines into the Oil Crescent. door, while others torched police cars. police. India, Australia strengthen defence ties India-Australia leg was the missing link in the quadrilateral strategic partnership among India, Australia, Japan and the USA to contain China. push to probe the origins of the coronavirus. and now as countries opposed to China get Unlike China, no country in today’s world ◆ By NDT Bureau aligned in strategic partnerships. China must thinks of taking other’s land. China annexed @NewDelhiTimes India-China tensions flared in May over Chinese shun its policy of expansion and attitudes Tibet by force against popular will and is invasion across their 3,488-kilometre frontier. towards India. India is not scared of China, now eyeing the Indian Territory. Situation [email protected] The border has yet not been demarcated. rather China is afraid of taking any action as may flare up as none is backing down. West China followed by India have moved in the West is aligning itself with India. This supports India completely. n June 4, India and Australia strengthened O defence ties through a pact to boost South East Asia is struggling to move past Chinese military logistics support and maritime influence post Corona pandemic. Africa, cooperation. Heightened tensions with Europe and America are re-evaluating China regional superpower China drove both on turbulence in Hong Kong, economic the nations together. With the coronavirus crisis and debt-trap policies. pandemic restricting international travel, the two leaders held a virtual summit online Tide has turned against China post Wuhan- and signed a Mutual Logistics Support scare. South Korea, Japan, India and Arrangement to upgrade their strategic Australia are exchanging island to counter partnership. Agreements on education, China. mining, defence science and technology followed. The world has realised that China traps “India is committed to further intensifying the poor nations through huge loans and Photo Credit : Getty Images comprehensive relations with Australia,” subsequently capture their assets. China hundreds of extra troops. China’s increasing Prime Minister Narendra Modi said. quadrilateral will facilitate India’s access to offered loans to Pakistan under the CPEC but assertiveness in the region has pushed India “This is important not only for our two sophisticated weapons from the US to fight took control of every operation and brought and Australia closer together to shape their nations, but is also needed for the Indo- against China. own work force to replace the locals. dealing with China. India-Australia leg was Pacific region as well as for the world,” he the missing link in the quadrilateral strategic reiterated. Australian Prime Minister Scott There are however caveats: this alliance Can Pakistan ensure that yellow doesn’t partnership among India, Australia, Japan Morrison added that “in a time like this, we is not like the NATO, so no country will eat up green with all the debts looming. and the USA to contain China. Now this has want to deal very much with friends and come and fight with India against China; Powerful alliances in the world now pitch been strengthened. Great countries, great trusted partners”. In a joint statement both there will be limitations in skills to operate democracy against communism. Pakistan democracies, great people flock together. the leaders resolved that the Foreign and sophisticated weapons from the US; and and North Korea are the only countries left Defence Ministers will now meet at least China is too aggressive and powerful in its as China’s allies. China will make a grave biannually to discuss strategic issues. China is the major trading partner of all policies. Now, the Chinese threat is known to mistake underestimating India. ‘quadrilateral’ countries which none dares the entire world. India-Australia friendship Morrison’s two earlier scheduled visits to to anger, let alone confront. China has is veering in the right direction. Chinese influence is sliding fast in all the India were postponed- first one in January stretched this to the limit inviting actions to regions including Europe, Africa, South because of the Australian bushfires and the tackle yellow peril. India now has military China has a powerful military, but can’t go America and Asia. Everyone looks at China March visit due to the Corona pandemic. logistics pact with the USA, France, South full hog to be branded as a rogue nation. Even with suspicion. Australia and India can use Canberra has been at loggerheads with Korea, Singapore and Australia-a welcomed smaller nations-Bhutan, Myanmar, Taiwan the defence bases in each other’s country in Beijing after Chinese anger over Australia’s strategic development. The time is here or Vietnam-will fight back border conflicts. turbulent times. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper
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International NEW DELHI TIMES Pakistan’s malicious influence on Afghanistan Pakistan has promoted Afghan Taliban all along so much so that the Afghan government, with all the help it received from the US, could not tackle the Taliban menace and eventually capitulated. crimes against the Kashmiri people. Now declared support for peace in Afghanistan held captive by the insurgents. The Taliban ◆ By NDT Bureau when Kashmir has been made an integral and the long elusive intra-Afghan dialogue. has released about 473 detainees, while the @NewDelhiTimes part of India, Pakistan still resorts to its age- Pakistani Army Chief, General Bajwa Afghan government has freed about 3000 old tactics of abetting terror. hurried to Kabul in an unannounced trip insurgents. [email protected] along with newly appointed Special Envoy for Afghanistan Muhammad Sadiq and No matter how much Pakistan tries, its trust ecently, the United Nations pointed ISI Chief Lt. Gen. Faiz Hameed, ahead of quotient is low. Nobody trusts Pakistan. R to Pakistan promoting terror in the commencement of a dialogue between All its averments are nothing but drama. Afghanistan. It must have gathered facts the Taliban, other Afghan factions, and Pakistan’s power will try to continue to before making such observations. The the Afghan government over a political interfere in Kabul. Why can’t these leaders truthful observation has irked Pakistan settlement of the long-running conflict. leave Afghanistan alone? Why are they beyond measure. The visit came close on the heels of US insistent that Pakistan must sink along with Afghanistan? Pakistan has numerous India has been pointing out for decades Special Envoy for Afghan Reconciliation problems of its own and has demonstrated Pakistan’s malevolent role in promoting Khalilzad’s visit to Islamabad and Kabul and its absolute incompetence to tackle those. terror in Kashmir and elsewhere. The meeting with the Taliban leaders in Doha. Photo Credit : Getty Images General Bajwa met President Ashraf Ghani devastation that Pakistani terror groups When nations world-wide are worrying The world listens to when a peaceful nation and Chief of the Afghan High Council for caused in Bombay in 2008 astounded the about corona pandemic and its like India raises its voice. The whole world National Reconciliation Abdullah Abdullah whole world. But the terror state Pakistan, debilitating effect on the economy, knows how desperate Pakistan has become in Kabul. Afghanistan appears ready for whom L.K. Advani, the seventh and last Pakistan is more worried about the to maintain its vice-like grip on Kashmir. It the dialogue to engage with the Taliban on Deputy Prime Minister of India, branded people of the area it doesn’t have is creating problems for India, Afghanistan, common issues to end the conflict. as the epicentre of world terrorism, is a control-Kashmir and Afghanistan- Iran and everywhere around the world compulsive terror promoter. neglecting its own people. through terror groups and individuals with On June 8, at a public event in Kabul, In this backdrop the UN’s assertion about fundamentalist orientations. Abdullah had hinted at the possibility of Pakistan facilitating terror in Afghanistan ‘intra-Afghan’ talks beginning soon, citing Pakistan is running the entire length of the is mere reiteration of truth. Pakistan has Pakistan is trying to divert attention from its Eid ceasefire, lower level of violence, and globe, begging bowl in hand, seeking funds promoted Afghan Taliban all along so much main domestic issues. Its debt has mounted progress in exchange of prisoners that has from each nook and corner to bail out its so that the Afghan government, with all to 80% of the GDP, corona virus is on the rendered the environment conducive for economy. the help it received from the US, could not peak and Kashmir is slipping out for sure. talks. tackle the Taliban menace and eventually When nations world-wide are worrying Realisation does not dawn yet that pushing capitulated. It compelled the US to initiate about corona pandemic and its debilitating The release of prisoners has been a major terrorists into Kashmir and Afghanistan for a peace agreement in the country and leave effect on the economy, Pakistan is more issue delaying the start of intra-Afghan exercising control on foreign territories has Afghanistan for good. worried about the people of the area it doesn’t negotiations, scheduled originally for March run its course. It will pay no more. Pakistan have control-Kashmir and Afghanistan- 10, as per the Doha agreement signed by the continues to needle India through incursions. It took India almost a decade to convince the neglecting its own people. Stung by the United States and the Taliban on February 29. Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi, over international community of Pakistan’s state- UN criticism, Pakistan tried to show off its Kabul was to release 5,000 Taliban prisoners last few years, India is playing an offensive terrorism in Kashmir and its continuing good-Samaritan intentions. On June 9, it in exchange for 1,000 Afghan personnel role to force Pakistan into the defensive. Philippines tailors Financial Budget 2021 to allocate more funds for COVID-19 response 4, 2020 by the country’s Department of ◆ By NDT Bureau Budget and Management, it has instructed @NewDelhiTimes agencies to review and reprioritize its programs, activities, and projects (PAPs) [email protected] under the proposed P4.335-trillion cash budget for FY 2021 toward containing the ddressing the COVID-19 crisis has spread and mitigating the effects of the A become the top priority for governments COVID-19 pandemic while marshalling an across the globe. Tackling the crisis has economic recovery under the “new normal”. led to a fundamental shift in the budgetary The Development Budget Coordination allocation and expenditure priorities Committee (DBCC) has pegged the FY for many governments. The Philippines 2021 cash appropriation at P4.335-trillion, government too has been forced to prioritise equivalent to 20.2 percent of gross domestic its budgetary allocations for addressing Photo Credit : Getty Images product (GDP). It is higher by 3.7 percent more funds to the government’s COVID-19 and economy, and helping communities to impact of COVID-19 have witnessed an when compared to the level of P4.180- response programs. PhP2,658.7 billion, or adjust to the “new normal”. To improve increase in allocation, additional cuts have trillion approved May 12, 2020. 64.8% of the 2020 National Budget was the health sector, budget priority will be been made in the budget for infrastructure initially allocated for the implementation of With higher infrastructure investments, the geared towards establishing more health and national defence. Documents released programs, projects, and activities of national country’s recovery from the COVID-19 facilities, purchasing necessary hospital by the DND in May 2020 showed that P3 government agencies. This includes budget pandemic can be better assured by generating equipment, test kits and vaccines, and billion was cut from the 2020 budget of the shares for transfers from special purpose more jobs in 2021, thus contributing a ensuring sufficient and efficient deployment Department of National Defence (DND), funds, as well as tax expenditure. projected 0.9 percentage point increase to of health personnel to address COVID-19 bringing it further down to P182 billion. GDP growth to reach the range of 8.0 to 9.0 and other infectious diseases. More On May 21, 2020, the Department of percent from the previous projected range of importantly, the FY 2021 budget aims to According to the DND, these budgetary Budget and management in its National 7.1 to 8.1 percent. This was contained in the sustain funding for the implementation of allocation adjustments reflect “the Duterte Budget Memorandum mentioned, “In view updated approval of the DBCC, dated May the Universal Health Care Law. The FY administration’s priorities of saving of the limited fiscal space, the entire budget 27, 2020, of the macroeconomic and fiscal 2021 budget will also give priority to crucial lives and protecting communities, while for FY 2021 will need to be reviewed and targets to underlie the preparation of the FY and shovel-ready infrastructure projects that providing support to vulnerable groups and reprioritized towards containing the spread 2021 National Budget. will promote better health services, ease stimulating the economy to create jobs and and mitigating the effects of the COVID-19 of transportation and mobility of essential support growth. The press release further states that the virus, absent a vaccine; restarting the goods, as well as IT infrastructure that will bulk of the PAPs for next year is aimed at These revised assumptions will also allow economy to be able to create jobs and attract lead to the establishment of an ICT-enabled strengthening the country’s capacity to the government to operate with a more investments; and transitioning to the “new government. normal” environment post pandemic”. address the COVID-19 pandemic by further realistic and prudent fiscal stance as it flags buttressing the health care system, ensuring While expenditure on healthcare and the downside risks to the economy and the According to a press release dated June food security, enabling a digital government stimulus programs to mitigate the adverse fiscal program for the rest of the year”.
India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 6 15 - 21 June 2020
International NEW DELHI TIMES EU advocates strengthening of defence architecture The EU called for reinforcing the modalities for the use of military assets to support civilian authorities in response to the pandemic. “The pandemic will very likely deteriorate increased to €2.2billion for ensuring strong development that will reinforce our ability ◆ By NDT Bureau our security environment in the years to support for the European strategic autonomy to act and to face future military crises and @NewDelhiTimes come. That is clear. The pandemic will be a and security. It was originally proposed global threats. We therefore advocate for an new threat and will deteriorate our security a set-aside EUR13.5 billion (USD15.25 ambitious EDF budget as a priority in the [email protected] environment. This will only increase the billion) in the 2021-27 MFF for the EDF defence area and a swift adoption of the EDF need for a stronger European Union security and the European Council wanted it to be n May 12, the European Ministers and defence, and for a stronger Union in the cut to €8 billion. €5.7 billion was originally O of Defence held a video conference, world,” Borrell concluded. proposed for military mobility. Despite the chaired by the EU High Representative for cuts, the current allocation of €8 billion for Croatian State Secretary Zdravko Jakop, Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep the EDF is still significant and if agreed by who chaired the EU Ministerial Meeting, Borrell. NATO’s Secretary-General, Jens the EU governments, it could lead to greater said security risks have not disappeared with Stoltenberg, and the United Nations Under- defence contract deals. Secretary General for Peace Operations, the pandemic, urging Europeans to continue Jean-Pierre Lacroix also attended the video defence initiatives such as the Permanent Many EU Defence Ministers also conference. The European Ministers of Structured Cooperation (PESCO), and the advocated for allocating significant account Defence discussed the security and defence European Defence Fund (EDF). These of resources for developing defence implications of the COVID-19 pandemic initiatives, including joint military projects capabilities. On May 29, 2020, Defence designed for crisis response and hybrid Ministers Florence Parly (France) Annegret Photo Credit : Getty Images and highlighted the critical role played by regulation, in full respect of the discussions threats under the PESCO, would be a good Kramp-Karrenbauer (Germany), Margarita armed forces in supporting civilian actors on the Multiannual Financial Framework”. and providing cross-border support among platform for improving cooperation and Robles Fernández (Spain) and Lorenzo the Member States. developing operational capabilities for a Guerini (Italy) jointly signed a letter for the The letter also reflects the significance of rapid and effective response to the crisis, attention of their counterparts from the other the EU cooperation with the North Atlantic Josep Borrell, Commission Vice-President Jakop said. In the last week of May 2020, 23 Member States of the European Union as Treaty Alliance (NATO) and reiterates the in charge of coordinating the external the European Commission submitted its well as the High Representative for Foreign commitment to strengthen the European action of the European Union, stated that formal proposal for the EU’s Multiannual Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell. pillar within the NATO as well as to the European Defence Ministers should Financial Framework (MFF) 2021-2027. The letter states, “Our Armed Forces have explore ways of reinforcing the EU-NATO not reduce the defence spending as a result Under latest Commission budget proposal been instrumental in helping to deal with cooperation, which remains key to the of the on-going COVID-19 crisis and as from May, the ‘Resilience, Defence and the challenges posed-both in Europe and overall security, building on the two EU- security challenges will arise in the near NATO Joint Declarations. future. On behalf of the EU, Borrell called “While the safety of our personnel deployed in our Common Security Other European Defence Ministers are for reinforcing the modalities for the use of also in favour of allocating more funds military assets to support civilian authorities and Defence Policy missions and operations remains a priority, we for developing the European defence in response to the pandemic. He highlighted need to ensure that the missions and operations continue to deliver capabilities. Estonian Defence Minister Jüri that the European Union would do its utmost on their tasks to the extent possible, and explore ways to support our Luik remarked, “We should all be interested to maintain its operational presence on the that neither national defence budgets nor ground. Borrell stated, “While the safety partners in tackling the pandemic.” - Josep Borrell defence-related spending in the next MFF of our personnel deployed in our Common -European Defence Fund and military Security and Defence Policy missions and mobility - take a hit. Military mobility is a Security’ budget bracket is meant to beyond. Today, the effects of the pandemic operations remains a priority, we need to flagship project for NATO-EU cooperation receive €29.1 billion over the next seven have already started aggravating existing ensure that the missions and operations and the EU has a crucial role in investing in years. As per the proposal by the European conflicts and crises, further weakening continue to deliver on their tasks to the Europe’s strategic infrastructure. We believe Commission President, Ursula von der fragile states and putting additional pressure extent possible, and explore ways to support there is room for restoring the Union’s level Leyen, two major defence initiative of the on already strained systems and regions. our partners in tackling the pandemic.” of ambition.” EU-the European Defence Fund (EDF) and Security and Defence must therefore remain Borrell also advocated strengthening the the Military Mobility initiative have been a top priority”. According to defence analysts, the insistence EU defence and security architecture. allocated €8 billion (U.S. $9 billion) and of the EU leaders and that of Defence Ministers He stressed on the need for securing the €1.5 billion (U.S. $1.7 billion) respectively, The letter further states that the “European of the EU Member States, reflect the desire of necessary funding for security and defence, in the seven-year plan beginning in 2021. Defence Fund (EDF) is key to financing and the bloc to play a major role and assert itself as both in the Member States and at the EU level. The Internal Security Fund has also been fostering defence research and capability a security actor on the global stage. Task Group Taji (TG Taji) successfully completes mission in Iraq said. “SINCO II is an exemplar of hard work ◆ By NDT Bureau and dedication, which will serve the ISF @NewDelhiTimes well for many years to come,” he added.
[email protected] In a statement released on June 5, 2020, Australian Minister for Defence Linda T ask Group Taji (TG Taji), the combined Reynolds said that Australia has successfully Australian-New Zealand military completed its training mission at Taji training force located at the Taji Military Military Complex in Iraq. The Defence Complex, north-west of Baghdad, which was Minister commended the Australian deployed to Iraq to support an international Defence Force (ADF) for its contribution to effort to train and build the capacity of the Task Group Taji. “The ADF has been at the regular Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) against very forefront of the work at Taji,” Minister the Islamic State (IS) has successfully Reynold’s said. completed its mission. worked towards building a premier training to take more control of their learning institution and the School of Infantry Non- environment.” “Last year, I saw first-hand the incredible According to information available on Commissioned Officer II (SINCO II) was contribution our personnel have made at the Department of Defence of Australian now widely admired. The current Commander of Joint Task Force Taji, and had the opportunity to thank them Government, dated June 5, 2020, the 633, Major General Susan Coyle, said that it for their significant efforts. Australian and New Zealand combined task “Australian and New Zealand force elements had been a privilege to serve alongside our force contributed to the US-led Operation worked with the Baghdad Fighting School Iraqi friends. The substantial progress made against Inherent Resolve, training more than and concentrated on foundation warfighting Daesh and the increased capacity of the 47,000 Iraqi troops through 10 periods of techniques,” Colonel Foxall said. He added, “The Task Group Taji rotations have shown Iraqi Security Forces means that our training instruction. Commander of Task Group Taji “The change in name to SINCO II reflected the best of Australia and New Zealand and mission at Taji has reached logical and 10-the final rotation-Colonel Nick Foxall, the maturity and professional development supported the ISF, who have shown amazing natural conclusion”, the Defence Minister said that the Iraq Security Forces had of the organisation and the Iraqis began strength and growth,” Major General Coyle further stated. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper
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International NEW DELHI TIMES Russia deploys Ten overhauled military more armed choppers re-join Iranian army personnel in ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes Western region [email protected]
◆ By NDT Bureau n June 7, 2020, ten military helicopters O that have been overhauled inside the @NewDelhiTimes country were reintegrated into various units [email protected] of the Iranian armed forces in a ceremony attended by senior Commanders. The ussia has announced more deployment military helicopters were overhauled by Iran R of armed troops in the Western region Helicopter Support and Renewal Company called the Baltics, along with motorised (IHSRC), which is affiliated with Iran troops. The Russian Western Military Aviation Industries Organization (IAIO). District (WMD) press service said that the Photo Credit : Getty Images Separate Guards Motorized Rifle Sevastopol vehicles, and 9A34 Strela-10 and 2S6M Iran’s Helicopter Renovation and Logistics Red Banner Brigade was deployed to Tunguska air defence systems, the Russian Company (PANHA) delivered ten In comments at the event, Iranian Deputy Moscow’s Novomoskovsky Administrative Military said. overhauled helicopters to the Armed Forces Defence Minister Brigadier General Qassem District, joining the Guards Red Banner during the ceremony. Per reports, at least Taqizadeh said that the Iranian company has Tank Army “to perform tasks on ensuring The increased Russian troops deployment nine helicopters were lined up at its facility managed to overhaul a range of military the defence of the Russian Federation in the in the Western region comes after Colonel in Tehran for the handover event. helicopters, including Chinook CH and SH Western strategic direction,” according to General Sergei Rudskoj of the Russian series and Mil Mi-17. He added that the the state-run Tass Russian News Agency. General Staff had complained about “anti- These included two Bell 212s; a 205 and overhauled helicopters have been equipped Russian” operations carried out by the US a 206 with army aviation markings; an air with new hi-tech systems, including APU The motorized rifle units are equipped with and NATO members adjacent to Russia’s force CH-47; and a naval SH-3. There were system, night-vision system, GPS system “more modern weapons and specialized borders. This action by Russia now puts also a Bell 214, a 212, and a Mi-171 from and other equipment, noting that the flight vehicles”, including the T-90A tanks, BTR- more Russian forces in the area near the the Islamic Republic of Iran Police Aviation durability of a number of helicopters has 82A armoured carriers, BMP-3 combat NATO frontier. (IRIPA). also increased. Al-Shabaab releases 8th instalment of its propagandist film series Al-Shabaab militants detonated a suicide car bomb at the El-Salin military base followed by an infantry attack and had also briefly taken over the base. Forces said that the militants attacked the ◆ By NDT Bureau base “in large numbers”. Somali troops @NewDelhiTimes seized the El-Salin base from Al-Shabab on August 6, 2019. It was one of four bases in [email protected] Lower Shabelle region recaptured following he Al-Katiba Media foundation, the an offensive by the Somali military. This area T external media department of the is economically important to Al- Shabaab extremist outfit Al-Shabaab, has been and they are willing to fight to get it back. releasing in parts a film series titled “And The video depicting this attack has now Be Harsh Against Them”. The ongoing film been released with Arabic subtitles. The series has been depicting the attacks carried duration of the video is 18 minutes. In the by Al-Shabaab on the Federal Government introductory part, the video focuses on of Somalia (FGS) and the African Union 26-year-old Abshir Yusuf Ali (alias Saladin), Mission in Somalia (AMISOM) bases. the militant who drove and detonated the Abshir Yusuf Ali, who carried SVBIED during the El-Salin base attack in September. He speaks against the attacks the El-Salin military base by the Crusaders and Jews against Somalia attack, speaks against the and says that Somalis who fight against such attacks by the Crusaders and forces are elevated to the status of martyrs. Jews against Somalia and says Ali claims that his actions are part of a Jihad that Somalis who fight against and extols the El-Salin base attack by Al- Shabab as a means of punishing the infidel such forces are elevated to the Photo Credit : Getty Images (Kafir). Ali calls the AMISON peacekeepers In the concluding section, the video features successfully executing mass-casualty attacks status of martyrs. as well as the Somali armed forces personnel a martyr Al-Shabaab member, Hassan in the heart of Somali cities, including the as apostates who deserve to be killed. Abshir Jibril (alias Walalu), who was killed federal capital, Mogadishu. in an airstrike by Somali Military backed by The eighth instalment of the film was The video then shows actual footage of the released on May 23, 2020. This instalment the African Union forces on September 29, September 23 attack. Al-Shabaab militants This newly released video is also a depicts the attack on the El-Salin military 2019. This section glorifies Jibril as a martyr carrying automatic rifles and rocket- manifestation of the fact that Al-Shabaab base followed by an infantry attack on committed to a greater cause who devoted propelled grenades (RPGs) can be seen runs coordinated media operations that is September 22, 2019, which killed at least 20 his entire life to jihad and propagation launching an offensive and entering the air capable of regularly producing propaganda Somali government soldiers and wounded (dawa). base. The footage shows the executions of a material and disseminate the ideology of the 18 others. captured soldier who has been labelled in the The release of this eighth instalment terrorist groups. The inclusion of previously Al-Shabaab militants detonated a suicide car video as an apostate. Later, the video shows glorifying the activities by Al-Shabaab unreleased archival footage also shows that bomb at the El-Salin military base followed Al-Shabaab militants searching the base and is significant as it sheds light upon Al- the Al-Kataib Media Foundation continues by an infantry attack and had also briefly collecting weapons, boxes of ammunition, Shabaab’s growing military capabilities to maintain a sizeable amount of recorded taken over the base. Mowlid Ahmed Hassan, and military equipment before setting fire to and its ability to execute a terror attack on footage and other media materials for later a Spokesperson for the Somali Special some of this materiel. guarded military defence bases as well as use in Al-Shabaab propaganda releases.
India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 8 15 - 21 June 2020
International NEW DELHI TIMES COVID-19 crisis intensifies gang-violence in slums of Nairobi Kibera is the biggest slum in Africa and one of the biggest in the world. Kibera has emerged as one of the hot-spots of organised crimes and gang-violence. business district to slums in Kayole, Kibra, ◆ By NDT Bureau Dandora, Githurai, Mathare, Kamukunji and @NewDelhiTimes several other estates across the city. Many gangs in the slums have taken over illegal [email protected] water points where they charge a fee for residents to access the essential service. O n May 11, 2020, the World Economic The need for water has increased due to the Forum (WEF) has stated how the COVID-19 pandemic, as more people are COVID-19 posed a particular threat to the encouraged to wash their hands regularly to world’s slums. According to the WEF, one limit the spread of the virus. of the bitter ironies of life for one billion slum dwellers in our world today is that, In parts of Mathare, local youth groups despite humanity’s progress, their greatest control access to public toilets and demand vulnerabilities stem from the lack of the payment. A local NGO worker said, “It’s a most basic public services: access to water service that no one can opt out of.” Other and sanitation. gangs are providing electricity to the slums from illegal connection points, commonly With social isolation being adopted by known as ‘stima sambaza’. These gangs are the governments throughout the world taking full advantage of inadequate public as a critical measure against COVID-19, services provisions by the Kenyan state. the combination of density and lack of sanitation in slums is worrying, to say the Moreover, the gangs have connections with least. Another worrying trend is that the the political class. It is believed that the gang urban-based armed group are profiteering leaders conduct “political economy analysis”, on provision of public services, damaging seeking out opportunities around election the population’s trust in government and time, approaching particular politicians and negatively affecting public health at the Photo Credit : Getty Images offering to serve as campaigners or asa same time. As an example, the WEF cites Nairobi slums, the population density stands gangs have been conducting their criminal ‘youth wing’ in a particular neighbourhood. the situation in Mathare, a slum in Nairobi, at 466 people per acre compared to 18 people activities in Mlolongo, Mombasa Road, Kenya, where gangs often demand payment The potential use of violence is implicit for access to public toilets. Many gangs in the slums have taken over illegal water points where they charge a fee for residents in these deals. In return, the gangs receive to access the essential service. The need for water has increased due to the COVID-19 pandemic, protection from the influential political More than half of the population of as more people are encouraged to wash their hands regularly to limit the spread of the virus. class. Residents of the slums have also Kenya’s capital, Nairobi, live in slums and complained against the police brutality. On informal settlements. As per estimates, June 7, residents of Nairobi’s Mathare slum there are approximately 2.5 million slum per acre for the rest of the city. Kibera is the Ngong Road and several estates across marched to protest police brutality in the dwellers in about 200 settlements in Nairobi biggest slum in Africa and one of the biggest Kiambu County. The COVID-19 outbreak enforcement of a curfew that is part of the representing 60% of the Nairobi population in the world. Kibera has emerged as one of has further intensified gang-violence and effort to contain the spread of COVID-19. and occupying just 6% of the land. Kibera the hot-spots of organised crimes and gang- vigilantism in the slums of Nairobi. The The protestors said that police brutality in houses about 250,000 of these people. In violence. It is believed that Kibera-based gangs are everywhere, from the central Kenya often went unpunished. European Commission resumes investigation of HHI takeover of DSME containerships; oil tankers; liquefied natural ◆ By NDT Bureau gas (LNG) and liquefied petroleum gas @NewDelhiTimes (LPG) carriers. The Commission was further worried that the remaining shipbuilders [email protected] would not exert sufficient competitive pressure on the merged entity in the four he European Commission has resumed markets concerned by the transaction. T its investigation of Hyundai Heavy Industries’ (HHI’s) proposed takeover It also had concerns that the customers of rival South Korean shipyard, Daewoo would not have sufficient bargaining power Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering to constrain the merged entity. (DSME). The Commission’s inquiry was halted in April 2020 because of the Executive Vice-President Margrethe Vestager, COVID-19 pandemic. responsible for competition policy had then stated, “Cargo shipbuilding is an important In December 2019, the European Commission industry for the European Union. Maritime opened an in-depth investigation to assess transport represents a substantial portion of the proposed acquisition of Daewoo the EU’s internal and external freight trade, Shipbuilding & Marine Engineering CO., with European shipping companies regularly Ltd (DSME) by another shipbuilding purchasing vessels from DSME and HHIH, group, Hyundai Heavy Industries Holdings two of the leading cargo shipbuilders in (HHIH), under the EU Merger Regulation. the world. This is why we will carefully assess whether the proposed transaction The Commission expressed concerns that would negatively affect competition in the the merger may reduce competition in construction of cargo ships, to the detriment various global cargo shipbuilding markets. of European consumers.” According to a press release issued in December 2019, the Commission had In March 2019, Hyundai Heavy Industries concerns that the proposed transaction may (HHI) Group and Korea Development Photo Credit : Getty Images remove DSME as an important competitive Bank (KDB) signed a definitive agreement Engineering (DSME). The move was shipbuilding group with a market share of force in the following markets: large to acquire Daewoo Shipbuilding & Marine intended to create the world’s largest around 20 percent. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper
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International NEW DELHI TIMES China boosting its air defence radar capability New satellite images have also suggested China that is preparing to seize more control of the disputed South China Sea by using an advanced tracking system. that observe the ionosphere around these ◆ By NDT Bureau sites to predict the optimal HF frequencies @NewDelhiTimes to search for the area that they will cover, although this is speculative. [email protected] A similar system to it at Li’anzhen is R ecent satellite images have revealed the currently operational 1,285 km northeast of deployment of a Chinese test facility at the Li’anzhen facility. This site is near the Li’anzhen, on Hainan island, in the South end of a peninsula extending into Shacheng China. It is believed that the Li’anzhen Harbour, and is located on a mountaintop harbour is likely to be operating very high near the coast at an existing facility that frequency (VHF) synthetic impulse and covers an area from Taiwan to Japan. aperture (SIAR)/multiple-input multiple- output (MIMO) radars, that operating in The system at Shacheng was built on a site an air defence capacity, would be capable that previously had a 25 m radome, but it was of detecting incoming aircraft, including removed in 2015. Construction began on the stealth variants. 63 m-diameter concrete pad for the antennas in 2016, and the antennas were installed Vessel tracking software shows the by April 2018. An eight-metre building- Chinese ship Tian Yi Hai Gong sailed to mounted radome was added adjacent to the the Paracels on May 28. new pad in 2018.
The first of this site’s new systems was a The numbers and placement of the antennas ground system deployed on a 50 m circular are similar to those of the arrays at Li’anzhen, levelled ground pad. Its 40-45 m diameter but the major difference between these sites antenna array consists of three rings that is the pads on which the arrays are mounted. each have 25 vertical elements and four tall The array at Shacheng Harbour was built on towers outside the rings. It is speculated that a concrete pad on the ground, whereas the this was a small range missile. Li’anzhen array was built on the concrete roof of a single-storey octagonal building. ship appears to be laying undersea cables ship Tian Yi Hai Gong sailed to the Paracels The system identified at Li’anzhen may between Chinese outposts in the disputed on May 28. The imagery appears to show it be part of that HF/DF protection, intended New satellite images have also suggested Paracel Islands, vessel tracking software and laying cables between at least three different to locate potential threats for alerting the China that is preparing to seize more control satellite imagery shows. Chinese-occupied features - Tree Island, military high command. The unidentified of the disputed South China Sea by using North Island and China’s main base in the platforms would possibly contain sensors an advanced tracking system. A Chinese Vessel tracking software shows the Chinese Paracels, Woody Island. Yemen ‘hanging by a thread’ amidst COVID-19: UN The United Nations warned that war-torn Yemen’s health system has ‘in effect, collapsed” under the strain of a widening COVID-19 outbreak. collapsed” under the strain of a widening through Yemen as the population has some people will die of this virus, but we fear that ◆ By NDT Bureau COVID-19 outbreak, with epidemiologists of the lowest levels of immunity to disease many others will also die from what should @NewDelhiTimes estimating that the virus could spread compared with other countries. have been preventable deaths, because faster and more widely than in many other healthcare is simply not available”. [email protected] countries. Only half of Yemen’s health Jens Larke, Spokesperson for the UN Office facilities are functioning. According to data for the Coordination of Humanitarian “Five years of fighting had caused Y emen has been devastated by five Affairs said that Yemen was “really on the Yemen’s healthcare system to collapse years of civil war. The fighting is brink right now”, with teams on the ground in large parts. Now COVID-19 has between the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels “talking about having to turn people away made that collapse complete, with who control the capital, Sanaa, and much because they do not have enough oxygen, many hospitals closing for fear of the of the country’s north, and a U.S.-backed, they do not have enough Personal Protective virus, or for lack of staff and Personal Saudi-led coalition fighting on behalf of the Equipment (PPE)”. Mark Lowcock, UN Protective Equipment.” internationally recognized government. Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian - Claire HaDuong According to UN Secretary-General Antonio Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Guterres, more than five years of conflict too shared a grim picture of Yemen and Another concerning issue is that the rebels have left Yemenis hanging on by a thread, remarked that “COVID-19 is spreading in Houthi-controlled north have been their economy in tatters and their institutions throughout Yemen, and there are few signs suppressing information about the virus. facing near-collapse. Four people out of that local authorities can handle the rising It has been reported that Houthis severely every five, 24 million people in all, need number of infections. Health facilities are punished those who speak out, enforced lifesaving aid in what remains the world’s turning people away because they’re already little mitigation measures, and promoted largest humanitarian crisis. full or they don’t have what they need to conspiracies and claims by the Houthi treat people with the virus”. Minister of Health that their scientists Two million Yemeni children are suffering are working on developing a cure for from acute malnutrition, which could stunt Those working on the ground in the COVID-19 to present to the world. Yemen’s their growth and affect them throughout healthcare sector in Yemen have also Information Minister Muammar Al-Iryani their lives. Since the start of the year, some Photo Credit : Getty Images presented a grim picture of the health has alleged that Houthi militia are looting 80,000 more people were forced from their published by the aid agency International facilities in Yemen. According to Médecins and extorting the private healthcare sector. homes, bringing the total displaced to almost Rescue Committee (IRC), Yemen has one of Sans Frontières (MSF), COVID-19 crisis The complaints from medical staff living in 4 million. Cholera continues to threaten the lowest testing numbers, even compared has completely collapsed the Yemeni health areas under Houthi control, reveal additional lives with 110,000 people contracting it so with other conflict-affected countries, at 31 system. According to Claire HaDuong, taxes on owners of hospitals, private clinics far this year. The recent floods have raised tests per million. The country has around “Five years of fighting had caused Yemen’s and medical workers in the private sector, the risk of malaria and dengue fever. 500 ventilators and 700 intensive care unit healthcare system to collapse in large parts. Al-Iryani said. “Houthi militia, after The COVID-19 outbreak has further beds. There are 100 oxygen cylinders per Now COVID-19 has made that collapse destroying public health sector…went to exacerbated the Yemeni humanitarian crisis. month for every 2.5 million people. The complete, with many hospitals closing for impose additional taxes on private hospitals The United Nations warned that war- World Health Organisation has expressed fear of the virus, or for lack of staff and and clinics, drug manufacturers and stores torn Yemen’s health system has ‘in effect, concerns that the COVID-19 could rip Personal Protective Equipments. Many on basis of military effort,” he added.
India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 10 15 - 21 June 2020
International NEW DELHI TIMES Lebanese fear currency will further tumble despite promises or months, Kamal Nasser, a successful F plumbing contractor in Lebanon, has seen his business base erode.
There are almost no new construction projects as people save for gloomier days, and with the local currency on a downward spiral, he has not been able to import his most basic materials-tubes or plumbing valves from Europe and Ukraine.
Despite efforts to control the currency Photo Credit : AP Photo depreciation, the Lebanese pound sold for government plan is meant to diffuse public the currency plunge this week on “political sanctions that will affect neighboring Syria more than 6,000 to the dollar on the black anger but won’t resolve the problem. manipulation,” intentionally aimed to create in the coming days. Many suspect the major market, down from 4,000 in recent days. chaos to undermine the government he is fluctuations resulted from dollars being The dramatic tumble sparked raging protests “All those promises from the government or allied with. smuggled into Syria. overnight that targeted private banks and the Presidents are meaningless,” he said. “It prompted an emergency government is all for them to hide their own theft ... and “This government will reassure the public Lebanon’s financial problems predate meeting. to calm people down.” and the dollar exchange rate will be reduced the coronavirus pandemic, which put the gradually,” Aoun said, according to a country in lockdown for months, further Lebanon’s government and its central The dollar shortage, coupled with already statement following the all-day emergency compounding the crisis. bank promised to inject fresh dollars into negative economic growth, has crunched Cabinet meeting. The meeting included the market to control the fast deteriorating Lebanon’s middle class and increased Prime Minister Hassan Diab and Riad Years of corruption and mismanagement exchange rate that saw the local currency poverty in the small Mediterranean nation Salameh, the central bank Governor who have left Lebanon with depleted resources, lose nearly 70% of its value in weeks. The dependent on imports of basic goods. has been singled out by Diab for alleged while shrinking investment in the war- pound had maintained a fixed rate of 1,500 mishandling of the situation. riddled region. Falling remittances from to the dollar for nearly 30 years. No specific The Lebanese have for years used the dollar Lebanese abroad only increased the shortage amount was given for the planned injection. and the Lebanese pound interchangeably. The central bank said last month it has of foreign capital. So, with the drop, employees saw their around $20 billion in reserves. The head But the promise was met with skepticism income and savings lose over 60% in value of the Money Changers Union, Mahmoud In an outpouring of anger, protesters took to from a public that has lost trust in officials in weeks. Parents have been unable to pay Halawa, said security forces would crack the streets, shutting down roads in several they blame for the country’s unparalleled school or insurance fees charged in dollars, down on the black market or any money parts of the country and burning tires. Some financial and economic crisis. and many landlords are refusing to accept changers selling above a set rate of 3,940 protesters pelted branch offices of private rent payment in pounds. Meanwhile, banks to the dollar. Lebanon’s unrivaled economic banks with stones while in central Beirut, “This is madness,” Nasser said. “People have stopped dispensing dollars altogether, and financial crisis has exposed deep mistrust one bank was set on fire. can’t take this economic situation anymore. except from new transfers from abroad. of the government’s crisis management It only keeps getting worse.” Nasser said the Lebanon’s President Michel Aoun blamed and has also reflected panic over new U.S. Credit : Associated Press (AP) Syria economic meltdown presents new challenge for President Assad U.S. sanctions, which Washington says aim by smuggling out thousands of photos of to punish Assad and his top Lieutenants torture victims. for crimes committed during the country’s conflict. Experts say the new sanctions will be a heavy blow to a country where eight out Effectively, the sanctions prevent anyone of 10 people make less than $100 a month, around the world from doing business according to the United Nations. The Syrian with Syrian officials or state institutions government called the sanctions “economic or participate in the war-ravaged country’s terrorism”. reconstruction. They also target anyone Photo Credit : AP Photo Some of the repercussions have already n scenes not witnessed for years start to come into effect next week. While involved in smuggling to Syria, mostly from been profound. I in government-controlled parts of President Assad may have won the military Iraq and Lebanon. Syria, dozens of men and women marched war against his opponents with the help of The U.S. has already imposed sanctions on Bread prices increased nearly 60% in the through the streets this week, protesting a allies Russia and Iran, he now faces an even Assad and a number of his top officials. The rebel-held north-western province of Idlib, sharp increase in prices and collapse of the bigger challenge of governing while more new authority, known as the U.S. Caesar even though the territory with a population currency, some even calling for the downfall than 80% of his people live in poverty. Syria Civilian Protection Act, allows foreign of over 3 million is not included in the new of President Bashar Assad and his ruling companies to be targeted, including in sanctions. Its population, many of them Baath party. In government-held areas, prices go up neighboring Lebanon, Jordan and Iraq. unemployed and living in displaced camps, several times a day, forcing many shops have also been hit hard by the collapse of “He who starves his people is a traitor,” to close, unable to keep up with the chaos. “This legislation will close all the doors on the pound, since it is the main currency used some of the protesters chanted at the protest This week the Syrian currency dropped the Syrian regime and any person that deals in Idlib. in the southern city of Sweida. to a record 3,500 pounds to the dollar on with it,” said Nizar Zakka, a Lebanese citizen the black market - compared to 700 at the who is a member of the Caesar Act team, a As a result, protests erupted this week In Syria nowadays, there is an impending beginning of the year. Some staples such as group that advises the U.S. authorities on calling for the ouster of the “Salvation fear that all doors are closing. After nearly sugar, rice and medicine are becoming hard implementing the sanctions. Government” administering Idlib, led by Al- a decade of war, the country is crumbling to find. Qaida-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. under the weight of years-long Western The first wave of sanctions will be imposed sanctions, government corruption and “The Syrian economy has spiraled out of on June 17. Three other stages will follow The Syrian pound - which had been at 47 infighting, a pandemic and an economic control and the regime cannot control the before the end of August, he said. to the dollar at the start of the conflict - had downslide made worse by the financial Syrian pound anymore,” said Osama Kadi, a held steady at around 500 to the dollar from crisis in Lebanon, Syria’s main link with Canada-based Syrian economic adviser. Caesar is the code name of a Syrian forensic 2014 until last year. the outside world. Syria faces near complete photographer who graphically exposed isolation as the toughest U.S. sanctions yet The pain is likely to grow under the new the brutality of the government crackdown Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper
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International NEW DELHI TIMES
so-called ‘assessment’ regarding the Iranian Trump in Vietnam in February 2019. connection to the attacks,” Iran said. On Summit UN links items in Trump and Kim met for a third time last June President Donald Trump withdrew the anniversary, North at the inter-Korean border, but a subsequent arms shipments United States from the nuclear agreement in working-level meeting broke down over May 2018 and re-imposed the U.S. sanctions Korea vows to what the North Koreans described as the and missile that had been eased or lifted. American Americans’ “old stance and attitude”. officials contend Iran is working to obtain build up military Kim, who unilaterally suspended nuclear attacks to Iran nuclear-capable missiles, which the Iranians and intercontinental ballistic missile tests deny. he United Nations says it has determined orth Korea again vowed to build up during talks with Washington and Seoul, N its military force to counter what T that Iran was the source for several The nuclear agreement is still supported entered the new year vowing to bolster it perceives as the U.S. threats and said items in two arms shipments seized by the by the five other parties - France, Britain, his nuclear deterrent. The North in recent there would be little reason for a personal United States and for debris left by attacks Russia and China, which are all veto- months conducted short-range missile tests relationship between leader Kim Jong Un on Saudi Arabia’s oil installations and an wielding Security Council members, and while also dialing up pressure on South and President Donald Trump if Washington international airport, according to a new Germany, which is currently serving a two- Korea. persists with sanctions and pressure. report. year term on the council. On the two-year anniversary of the leaders’ U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres According to Guterres report, the arms first summit, North Korean Foreign Minister said some of the items seized by the U.S. in shipments seized by the U.S. were assessed Ri Son Gwon said the North would never November 2019 and February 2020 “were by the U.N. Secretariat to include parts of again gift Trump with high-profile meetings identical or similar” to those found after the anti-tank guided missiles from Iran with and concessions he could boast as foreign cruise missiles and drone attacks on Saudi 2016, 2017 and 2018 production dates policy achievements unless it gets something Arabia in 2019. as well as thermal weapon optical sights substantial in return. with design characteristics similar to those He said in a report to the U.N. Security produced by an Iranian company, and a “The question is whether there will be Council obtained by The Associated Press computer keyboard with Farsi markings a need to keep holding hands shaken in that some items seized by the U.S. in associated with an anti-ship missile. Singapore, as we see that there is nothing international waters off Yemen are not only of factual improvement to be made in the Photo Credit : AP Photo Iranian but may have been transferred “in Guterres said U.N. experts also assessed that DPRK-U.S. relations simply by maintaining Ri said the past two years of diplomacy a manner inconsistent” with the council sections and components of cruise missiles personal relations between our supreme has only revealed that the United States resolution that endorsed the 2015 Iran recovered by the U.S. from the sites of leadership and the U.S. President,” Ri the continues to pursue “regime change” nuclear deal. attacks on Saudi Arabia’s Abha International said in a statement carried by state media, in Pyongyang and threatens the North with Airport in June and August 2019 and on referring to North Korea by its formal name, the prospects of a pre-emptive nuclear strike Saudi Aramco oil facilities at Abqaiq and the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. and “isolation and suffocation”. Khurays in September 2019 “are of Iranian origin”. “Never again will we provide the U.S. “The secure strategic goal of the DPRK is to Chief Executive with another package to be build up more reliable force to cope with the As for the delta-wing drones used in attacks used for (political) achievements without long-term military threats from the U.S.,” he on Saudi oil facilities in May and September receiving any returns. Nothing is more said. 2019, Guterres said, “the Secretariat assesses hypocritical than an empty promise.” that the un-crewed aerial vehicles and/or North Korea has suspended virtually all parts thereof used in the two attacks are of In their 2018 summit in Singapore, the first- cooperation with South Korea in recent Iranian origin”. ever meeting between active leaders of the months while pressuring Seoul to defy two countries, Kim and Trump agreed to U.S.-led international sanctions and restart The report also links Iranian material from improve bilateral relations and issued a inter-Korean economic projects that would the U.S. seizures and the Saudi attacks. vague statement on a nuclear-free Korean breathe life into the North’s struggling Peninsula without describing when and how economy. Guterres said the U.N. is also reviewing it would occur. information in an Israeli letter last month It also has threatened to end an inter- on imagery of four Iranian anti-tank Korean military agreement reached in 2018 But negotiations faltered after the United while expressing anger over South Korea’s guided missiles “being employed in Libya” States rejected North Korean demands and information provided last month by inability to stop activists from floating anti- for broad sanctions relief in exchange for Pyongyang leaflets across the border. Australia on its June 2019 seizure of arms a partial surrender of the North’s nuclear from a dhow in international waters off the capabilities at Kim’s second summit with Credit : Associated Press (AP) Photo Credit : Getty Images Gulf of Oman. The Secretary-General was reporting on The U.N.’s atomic watchdog agency said implementation of the 2015 resolution earlier this month that Iran has continued to Putin appears enshrining the nuclear agreement aimed at increase its stockpiles of enriched uranium preventing Iran from developing nuclear above limits in the agreement and remains weapons. It includes restrictions that took at Russia Day in violation of its deal with world powers. effect on January 16, 2016, on transfers to or from Iran of nuclear and ballistic missile In his report, Guterres reiterated strong material as well as arms. Celebration support for the Iranian nuclear agreement absolute majority of our citizens share and and expressed regret for the U.S. withdrawal The Security Council is scheduled to discuss support such a position.” and Iran’s actions since July 2019 to stop the resolution’s implementation on June performing its nuclear commitments. He Photo Credit : Getty Images Russians go to the polls July 1 to vote on a 30, and the U.S. is expected to press for the urged all countries “to avoid provocative n his first public appearance since May series of Constitutional reforms, including a U.N. arms embargo against Iran, which is I rhetoric and actions that may have a negative 9, Russian President Vladimir Putin change that would allow Putin to run for two part of it, to be extended indefinitely before impact on regional stability”. expressed confidence that “an absolute more six-year terms, after his current term it expires in October. majority” of Russian citizens support expires in 2024. The Secretary-General said the Trump constitutional reforms that include allowing Other ballot measures include deepening Iran’s U.N. Mission responded to the administration’s imposition of sanctions him to stay in office until 2036. Presidential powers over the Parliament, report saying: “Iran categorically rejects on Iran since 2018 remains “contrary establishing the ruble as Russia’s official the observations contained in the report to the goals” in the nuclear deal and the Putin, speaking at a Russia Day Celebration currency and defining marriage as between concerning the Iranian connection to the U.N. resolution endorsing it, and may at Moscow’s Victory Park on Poklonnaya a man and a woman, effectively banning gay export of weapons or their components that also impede Tehran’s ability to implement Hill, offered holiday greetings to Russian marriage. are used in attacks on Saudi Arabia and the some provisions of the agreement and the citizens and their compatriots abroad. Iranian origin of alleged U.S. seizures of resolution. Observers speculate the gay marriage ban armaments.” In his comments, Putin spoke of the common “historical code and moral foundations”, was added to the ballot to drive voter turnout. He urged Iran to return to the agreement’s culture and traditions that all Russians Its statement said the U.N. “lacks the capacity, requirements and to “urgently address” Russia Day began in 1992 to mark Russia’s share, such as respect for the working expertise, and knowledge to conduct such a concerns raised by the United Kingdom, declaration of sovereignty from the Soviet man, parents and family. He said “There sophisticated and sensitive investigation,” Germany and France in relation to the 2015 Union, paving the way to the country’s have been frequent requests to include adding that the report reproduces exact resolution. independence. claims by the United States. “In essence, the these fundamental, core principals into U.S. is sitting in the driver’s seat to shape the Credit : Associated Press (AP) the Russian constitution. I’m sure that the Credit : Voice of America (VOA)
India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 12 15 - 21 June 2020
International NEW DELHI TIMES Hong Kong’s Kabul Mosque increasing divide attack kills 4 portends a n attack on a mosque in Kabul during I Friday prayers killed the Imam and tumultuous future three worshipers and wounded several P rotesters in Hong Kong got its others. government to withdraw extradition Mawlawi Azizullah Mofleh, the Imam of legislation last year, but now they’re getting Sher Shah Suri mosque in the Kart e Char a more dreaded national security law. And area, was a well-known religious scholar. the message from Beijing is: Protest is futile. This is the second attack on a religious One year ago, protesters took over streets scholar in the last 10 days. On June 2, and blocked the legislature, preventing Mawlawi Ayaz Niazi was killed in a lawmakers from starting debate on the similar attack at the Wazir Mohammad extradition bill. The youthful crowd clashed Akbar Khan mosque in downtown Kabul. with police, who deployed tear gas and The local chapter of Islamic State claimed pepper spray in a portent of the months of Photo Credit : AP Photo responsibility for that. protest that lay ahead. territory, which is part of China yet has mounts, the risk is they will become more its own laws and greater freedoms than radicalized, said Joseph Cheng, a political A suicide attack was carried out May 12 Thousands of rounds of tear gas later, the the mainland under a “One-Country, Two scientist and veteran pro-democracy activist. during a funeral in the Shewa district of movement has been quieted-in part by the Systems” framework that is supposed to He notes new slogans at recent protests Nangarhar province, killing at least 26 and coronavirus-but the anger has only grown. guarantee it a high level of autonomy until touting independence for Hong Kong. wounding more than 100. In its wake, the polarization has deepened 2047. “These are slogans I won’t use,” he said. The Taliban had denied responsibility for between the city’s disenchanted youth and its the earlier attacks, and so far, no group has government. And the resolve of the central Protests may be smaller this year, analysts A growing movement to leave China would claimed responsibility for the attack. government in Beijing to crack down on said, as police round up more protesters and play into the hands of Beijing, which has dissent, as evidenced by the coming national the impending national security law scares long broad-brushed the protesters as violent Meanwhile, security officials in Kandahar security law for the territory, has hardened. others from coming out. As well, some rioters bent on independence. Maintaining province said several people attacked a energy will be diverted to campaigning for China’s territorial integrity is one of the small intelligence base on the outskirts of “Emotions are running high because these legislative elections in September in which central tenets of the ruling Communist the city of Kandahar. young protesters see no future,” said Willy the pro-democracy opposition is likely to Party, and secessionist activities are one Lam, a commentator and adjunct professor make gains. of the crimes to be covered by the security at the Chinese University of Hong Kong. law. “Maybe that is the key message of this “There are no communication channels Organizers postponed a demonstration to new national security bill,” said Regina Ip, a between the protesters and either the (Hong mark the first anniversary of the blocking of pro-Beijing lawmaker in Hong Kong. “Not Kong) government or Beijing. And the the legislature, citing the coronavirus limit to arrest large numbers of people, but really to protesters see no future for themselves, of public gatherings to eight people. It has send the message that you are part of China because they know they can’t change the been tentatively rescheduled for June 19, and if you want your two systems to continue, mind of (Chinese President) Xi Jinping.” when the emergency rule is due to be lifted. you’d better not do anything that could harm the overall well-being of the nation.” The divide signals an uneasy and possibly Fundamentally, the two sides are on tumultuous future for the semi-autonomous divergent paths. As protester frustration Credit : Associated Press (AP) In France, minorities
leverage George Photo Credit : Getty Images The base housed unit Zero 03 of the National Floyd protests for Directorate for Security NDS special forces. empowerment Jamal Barakzai, a Spokesman for Kandahar police, told VOA that a number of attackers In France, the racism allegations - colliding took position in nearby mountains. A with the country’s colorblind egalitarian security source told VOA that attackers fired creed - have sparked soul-searching and heavy artillery on the NDS base. sharp divisions. The Zero 03 special forces base is located Now, as protests multiply, some wonder if inside the house of the Taliban’s founding the tide is turning. leader, Mullah Omer, in the Arghandab district. “They’re giving me hope,” said Souleymane Fofana, 20, who frequents the Belleville The incidents of violence come at a community center. He is a veteran of police time when the start of much-anticipated checks, he said, but the legal advice he’s negotiations between the Taliban and other mer Mas Capitolin sipped coffee as House for Inclusive Development) center received has helped. Afghans, including the Afghan government, O he joked with local youngsters one in the city’s ethnically mixed Belleville seem to be near. recent sunny evening. On a stoop nearby, neighborhood, Capitolin and his team of “We’ve learned our rights, the things we can President Ashraf Ghani announced that his neighbors enjoyed the last rays of a fading lawyers and counselors have spent years do, like filming police,” Fofana said. “That government, which had already released sun - a testament to tiny apartments and the coaching minority youngsters about their helps a bit.” 3,000 Taliban prisoners, was planning to dearth of parks in this grungy slice of Paris. rights and opportunities. release more. New protests, old story As a police car drove past, the young black Now he is seeing his sometimes-lonely “My colleagues and I have made the decision and ethnic Arab men hanging out in front of crusade for minority empowerment captured Last week, 20,000 protesters defied a to release an additional 2,000 prisoners Capitolin’s community center paused to eye in a broader call against police violence coronavirus ban on gatherings to demonstrate within a very short period. We will announce it warily. here, partly touched off by George Floyd’s in front of the main Paris courthouse. Many the date soon,” the Afghan President said death in the United States. brandished #BlackLivesMatter posters and to an online forum hosted jointly by the “We have a particularly violent squad in sported T-shirts carrying the smiling face Washington-based Atlantic Council’s South this neighborhood,” Capitolin said. “They In cities across France, thousands have of Adama Traore, 24, who died in police Asia Center and the United States Institute can (check a person’s identity documents) joined demonstrations in recent days, custody north of Paris in 2016. His cause of Peace. several times a day - even throw tear gas at echoing a broader global uprising against of death remains under investigation, but youngsters who are just talking together.” discrimination. In Europe and the United The Taliban has said it is ready to start Traore’s family contends it was similar to negotiations within a week of the release of States, protesters have pulled down statues Floyd’s. Founder of the Maison Communautaire linked to colonialism and slavery, even as 5,000 of their prisoners. pour Développement Solidaire (Community politicians and businesses promise change. Credit : Voice of America (VOA) Credit : Voice of America (VOA) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper
15 - 21 June 2020 13
International NEW DELHI TIMES
The government is under pressure to relax Australian Prime UK economy the social distancing guidelines to help the Study warns of Minister apologizes economy. People currently have to remain shrinks 20% in 2 meters (6-1/2 feet) apart, which is more poverty surge for ‘no slavery’ claim than required in most countries and above a month to fall the World Health Organization’s minimum ustralia’s Prime Minister apologized recommendation of staying one meter apart. to over 1 billion A to critics who accuse him of denying the country’s history of slavery, as a state back to 2002 level Johnson said the government is following government announced it will remove he British economy has seen nearly scientific advice about containing the spread due to virus a former Belgian King’s name from a T two decades worth of growth wiped out of the virus and that the required distance is G lobal poverty is set to rise above 1 mountain range as part of a global re- as a result of the lockdown measures put in under constant review and could in time be billion people once again as a result of examination of racial injustice. place during the coronavirus pandemic. changed. the coronavirus pandemic, which is reducing the income of the world’s poorest by $500 The Office for National Statistics said that The recovery is also set to be held back by the million a day, according to a new research. fact that many businesses just aren’t going the economy shrank by a colossal 20.4% in The research by King’s College London to make it out of the slump and millions of April, the first full month that the country and the Australian National University workers face unemployment. People are was under lockdown to contain the spread points to poverty increasing dramatically also set to remain wary about going to shops of the virus. All areas of the economy were in middle-income developing countries, or to commute so long as the virus remains hit during the month, in particular pubs, where millions of people live just above the a threat. Uncertainty over the U.K.’s trading education, health and car sales. poverty line. relationship with the European Union at the The month-on-month decline was unprecedented start of 2021 is another factor that could keep Asian countries, such as Bangladesh, India, and, adding the still substantial 5.8% decline a lid on business sentiment and the recovery. Indonesia, Pakistan and the Philippines, are in March, means the U.K. economy is Frances O’Grady, General Secretary of considered to be particularly vulnerable to Photo Credit : AP Photo around 25% smaller than it was in February. the umbrella Trades Union Congress, said the pandemic’s economic shockwaves with Prime Minister Scott Morrison has defended lockdowns severely curtailing activity. the legacy of British explorer James Cook, who in 1770 charted the site of the first “The pandemic is fast becoming an economic British penal colony in Australia, which crisis for developing countries,” said became present-day Sydney. Andy Sumner, a professor of international Morrison, who represents the Sydney development at King’s College London and electoral district of Cook in Parliament, one of the report’s co-authors. described the British naval hero as “very Because millions of people live just above much ahead of his time”, and urged people the poverty line, they are in a precarious calling for the district to be renamed to “get position as the economic shock of the a bit of a grip on this”. pandemic plays out. In a worst-case scenario, “While slave ships continued to travel the number of people in extreme poverty- around the world, when Australia was defined as earning under $1.90 a day-is established ... it was a pretty brutal place, but forecast to rise from about 700 million to 1.1 there was no slavery in Australia,” Morrison billion, according to the report, which was told Sydney Radio 2BG. published by the United Nations University World Institute for Development Economics But he made a rare apology after critics Research. pointed out that tens of thousands of South Pacific islanders had been forced to labor on “Without action this crisis could set back Australian sugar cane plantations in the 19th Photo Credit : Getty Images progress on reducing global poverty by 20 century and Australian indigenous people “This startling fall in activity takes output in targeted support for hard-hit sectors of the or even 30 years,” Sumner said. had been forced to work for wages that were April back to around its level in July 2002,” economy is needed, as well as help for those Researchers are calling for “urgent global never paid. said James Smith, Research Director at the who lose work. Resolution Foundation. leadership” to address the crisis. But hopes Satirical website Betoota Advocate ran a “The more people in work, the faster we will are low after the Group of Seven meeting of headline, “‘Australia Never Had Slavery’, With much of the economy still mothballed work our way out of recession,” she said. world leaders, which was due to take place Says P.M. Who Thinks The Sugar Cane Just in May and June, the U.K. is heading for June 10-12 at President Donald Trump’s Cut Itself for 100 Years.” one of its deepest recessions ever - the Companies have largely held off from retreat at Camp David, was postponed. Trump now aims to host an expanded “My comments were not intended to cause Organization for Economic Cooperation and cutting jobs during the lockdown as a result meeting in September, also including offense and if I did, I deeply regret that and Development has warned that the country is of the Job Retention Scheme, under which leaders from Russia, Australia, South Korea apologize for that,” Morrison said, adding set to be the hardest-hit developed economy the government pays up to 80% of the and India. How much development issues that slavery was not lawful in the original this year. salaries of workers retained, up to 2,500 will be addressed at that summit remains an Sydney colony. pounds ($3,125) a month. Lockdown restrictions are slowly being open question. While Morrison was seeking public restraint eased, which should see the economy start Treasury Chief Rishi Sunak has said that in re-evaluating historical figures in response to pick up. Nonessential shops, such as from August, firms will have to start making to George Floyd’s death at the hands of department stores and electronic retailers, contributions to the salaries of workers that Minneapolis police officers, the Western can reopen if they can abide by social are retained but not working, and that the Australia state government announced it distancing requirements from next week. scheme will close two months later. will rename the King Leopold Ranges in Australia’s northwest. Prime Minister Boris Johnson predicted that That’s raised concerns that Britain will see the U.K. economy would “bounce back” as State Lands Minister Ben Wyatt, an a spike in unemployment then. In total, 8.9 the lockdown is gradually lifted, including indigenous Australian, described Belgium’s million jobs have been furloughed under the allowing large segments of the hospitality King Leopold II as an “evil tyrant” who scheme by 1.1 million employers at a cost industry to reopen from early July. should not be honored. to the government of 19.6 billion pounds ($25 billion). Even if 10% of those lose The announcement came after a statue of “The U.K. is heavily dependent on services. their jobs, it would increase unemployment the monarch, who forced many people We’re a dynamic, creative economy. We substantially. In March, there were around into slavery in the Congo, was defaced and depend so much on human contact,” he told Photo Credit : AP Photo 1.35 million people unemployed. removed from the Belgium city of Antwerp. British broadcasters. “We have been very Sumner said three actions need to be badly hit by this.” Morrison’s denial of Australian slavery “It will take a very long time and significant prioritized. First, a “rapid response global commission on poverty and COVID-19” came as a second blow to many indigenous But hopes that the bounce back in the monetary and fiscal stimulus for the economy needs to be established and led by a Australians after he expressed gratitude after economy will be as strong as the slide have to climb out of a hole this large,” said Luke prominent global leader to identify the level Floyd’s death that Australia did not share the faded given that many restrictions, such as Bartholomew, investment strategist at of financing required and what rich countries U.S. problem of police violence against the on social contact, are set to remain in place Aberdeen Standard Investments. can do to help. black population. so long as the pandemic is a threat to public Credit : Associated Press (AP) health. Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP) India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 14 15 - 21 June 2020
Delhi/NCR NEW DELHI TIMES DERC directs private Central Government is “contemplating” Indian Railways distribution companies the option of reducing the syllabus, says to issue provisional creates new bills to non-domestic HRD Minister World Record consumers only on fixed ◆ By NDT Bureau charges and taxes @NewDelhiTimes ◆ By NDT Bureau [email protected]
@NewDelhiTimes y successfully running first Double [email protected] B Stack Container Train in high rise Over Head Equipment (OHE) electrified sections, iting complaints by residents of inflated Indian Railways on June 11, created a new C electricity bills, private distribution world record. companies have been directed by the Delhi Electricity Regulatory Commission (DERC) “Railways creates a new world benchmark to issue provisional bills to non-domestic by successfully running first Double Stack consumers only on the fixed charges and Container Train in high rise Over Head taxes. Equipment (OHE) electrified sections. Govt under PM @NarendraModi ji propels innovation, speed & customisation in freight operations,” read the tweet by Union Railway Minister Piyush Goyal who shared the achievement on the micro-blogging site Photo Credit : Getty Images parents and teachers, we are contemplating Twitter. ◆ By NDT Bureau the option of reduction in the syllabus and @NewDelhiTimes instructional hours for the coming academic year,” reiterated Mr. Pokhriyal. [email protected]
he government at the centre is Inviting suggestions from teachers and The move implies that industrial, commercial T “contemplating” the option of reducing educationists regarding the reduction of and other non-domestic connections will not the syllabus and instructional hours for syllabus, the Minister said, “I would like be charged on the basis of their consumption schools in the next academic year, said the to appeal to all teachers, academicians, and or energy units and this will be applicable Minister of Human Resource Development educationists to share their point of view on only on those who are issued provisional Ramesh Pokhriyal ‘Nishank’. this matter using #SyllabusForStudents2020 With this development, Indian Railways bills. on MHRD’s or my Twitter and Facebook has proudly become the first Railway in the “In view of the current circumstances page so that we can take them into “The distribution licensee (DISCOM) shall world to run Double Stack Container train and after receiving a lot of requests from consideration while making a decision.” raise such provisional bill for the fixed with high reach pantograph in high rise charges and associated applicable charges OHE territory. The operations of the project only, considering the energy consumption as successfully commenced on June 10 from nil,” said DERC in its order. Delhi Health Minister clarifies Palanpur and Botad stations in Gujarat. The achievement is a first of its kind in the world As per the directives issued by the power that lockdown will not be and aims to foster the ambitious mission of regulator last month, provisional billing is ‘Green India’ as a latest green initiative over to be done only in those cases where the Indian Railways. DISCOM, owing to the lockdown, could not extended in the National Capital read the meter during the billing cycle. No community Delhi University spread of COVID-19 to begin admission in Delhi, Centre says: process from June 20 Delhi Deputy CM
◆ By NDT Bureau ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes @NewDelhiTimes [email protected] [email protected]
he University of Delhi is all set to ven as his Cabinet colleague expressed T begin its admission process for various E concern about the National Capital undergraduate, postgraduate, MPhil, and PhD entering the new phase with more and more courses from June 20, said the officials on June cases that cannot be traced to any source, 10. At least a two-week window till July 4 will Delhi Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia be provided to the applicants to submit their said that according to central officials, there registration forms on the website. is no community spread of Coronavirus in Photo Credit : Getty Images the Capital city. Denying of the possibility of the Capital The decision regarding the same was taken ◆ By NDT Bureau City returning to a state of total lockdown After a meeting of the Delhi Disaster at the three-hour long Standing Committee to put a check on the increasing number of Management Authority, Manish Sisodia meeting of the academic council. “The @NewDelhiTimes COVID-19 cases, Delhi Health Minister said, “On community spread in Delhi, registration portal is to be opened from June [email protected] Satyendar Jain stated, “No, the lockdown central government officials said it has not 20 to July 4 for all courses. The second will not be extended”. happened yet.” window will be opened for updating marks ubbishing speculation after a spurt in after the declaration of results by the Central R virus cases over the past few days, Aam There has been a huge buzz on social media Community spread, or the third stage of a Board of Secondary Education (CBSE). The Aadmi Party government in the National and sections of media regarding these states pandemic, occurs when it is difficult to trace first cut-off, which will also be dependent on Capital announced that the Coronavirus to go on complete lockdown from June the source from where the infection has that, is likely to come out between the second lockdown will not be intensified in Delhi. 15 till July 31. Calling such speculations been transmitted. The Health Minister of the and third week of August,” announced Arun The state government of Tamil Nadu has “wrong news”, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister National Capital Satyendra Jain said that it is Kumar Attree, a member of the Standing also clarified to not extend the lockdown in E. Palaniswami clarified that there were no only the government at the Centre who could Committee. the southern state. plans to intensify the lockdown. declare the stage as the community spread. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper
15 - 21 June 2020 15
National NEW DELHI TIMES COVID-19 cases surpass 10,000 mark in UP, large number of migrant workers test positive have been found infected with coronavirus ◆ By Amitabh Srivastava in the state, while two of them have UP Bureau Chief succumbed to the infection. Most of the cops New Delhi Times found infected were deployed on duties in and around the containment zones. espite strict lockdown restrictions D enforced by the government with an aim Speaking in brief about it, a senior police to combat the spread of novel coronavirus, official, on the condition of anonymity, said Uttar Pradesh on Saturday recorded 382 new that more than 350 police personnel were cases, taking the total tally to 10,103 in the sent to quarantine after they came in contact state. with a Covid-19 positive patient. Of these, 194 tested positive and are undergoing According to data released by Uttar Pradesh treatment at various hospitals across the Health Department, 11 people have succumbed state. Out of these 194, 99 police personnel to the infection in the last 24 hours, taking the have been treated and discharged from the death toll to 268 in the state. While there are hospitals. 3,927 active cases and 5,908 patients have been cured of the disease. Apart from Uttar Pradesh police personnel, around 32 cops of PAC and 31 cops of GRP In Uttar Pradesh, Agra continues to remain have also tested positive for coronavirus in as one of the worst-affected districts with the state. While PAC personnel who have 939 Covid-19 cases so far, followed by tested positive were mostly the ones who Gautam Buddh Nagar (623), Meerut (502), Photo Credit : Getty Images were helping civil police in maintaining Kanpur (498), Lucknow (445), Ghaziabad ‘As of now, more than 86,000 samples from other states have been put under law and order, the GRP personnel who have (403), Firozabad (313), Saharanpur (266), of migrant workers have been tested. Of surveillance,’ said Dr Vikasendu Agarwal, tested positive were busy with handling of Jaunpur (264), Moradabad (253), and Basti these, 2,856 migrants have tested positive State Surveillance Officer. Meanwhile, so ‘Shramik Special’ trains coming to Uttar (228). for the virus. Over 10 lakh migrant workers far, a total number of 194 police personnel Pradesh from other states. Reopening of schools, Delhi Metro taken up in Delhi Private hospitals begin offering L-G’s all party meet home care packages to COVID-19 ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes patients with mild symptoms A Max Spokesperson said, “Our homecare [email protected] ◆ By NDT Bureau packages are meant for tested COVID- n order to take a review of the National @NewDelhiTimes positive patients with mild or no symptoms who are eligible for home isolation. These I Capital’s preparedness to contain the [email protected] spread of the coronavirus disease, Delhi symptoms can include mild fever, headache, sore throat, fatigue, etc.” Lieutenant Governor Anil Baijal on June 9, n order to help reduce overcrowding conducted an all-party meeting which was I at hospitals, the private hospitals attended by members of the Aam Aadmi have begun offering home care packages Max Healthcare homecare package has been Party (AAP), Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP), to Coronavirus infected patients with mild priced at Rs. 5,000 (without BP machine) and the grand old party, Congress among symptoms, eligible for home isolation. and Rs. 7,000 (with BP machine) for a other political leaders. period of 15 days while Fortis Healthcare’s Those showing mild symptoms are being home care plan has been priced at Rs. 6,000 given treatment at home by Max Healthcare, for 17 days. Priced at Rs. 4,900, Medanta is Medanta and Fortis Healthcare in Gurugram. providing its homecare package for 15 days. Photo Credit : Getty Images PM Modi’s Digital India campaign has turned out to be a “boon” during COVID-19 pandemic, says Smriti Irani to more than 20 crore Jan Dhan bank accounts Photo Credit : Getty Images ◆ By NDT Bureau to giving ration to poor for free for three months, “Held all-party meeting to discuss the @NewDelhiTimes to other benefits received by crores of people as present situation of Covid-19 in Delhi & part of Rs. 1.7 lakh crore package announced [email protected] measures to contain its spread. Discussed by PM Mr. Narendra Modi, people’s faith in the issues relating to availability of beds for government has increased under PM Mr. Modi, Covid-19 patients, extensive testing, swift uring her address to a “virtual rally” said she. ambulance response, providing critical D for Uttarakhand, Union Minister Smriti information in public domain, etc,” tweeted, Irani on June 10, said that Prime Minister Smriti Irani targeting the opposition said that L-G’s office. Issues pertaining to reopening Narendra Modi’s Digital India campaign, at it is often easy to criticize, but most of the schools and Metro services in the city were which the opposition used to “mock”, has now money meant for development earlier when also taken up by the members of opposition turned out to be a “boon” during the coronavirus the opposition was in power was lost to at the meeting. pandemic as welfare benefits have been directly corruption. The BJP leader also spoke about sent to the people who need them. “The the infrastructural development in Uttarakhand “While schools are closed anyway right now, opposition had mocked the slogan of Digital by the Modi government and in the rally also I advised against restarting Metro services in India given by Prime Minister Narendra Modi mentioned abrogation of Article 370, law the city as the number of Covid-19 cases are six years back. But now Digital India is proving banning Triple Talaq and paving the way for increasing every day,” proposed Delhi BJP to be a boon during this global pandemic,” the construction of Ram Mandir at Ayodhya as Chief Adesh Gupta. Photo Credit : Getty Images Union Minister reiterated. With transferring cash other achievements of the Modi government.
India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 16 15 - 21 June 2020
Neighbourhood NEW DELHI TIMES
left to the state and courts. Last week, the Supreme Court rejected Pakistan Human Sri Lanka sets petitions by opposition parties and civil Rights Body warns Sensitive issue Parliamentary activists seeking an annulment of Rajapaksa’s He also said that blasphemy was a sensitive order of dissolving the Parliament. academic freedom issue in Pakistan and by going to the police election on August 5 and using the legal option, his party was ri Lanka’s Election Commission set August under “grave threat” trying to keep the emotions of hundreds of S 5 as the new date for Parliamentary thousands of people under control. akistan’s top human rights body has elections after postponing them twice over P expressed alarm at what it considers “Party workers did not go to her house, the coronavirus pandemic. recurring attacks on academic freedom of block roads, or protest. Rather, they took the expression through use of the country’s legal route, which is our constitutional right. Commission member Ratnajeevan Hoole controversial blasphemy or sedition laws Whatever the court decides, the party will said the date will give sufficient time for that could carry a death sentence. accept,” he said. preparations under the health guidelines. “Indeed, it has become frighteningly common to An accusation of blasphemy in Pakistan is President Gotabaya Rajapaksa dissolved the Photo Credit : AP Photo considered tantamount to a death sentence. hear of charges of sedition and blasphemy Parliament in March. The first two election Rajapaksa was elected last November and People in the past have been killed by mobs, being used to intimidate citizens who dare dates-April 25 and June 20-were postponed used his Constitutional powers to dissolve shot by their own guards, or sentenced speak up,” said a press release issued by as the Election Commission sought the Parliament six months ahead of schedule to death by the courts. Prime Minister the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, assurances from the health authorities that it hoping to secure his party a majority of Imran Khan has voiced his support for the titled, “Academic Freedom Under Grave would be safe to hold the vote. lawmakers. Although he would be allowed blasphemy law. Threat”. to reconvene the dissolved Parliament in Sri Lanka is facing Constitutional uncertainties The statement followed the arrest of a Rights activists have long demanded either an emergency, he refused to do so when the because it is past a three-month period professor, Sajid Soomro, from Shah Abdul an abolition of the laws or major amendments coronavirus made elections uncertain. allowed by law to operate without a sitting Latif University in Sindh province on to them, citing their widespread misuse. Parliament. Credit : Associated Press (AP) charges of blasphemy and sedition. In 2018, Pakistan’s Supreme Court When another professor, Arfana Mallah, overturned a blasphemy conviction against attack had been trafficked to Libya via India, Bangladesh arrests the United Arab Emirates and Egypt. at least 19 suspected He also said the victims were detained in various camps in the North African nation people smugglers and subjected to physical and mental torture. uthorities in Bangladesh have arrested The traffickers made video and audio A at least 19 suspected people smugglers recordings of the victims and sent them following the killings last month of 26 to their families in Bangladesh to extract Bangladeshis in Libya who were trying to money, Baten said. reach Europe illegally, police said. Bangladesh’s Inspector General of police, Detectives have arrested six people in Benazir Ahmed, had earlier said that “the Dhaka, Bangladesh’s Capital, in connection way our people were brutally killed is with the migrant workers who were killed or unacceptable”. injured in Libya, raising the total number of detained suspects to 19, said Abdul Baten, “No one will be spared who has deceived Additional Commissioner of the Dhaka our citizens…took them overseas and are Metropolitan Police. responsible for these miserable deaths,” he Photo Credit : Getty Images said. A series of arrests have been made in who is also a human rights activist, raised a Christian woman, Asia Bibi, after she had Dhaka and elsewhere in recent weeks, Migrants fleeing poverty and conflict in her voice in solidarity, she was, as per the already spent at least eight years in prison. with Bangladesh’s police Chief saying the Africa and the Middle East typically pass HRCP statement, “immediately subjected Court documents showed Bibi had an through Libya on their way to Europe, to a vicious campaign led by clerics with argument with other women over drinking political associations, calling for her to be water. An Islamist party, Tehreek e Labbaik charged with blasphemy”. Pakistan, protested the acquittal, its leaders threatening the Supreme Court justices According to Mallah, she never mentioned with death. In a 2017 incident, student any religion or religious figure. She did, Mashal Khan was killed by a mob inside his however, criticize Pakistan’s blasphemy University after an accusation of blasphemy. measure, calling it a “black law”. It later emerged that the accusation stemmed from differences with the University ad\ “This law has been widely misused, and ministration and his persistent criticism of people are hit with blasphemy charges to their policies. deal with personal disputes,” she said. A powerful political figure in Pakistan, Death threat Salman Taseer, was killed by his own security guard in 2011 when he labelled the Mallah added followers of a religo-political blasphemy measure a “black law” and called party, Jamiat e Ulema e Islam Fazal (JUI-F), for its reformation. people smugglers will not be spared. In last departing Tripoli’s rocky coast in inflatable took aim at her on social media and local month’s attack in Libya, the family of a slain dinghies. representatives of the party tried to file a Haris Khaleeq, the Secretary General of Libyan human trafficker attacked a group of The Libyan Coast Guard, trained by the police report against her. HRCP, said while multiple religo-political migrants in a town that recently had changed European Union to keep migrants from parties use blasphemy or sedition accusations hands amid the fighting over the country’s While the police refused to accept a against people, their intention does not seem reaching European shores, intercepts boats capital, killing 26 Bangladeshis and four at sea and returns them to Libya, where complaint, Mallah said the social media to be to safeguard the fundamental principles African migrants. campaign continued. of faith. many migrants land in detention centres rife The Libyan government has said 11 other with torture and abuse. “They’ve started a campaign on social media “It is purely a political game...to use the Bangladeshis were wounded in the May 28 Sending workers abroad is crucial for that this woman committed blasphemy and sentiments of the general public to make attack. The U.N. migration agency said the Bangladesh’s economy. Some 10 million she should be killed and that we would not gains in the political arena,” he said. migrants were shot and killed in a smuggling Bangladeshis working overseas send home rest until she is arrested,” she told VOA. warehouse in the desert town of Mizdah, Mallah said the campaigns were resulting in where a group of migrants were being held. about $20 billion per year. A senior JUI-F official from Sindh, Rashid shrinking freedom of expression in society. Baten said the crackdown on the rogue Saudi Arabia has long been the largest Soomro, denied that his party workers called “I truly believe that all progressive, liberal, recruiters of migrant workers and human source of remittances, followed by the UAE, for her death, adding that if anyone did, “I and democratic voices who believe in smugglers continued after two separate Qatar, Oman, Bahrain, Kuwait, Libya, Iraq, strongly condemn it”. constitutional freedoms are being silenced,” cases were filed by the victims’ families Singapore, Malaysia, the United States and she said. following the killings. “No one is allowed to call for another’s Britain. death,” he said, adding that it was a job best Credit : Voice of America (VOA) He said it appeared that the victims of the Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper
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North America NEW DELHI TIMES
to publicly describe internal conversations. Puerto Rico to White House eyes CDC officials and the White House did Nicaraguan baseball not immediately respond to requests for reopen beaches, travel from Mexico as comment. manager fired after source of virus spike speaking about virus gyms after 3-month In addition to Arizona, other states he White House is floating a theory experiencing recent spikes of infections Nicaraguan Hall of Fame baseball lockdown T that travel from Mexico may be include California, Texas and North A manager was fired, days after publicly Carolina - particularly within the Hispanic uerto Rico’s Governor announced contributing to a new wave of coronavirus speaking about being hospitalized with community. As a result, the task force is P that she will lift nearly all restrictions infections, rather than states’ efforts to COVID-19 along with his son and coach. looking at whether those spikes may be tied aimed at curbing coronavirus cases, which reopen their economies. to legal travel between the U.S. and Mexico, Norman Cardoze Sr., Manager of the San means beaches, churches and businesses The notion was discussed at some length which is experiencing an ongoing severe Fernando Beasts, was not given a reason for including movie theaters and gyms across during a meeting of the administration’s coronavirus outbreak. his firing, but his wife Fátima Ruiz said the the U.S. territory will reopen after three coronavirus task force in the White House family suspects it was because they spoke months. Situation Room that focused, in part, on Mexico has had more than 133,000 out about being infected with the virus. Governor Wanda Vázquez said the changes identifying commonalities between new confirmed COVID-19 cases and nearly The government of President Daniel Ortega will occur starting June 16, when businesses outbreaks, according to two administration 16,000 deaths, according to data from Johns has continued to downplay the threat posed also will be allowed to operate seven days officials familiar with the discussions. Hopkins University - dramatically fewer by the epidemic even as its toll has become a week and restaurants at 50% capacity. than the U.S., which has surpassed 2 million more difficult to hide with more victims However, she tweaked an ongoing curfew cases and more than 113,000 deaths. subjected to “express burials” and more that will remain in place for two weeks from medical personnel speaking out. 10 p.m. to 5 a.m. The U.S. and Mexico entered into a joint agreement in March to restrict non-essential Ruiz said the family was “dejected” by the She also said Puerto Rico will be officially travel along the countries’ border to try news. ready to welcome tourists starting July 15 to contain the spread of the coronavirus, and that airport screenings will continue. “Norman is sick and this has shaken us though American citizens and many others more. Baseball is his life,” she said. “These have been hard decisions,” she said. are still allowed entry to the U.S., including “Now it’s up to each one of us...to decide those conducting commercial traffic and Cardoze Sr. had told The Associated Press where to go and how to go about it.” agricultural workers. about being hospitalized with his son and star slugger Norman Cardoze Jr. and The announcement worried some experts Still, cross-border travel is down coach Carlos Aranda in May. The Cardoze who say the island of 3.2 million people has substantially, and the U.S. State Department spent five days in the hospital and continue done too little testing, and most of it using continues to urge Americans to avoid all recuperating at home. Aranda was put on a the wrong sort of tests to truly know the international travel due to the pandemic. ventilator at the hospital and later died. extent of the pandemic. The government has Photo Credit : AP Photo reported more than 1,400 confirmed cases COVID-19 cases are currently rising in In addition to its theory about Mexico, and nearly 4,000 probable cases, with at nearly half of states across the country, members of the White House task force least 144 deaths. according to an Associated Press analysis. were also exploring other potential causes That includes Arizona, where hospitals have for the recent uptick in numbers, noting been told to prepare for the worst, and Texas, that circumstances likely differ by location. which now has more hospitalized patients Delays in test reporting and the fact that than ever. some infected people take multiple tests in order to get an all-clear to return to work The Centers for Disease Control and are among the other theories that are being Prevention was deploying teams to explored, but would not account for the Arizona and other hotspots to try to trace increase in hospitalizations seen in some Photo Credit : AP Photo the outbreaks and contain them, according states. Cardoze Sr. described the horror of watching to the officials, who spoke on condition of people essentially suffocate before his eyes Credit : Associated Press (AP) anonymity because they were not authorized and seeing their bodies wrapped in plastic and removed. Nicaragua’s baseball league Mexico industrial activity plunges had suspended play following Aranda’s death and players’ refusal to take the field, Photo Credit : AP Photo initially until June 5 and then until June 26. Masks will still be required while outside in April amid pandemic the home and inside any business. Players and coaches have spoken of being threatened to continue playing even as the The changes were cheered by many in illness spread through Nicaragua or risk the business community, noting that the two-year bans from the game. lockdown lifted by phases in recent weeks has had an overall estimated $5 billion to The pro-government radio station Nueva $10 billion impact on the island’s economy. Radio Ya quoted Cardoze as saying, “I will be San Fernando until I die, but the front Vázquez’s announcement comes a day after office just called me to say I was separated the island’s health officials said Puerto Rico from the team.” saw its peak of COVID-19 cases and related deaths two months ago, a claim that experts Even in the midst of the epidemic it Photo Credit : AP Photo appeared doctors were not protected from also questioned, noting it’s based on the exico’s industrial activity plunged by respectively, compared to a year earlier, consequences for speaking publicly about limited number of tests available at the time. M nearly 30% in April compared to a according to INEGI’s report. the situation. Health Department Secretary Lorenzo year earlier as the economy ground to a halt under measures aimed at slowing the spread Mexico’s economy was in recession even At least 11 doctors were fired from the González said he was confident in the before the pandemic. Its central bank has agency’s statistics but warned people to of the novel coronavirus. public hospitals, apparently for signing forecast the economy will contract by 8.8% a letter demanding personal protective maintain social distancing as the island There had been a comparatively small this year. Other analysts have said it could equipment, said Róger Pasquier, Director of reopens. drop in March as the government began be even more. the Nicaraguan Medical Association. “It definitely comes with risk,” he said. recommending people stay home, but April was the first full month the country was That panorama has been a driving force “They want to leave the hospitals without Vázquez warned that the restrictions would essentially locked down. behind President Andrés Manuel López doctors in the middle of the pandemic,” return if the number of cases, deaths or Obrador’s push to reactivate the economy Pasquier said. hospitalizations spike. In addition, public Compared to March 2020, industrial activity sooner than some think wise. transportation including buses and trains fell a 25% in April, the worst monthly decline One of those let go, anesthesiologist will not operate yet. since the National Institute of Statistics and The country’s COVID-19 infections are still Marianela Escoto, said in a video circulated Geography began tracking the monthly data peaking, but sectors including construction, on social media that “there is no just cause,” “I want people to understand we’re still in a in 1993. mining and automotive manufacturing have that her performance had never even been pandemic,” she said. been allowed to resume operations. Construction and manufacturing took called into question. Credit : Associated Press (AP) the biggest hits, falling 38% and 35% Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)
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Africa NEW DELHI TIMES Pulling down statues Congo doctor of racists? Africa’s quits COVID-19 done it for years ueen Victoria, Cecil Rhodes, King task force, notes Q Leopold. Statues honouring these leaders of colonial rule have been pulled testing delays down over the years in Africa after countries won independence or newer generations obel Peace Prize Laureate Dr. Denis said racist relics had to go. N Mukwege has stepped down from a COVID-19 task force in eastern Congo, New campaigns in the U.S. and Europe are saying his hospital needs to focus on treating now following Africa’s lead. Monuments coronavirus patients because testing delays to slave traders and colonial rulers have and other problems have allowed the crisis become the focus of protests around the to deepen. world, driven by a re-examination of In announcing his resignation, Mukwege historical injustice after the death of George Photo Credit : AP Photo said he expected virus cases to keep Floyd at the hands of police in the U.S. A statue of Britain’s Queen Victoria in Museums set up by the U.N. mission in mounting in Bukavu, where his renowned Nairobi, Kenya, was knocked down and Congo. Although the park is technically Panzi Hospital treats survivors of sexual No protests have been spotted this week beheaded in 2015 by unknown vandals. The open to the public, access is limited because around the remaining statues in Africa, but violence and provides other health care headless statue lies next to its plinth in a of its proximity to the President’s residence services. several have faced furious demonstrations in downtown square. in the capital, Kinshasa. The park also has the past. statues of explorers Henry Morton Stanley The surgeon said he now would “devote “This statue reminds me of the suffering and David Livingstone. myself entirely to my medical responsibilities A boisterous student-led campaign pressed our forefathers went through in the hands and to care for this influx of patients”. the University of Cape Town to remove a of colonialists and whenever we see them, There have been so many protests against Mukwege’s statement outlined problems statue of Cecil Rhodes from the school’s the memories are fresh,” Nairobi resident the statue of Paul Kruger, an early white that had hurt regional coronavirus response entrance in April 2015. The statue had Samuel Obiero said. “We need to get rid ruler of South Africa, in the capital, Pretoria, efforts, including delays of more than two been defaced and covered in excrement of them. All over the world they must be that fencing has been erected to keep people weeks on testing samples sent to a national by students protesting against the colonial brought down and all people who suffered away from it. “Killer Killer” is prominently laboratory in the capital, Kinshasa. leader who supported white minority rule due to colonialism need to also be saved painted on its base. in South Africa and the colonization of the from all these kinds of memories.” southern African territories named for him, “It just reminds me of, like, what’s written Northern and Southern Rhodesia, which In Congo, a statue honouring colonial ruler over there, ‘Killer Killer,’” said Rogue later became independent Zambia and King Leopold II of Belgium - a copy of the Wanga, a 19-year-old street vendor. “Those Zimbabwe. statue that is now the focus of demonstrations people were killers literally. And they never in Belgium - was pulled down decades ago. liked us. I feel like we should replace it. Students celebrated as a crane lifted the Erected in 1928, it was ordered taken down Maybe a fountain or a Madiba (Nelson statue off its base. Now the statue is covered by then-dictator Mobutu Sese Seko seven Mandela) statue wouldn’t hurt.” by a tarpaulin at a local army base. years after independence in 1960. A different view came from student Sambeso Another statue of Rhodes was toppled in The statue made a return in 2005 with an Soxa, 23. “I think maybe we could put, like, Zimbabwe in July 1980, a few months after updated plaque, intended by authorities a statue of someone else next to it. You the country became independent. When to serve as a reminder of the horrors of know, maybe (black rights activist) Steve the statue was downed in the capital - then colonial rule. Public outcry was so great Biko next to the statue, maybe above it to known by its colonial name, Salisbury, now that it was taken down a day later. Now it show that we’ve gone past now,” Soxa said. Harare - demonstrators cheered and pounded stands in a park of colonial monuments set it with a hammer. up on the grounds of the Institute of National Credit : Associated Press (AP) Photo Credit : AP Photo ICC prosecutor The delay “was a major handicap for our strategy of ‘test, identify, isolate and treat,’” he said. The longer it takes to identify urges Sudan to positive cases, the greater the risk that more people will be infected. hand over ex- Despite limited testing capacity, Congo already has reported more than 4,500 leader to court coronavirus cases and nearly 100 deaths. assault of aerial bombings and unleashed The virus was able to gain the upper local nomadic Arab militias known as the hand initially because Congolese citizens Janjaweed, who are accused of mass killings coming home from other countries were not and rapes. Up to 300,000 people were killed quarantined, Mukwege said. and 2.7 million were driven from their Without elaborating, the doctor also homes. Photo Credit : AP Photo criticized “organizational weaknesses and he Chief Prosecutor of the International Central African Republic, near the country’s The Darfur conflict took place under the inconsistencies between the various teams T Criminal Court called the surrender of border with Sudan, and arrived at the court’s three-decade autocratic rule of Al-Bashir, responsible for responding to the pandemic” Sudanese militia leader Ali Kushayb to the detention center in The Hague, Netherlands. who has been charged with genocide by in Congo’s South Kivu province. war crimes tribunal “a pivotal development” the ICC for allegedly masterminding the The emergence of COVID-19 in eastern for victims awaiting justice and urged Sudan Bensouda told the U.N. Security Council campaign of attacks. Congo comes as the region has yet to declare to hand over former President Omar al- that she hopes Kushayb’s surrender sends victory over the world’s second most deadly Bashir and two others wanted by the court. an unequivocal message that her office will Al-Bashir’s rule ended in April 2019 when Ebola outbreak in history, which has left not stop pursuing alleged perpetrators of the the military ousted him after mass street more than 2,200 people dead since August Bensouda also called on Abdallah Banda, world’s worst crimes “no matter how long protests by a pro-democracy movement 2018. Commander of the Justice and Equality rebel it takes or the obstacles placed in our path”. which began in late 2018. group in Sudan’s western Darfur region who Response efforts to that outbreak were remains at large, to follow Kushayb and The vast Darfur region was gripped by A power-sharing agreement signed in August severely hampered by rebel attacks and surrender to the ICC. bloodshed in 2003 when rebels from the 2019 between the military and protesters widespread distrust of incoming health territory’s ethnic central and sub-Saharan created a joint civilian-military transitional teams after decades of armed conflict in the The ICC said Kushayb, who is charged with African community launched an insurgency ruling “sovereign council”, but the civilians region. Health experts fear those challenges 50 crimes against humanity and war crimes accusing the Arab-dominated government in are struggling to assert authority in the face could complicate efforts to contain the in the devastating conflict, surrendered to Khartoum of discrimination and neglect.The of the military’s power. coronavirus, too. authorities in a remote corner of northern government responded with a scorched-earth 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
to the already weak pre-epidemic levels. COVID-19: Brazilians to participate Virus deepens Many are warning of Argentina’s worst in Chinese vaccine trial crisis in two decades. Argentina’s The World Bank foresees a 7.3% contraction he Sao Paulo state government announced Some 2,000 Brazilians will be selected to in Argentina’s gross domestic product this T that Brazil’s Instituto Butantan reached participate in Sao Paulo and Rio de Janeiro year, one of the worst recessions in Latin an agreement with the Chinese laboratory for that project, which will be coordinated economic crisis America. Child poverty and deprivation Sinovac Biotech to produce an experimental by the Federal University of Sao Paulo. among indigenous people are growing even vaccine against the coronavirus. Brazil has reported more than 40,900 deaths as poverty soars faster, and beyond the poorest neighborhoods Some 9,000 Brazilians will participate in from COVID-19, though many experts s they wait out quarantine in a cramped, in Argentina’s cities. tests beginning in July, representing the third believe the toll is higher than the official A windowless room, Natividad Benítez Mirta González, who lives with her two and last stage of testing before distribution. count. brings her six children all of their meals children in a middle-class Buenos Aires If the vaccine is effective, it will be produced from the soup kitchen where she earns $133 neighborhood, recently travelled to a soup in Brazil. Sao Paulo Gov. Joao Doria said a month, barely enough to cover her rent and kitchen run by the Santa María Madre del the vaccine could be available in the first a few extra monthly costs. half of 2021. Pueblo parish in the neighborhood where Natividad Benítez lives. “Today is a historic day for Sao Paulo, Since the new coronavirus came to Brazil and world science. The vaccine that Argentina, the priest who employs her, the Rev. Juan Isasmendi, has gone from serving She lost her job as a house cleaner due Butantan will produce is one of the most to the impact of the coronavirus and the advanced,” Doria said at a news conference. 350 meals a day to 7,000, feeding residents of a poor Buenos Aires neighborhood where measures to stop it. “I’m doing badly,” she He said he hoped it can be used to immunize said. “I can’t provide food or clothing for my millions of Brazilians. economic activity has all but stopped due to strict anti-virus measures. children. I’m ashamed to come here, but I don’t have any other solution.” The experimental vaccine has already passed Photo Credit : AP Photo two stages of testing in China, where it was “Without his help I don’t know what would The cities of Rio de Janeiro and Sao Paulo given to monkeys and then to 744 Chinese become of me,” she said. “It’s impossible One of the world’s biggest producers of soy, advanced economic reopening measures volunteers, officials say. to go looking for work in this situation of wheat and other foodstuffs is facing a hunger by allowing shopping centers to resume isolation.’’ problem. Social Development Minister Dimas Covas, Director of Butantan, said business. Both cities have been hit the Daniel Arroyo told The Associated Press the vaccine is in the group of the 10 most hardest by COVID-19 in Brazil, and some The percentage of Argentines in poverty is that the number of Argentines receiving advanced, among more than 100 that are experts have warned that this is not the time expected to reach as high as 45% this year food aid since the crisis began has gone being developed worldwide. He said it has to reopen. as the COVID-19 pandemic worsens an from 8 million to 11 million. Such social shown to be very effective against the virus In Rio, demonstrators dug 100 graves at already grave economic crisis. The twin benefits have been one of the trademarks of in previous test stages. Copacabana Beach as a symbol of the almost “We already have the production capacity. 41,000 COVID-19 deaths in the country. The We need the clinical studies phase to know organizing group, Rio de Paz, said the protest if the vaccine is safe and effective. If it is, was aimed at President Jair Bolsonaro, we can start to produce very quickly,” Covas who many Brazilians have criticized for said. opposing city and state measures imposing lockdowns, social distancing and other steps The Sao Paulo government will invest about meant to curb the spread of the coronavirus. $17 million for the trials. “The question that will be done (in the future) Separately, Brazil will begin this month to is ‘Why? Why so much people dead?’” said test a vaccine produced by the University the group’s head, Antonio Costa. of Oxford, also considered one of the most promising and in an advanced stage of trials. Credit : Associated Press (AP) hit hard by the COVID-19 pandemic, Quarantined surfers confirming nearly 210,000 cases - the second-highest number in the region, after return to Peru’s Brazil. Authorities in early June announced famous waves they’d begin allowing non-contact sports to resume. eruvian surfers are returning to their P nation’s world-famous waves after Peru is home to some of the world’s top three months spent in lockdown due to the surfers and the sport is believed to have coronavirus. been practiced as far back in time as the pre-Inca Chimu civilization. In the town of Wearing masks and carrying their boards, Huanchaco, north of Lima, fishermen still the surfers this week descended onto Lima’s ride the waves back to shore with the day’s rocky beaches for the first time since the catch on the same reed boats used by the pandemic shutdown. Chimu people. Photo Credit : AP Photo At least one Peruvian surfer was expected to crises are presenting a grueling challenge to Peronism and Fernández has had to increase participate in the 2020 Tokyo Olympics this President Alberto Fernández, whose Peronist aid on a variety of fronts - from cash aid summer before the games were postponed. party was founded in the 1940s partly on the for food purchases to budget assistence to promise of caring for Argentina’s poor. provinces, cities and a national network of Peru is gradually reopening after instituting churches and aid groups with a long record a strict quarantine in mid-March. Under the Even before the first case of coronavirus of providing aid during past crises. new rules, the surfers must wear face masks was diagnosed, prompting quarantines and while on land and practice social distancing. curfews lasting more than three months, Arroyo said Peronists saw the moment They are also required to walk a farther Argentina was facing 50% inflation, as one of “great responsibility and great distance to get to the beach. overwhelming debt and difficulty accessing challenge”. “After so many days in quarantine, we want credit in what economists call its worst crisis people to go out, carefully,” said Jaime in two decades. “Argentina has a history of falling and Photo Credit : AP Photo Rozeznic, Sub-Director for Sports and getting back on its feet,” Arroyo said. “It was about time, no?” said a smiling Recreation in the Miraflores municipality. “Does anyone think I dreamed of an economy Alessandro Currarino, sporting a black paralyzed by a quarantine?” he said recently. Cristian Mosqueira, a homeless man who wetsuit and matching face mask after hitting For professional surfers, being stuck indoors “I want a country that produces, that’s on its sleeps in a Buenos Aires plaza, said, “I’d ask the waves. “Peru has some of the best waves has meant not just being unable to go out to feet.” the President to help those who really need in the world and we need to take advantage restaurants or work in an office - but being it ... one day the people won’t be able to take of them.” unable to train in the water. Several economists have cautioned that even it anymore.” after Fernández lifts anti-virus measures, it The South American nation has been Credit : Associated Press (AP) will be difficult to boost the economy back Credit : Associated Press (AP)
India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 20 15 - 21 June 2020
Opinion NEW DELHI TIMES China’s exclusion from expanded G7 irks Beijing The G7-plus mechanism of G7 allows addition of more countries as the host can issue invitations. The meeting could go ahead as the G11. from Europe-the U.K., France, Germany, Corona crisis to occupy the entire area. than substantive, hence ineffective. Having ◆ By NDT Bureau and Italy; and one from Asia-Japan. The China by annexing the Indian territory in a single manufacturing hub is like running @NewDelhiTimes EU has repeatedly refused Russia’s entry the wake of the crisis, has presented itself to a computer with no backup. So, the pre- into G-7 fold and contests American right be devoid of moral values. The world must COVID world was running on zero backup. [email protected] to alter the G7 mechanism. China is shaken know the sort of country it is dealing with. but consoles self that the US-proposed G11 The US, Canada, the UK, Japan must ally he US is the host country for the G7 is a remote possibility. Citing Indo-Pacific with India and Australia to fight the Chinese T Summit this year. It intends to form a strategy China feels complacent that G11 menace with utmost sincerity. “G11” by drafting four more members into will also come unstuck. the group-South Korea, Australia, Russia China became the world’s second largest and India. US President Donald Trump also Trump recently castigated the G7 as “a economy, largest trading country, largest spoke to Brazilian counterpart, President very outdated” group of countries but manufacturer, soundest industrial structure, Jair Bolsonaro about Brazil’s participation. didn’t withdraw fearing distancing from six and the largest emerging market, riding The G7-plus mechanism of G7 allows other members. The US unilateral moves on cheap labour, population and global addition of more countries as the host can prompted China to criticise America’s consumers. Now it is using economic issue invitations. The meeting could go geopolitical scheme in G7. influence to blackmail all. Can it antagonise all and still live peacefully? China’s ahead as the G11. China is desperate to remain a vital economic incursion into the Indian Territory at Ladakh partner post-coronavirus pandemic, hence Now the world wisely looks for backups. threatens to prevent India from joining G7. The G7 is an international, intergovernmental is negotiating multiple regional economic Around 1000 foreign companies could move economic organization which currently has The dragon can be tackled only trough cooperation agreements-the China-Japan- the manufacturing facilities out of China as seven traditionally industrial countries: two sustained efforts. Half- hearted initiatives South Korea Free Trade Agreement, India, Vietnam and Bangladesh join the fray. from North America-the US and Canada; four won’t suffice. from Europe-the U.K., France, Germany, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Italy; and one from Asia-Japan. Partnership (RCEP), and the China-EU China bets that other countries won’t align The record unemployment in rich Western Bilateral Investment Treaty (BIT). Trade with the US. Russia is unlikely to join due countries post COVID-19 has reduced agreements pivot on trust but it is difficult to escalating tensions with Washington; labour costs making manufacturing there The COVID-19 pandemic scuttled G7 to trust China. Italy donated kits to China to South Korea, France, Germany and Italy are more viable. Summit scheduled in-person gathering at fight the Corona menace at Wuhan but when expected not to; Japan and Australia may Camp David, the US Presidential retreat China should neither make a big fuss about Rome needed help China sold back the same join American criticism or condemnation of outside Washington. German Chancellor G11 nor cry that much. This is its own at a price. Inhuman trade practices! Other China but won’t take substantial anti-China Angela Merkel declined it citing the doing. As international community turns than that, Chinese kits have been rejected steps. pandemic. A video conference scheduled for away, driven by suspected hatred for China’s world-wide for inferior quality. late June is now postponed until September. They have to weigh the pros and cons of complicity over the Corona virus spread, The G7 is an international, intergovernmental Indian soldiers used to regularly patrol whether to totally lean with the US to contain Beijing need to self-reflect rather than, like economic organization which currently has Finger 4 to Finger 8 area in Ladakh which China. None of them has the determination or a third-class bully, pick up and threaten seven traditionally industrial countries: two got temporarily discontinued because of the will to attack China. China perceives that countries one by one individually. Bullying from North America-the US and Canada; four the pandemic. And China shamelessly used G7 expansion will largely be more symbolic has paid so far, not anymore. Indian Ministry of Defence moves ahead with OFB corporatisation Indian Ordnance Factories is the oldest and the largest industrial setup which functions under the Department of Defence Production of the Ministry of Defence. retirement benefits, health facilities and May 16, that it would reform the OFB today is among the largest importers in the ◆ By NDT Bureau other service matters, etc., while converting through corporatisation, with the intent to world of defence equipment. The list of @NewDelhiTimes the OFB into one or more 100 per cent improve the defence factories’ “autonomy, non-importable items and corporatisation of Government owned corporate entities. accountability, and efficiency”. OFB are some landmark steps and will boost [email protected] the confidence of domestic manufacturers,” A Defence Ministry note for Cabinet CII Director General Chandrajit Banerjee he Indian Ministry of Defence has Committee on Security (CCS) had earlier said in a statement. T initiated dialogue with the employees observed that the OFB has largely remained of the Ordinance Factory Board (OFB) as a production centre with transfer of Indian Ordnance Factories is the oldest regarding the body’s corporatisation. A technology from foreign Original Equipment and the largest industrial setup which press release by the Press Information Manufacturers (OEMs) and according to a functions under the Department of Defence Bureau (PIB) dated June 5, 2020 stated that rough estimate, nearly 75 to 80 percent of Production of the Ministry of Defence. the High Level Official Committee (HLOC) the production by the OFB units is based on The Ordnance Factories form an integrated of Department of Defence Production imported technology while the capacities in base for indigenous production of defence (DDP), Ministry of Defence (MoD) took the factories remain underutilised. hardware and equipment, with the primary an initiative to commence dialogue with objective of self-reliance in equipping the employees’ federations/unions to address Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh their concerns regarding corporatisation of hailed the decisions and said that the move “The move would unleash true potential of Ordnance Factory Board (OFB). Photo Credit : Getty Images would “unleash true potential of the Indian the Indian defence production capabilities The press release also mentioned that suggestions defence production capabilities through through Make in India.” The Committee, headed by Additional were sought on the OFB concern regarding Make in India”. He said that the decision -Indian Defence Minister Rajnath Singh Secretary (DDP) L. Kantha Rao along with future orders and budgetary support needed “will prove to be game-changer,” adding that senior MoD and Army officials, held a host from the Government for the new corporate these measures would help in “unshackling” armed forces with state-of-the-art battlefield of meetings through video conferencing with entity/entities. the economy. equipment. The prime customers of Indian three such associations -Confederation of Ordnance Factories are the Indian Armed Defence Recognised Associations (CDRA), On May 16, 2020, Finance Minister Nirmala “Corporatization of the Ordnance Factory Forces. Apart from supplying armaments to Indian Ordnance Factories Gazetted Officers Sitharaman annnouced a number of Board (OFB) has been the topmost priority of the Armed Forces, Ordnance Factories also Association (IOFGOA) & National Defence reforms related to aerospace, defence and the government. Corporatization will improve meet the requirement of other customers viz. Group-B Gazetted Officers Association space industries which included clearance efficiency of our Ordnance supplies and (NDGBGOA) wherein, the intent of to increase foreign direct investment factories”, said the Indian Defence Minister. Central Paramilitary Forces and State Police the Government to implement aforesaid (FDI) in defence to 74% from 49%, the Forces in respect of arms, ammunition, decision with involvement of all the opening of the space sector to private The Confederation of Indian Industry (CII) clothing, bullet proof vehicles, mine stakeholders was conveyed and suggestions players, rationalization and opening of also supports the measures of reducing protected vehicles, etc. Increase in volume were invited from the association members airspace over India and corporatization imports and building self-reliance in of export, as an extension to its functioning on ways to safeguard the benefits/interests of the Ordnance Factories Boards (OFB). defence. “The stress laid on domestic remains an important objective of the of employees in terms of wages, salary, The Indian government confirmed on manufacturing is very encouraging as India Ordnance Factories. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper
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Think - Tanks NEW DELHI TIMES Success: The result of a stronger foundation No matter in which area of life, stronger foundations will only lead us to our desired heights. and achieve heights and get the success we master the skills to deploy in setting the ◆ By Dr. Pramila Srivastava wish for, we have to work hard, the result foundations. We have to be prepared for @PramilaBK of which is always rewarding. According all aspects of life because we cannot afford to a well-known proverb “no pain no gain”, to get things slip easily out of our hands. [email protected] a person has to taste certain trials and We also have to increase our efficiencies tribulations before getting on to the roads in order to keep track of things and make s there any difference between the towards success. them work in our favour. Last but not the I Pyramid of Giza and the Leaning least, we have to be patient and do all the Tower of Pisa? Can we analyse the difference boring works again and again, to make that between the two? Actually, the difference This hard work is the basis for everything we foundation a stronger one to support the load between the two is the strong foundation achieve in our lives. And a big skyscraper of our success. on which the two buildings stand. Yes. On like success never comes without hard one hand is the Pyramid of Giza which work because success stories never happen Every life on the Earth has a purpose is believed to have been built more than by chance. It takes a whole lot of strategic to serve and this life has numerous 4,500 years ago and on the other hand is actions and the correct approach to write up twists and turns. Success does not the Leaning Tower of Pisa that is learnt to our own one. Thus, it is clear that hard work come that easy because here everyone have been completed about 644 years ago. is the staircase in our journey of success. has to struggle to conquer every single Known worldwide for its nearly four-degree hindrance in their way to success. lean, the tower is the result of an unstable Clearly, if success would have come free foundation, which began leaning just 5 years of cost, everyone would have got hold of after it was completed. So, the basic idea it. But because, it is an affair of several One must realise that no success can be behind this fact is that we should understand ups and downs, hard work and smart work, achieved without putting the efforts into the importance of strong foundations for this only comes to those who build strong building our success floor by floor. Setting success. It is important for us to analyse that foundations for it. It is not always that we foundations, in terms of our hard work is the do we hold strong foundation for our mind, Photo Credit : Getty Images get to succeed, sometimes there are failures most important aspect in the entire process, body and emotions like the Great Pyramid depend upon the foundations we have as well. But these failures come in our ways without which no goals can be achieved. of Giza or it is quite tilting like that of the to build. No matter in which area of life, as part of our journey to success to make us Leaning Tower of Pisa? stronger foundations will only lead us to our learn to eliminate the wrong paths chosen desired heights. What actually this strong and yield the best out of the waste. There are Dreaming about life being all the way a bed As the strength of a building lies in its foundation means? a number of failed start-ups that one day can of roses and all peaches and cream, is no big foundation, similarly goes with us as well. get successful by applying the right strategy deal but making it turn into the actual one The higher our goals we want to achieve, Every life on the Earth has a purpose to serve and setting the strong foundation. is. So, we should stop finding glory in our the stronger is the foundation needed to and this life has numerous twists and turns. routine life and realise the importance of the achieve them. Without strong foundations, Success does not come that easy because Also, setting stronger foundations is not an challenges to give the best lessons of our the skyscrapers of our dreams and ambitions here everyone has to struggle to conquer overnight task. Actually, overnight things lives. We should see a bigger and a broader will collapse sooner or later. Thus, the entire every single hindrance in their way to seem much attractive but they don’t last picture, set strong foundation and get on to story of life, our ambitions and dreams success. In order to become a better person forever. So, we have to stay positive and the roads of success. India leads the way in SAARC to combat COVID-19 crisis the Federal Democratic Republic of Nepal; support to the Member States in their efforts borders as well as within the borders of the ◆ By International Institute for Non - Aligned Studies H. E. Dr. Zafar Mirza, State Minister for and to protect the people of the SAARC Member States in a situation of crisis. Health of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan; Member States by mitigating the financial @iinsNAM and H. E. Gotabaya Rajapaksa, President losses and severe socio-economic impact India has also been extending bilateral [email protected] of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri of the COVID-19 pandemic,” said CEO of cooperation to SAARC Member States. Lanka. H. E. Mr. EsalaRuwan Weerakoon, SDF Dr Sunil Motiwal. Subsequent to the March 15 video he COVID-19 crisis has triggered Secretary General of SAARC, attended conferencing initiated by Prime Minister a precarious scenario for the global T the Conference. The Conference was also During the video conference of SAARC Modi, India has provided two rounds of community. Non-Aligned Movement has attended by Mr. P. K. Taneja, Director, leaders, India also offered to deploy its large medical supplies to Bangladesh called for cooperation in the health sector SAARC Disaster Management Centre specially-constituted Rapid Response through the COVID-19 emergency fund. to tackle this crisis. The Member States of (Interim Unit). Teams of medical and other professionals, Multiple sessions of capacity building for the South Asian Association for Regional and testing equipment, to any SAARC medical professionals designed by Indian Cooperation (SAARC) that comprise Indian PM Modi stressed on the importance partner country. Support was also offered doctors have also been held over this period. comprises of over 21% of the world’s of cooperation among the SAARC nations for capacity-building including through population and are also a part of the Non- to combat the COVID-19 crisis. He online training modules, establishment of Earlier, India gifted head covers and masks Aligned Movement have also remained remarked: “It is clear that we have to work a repository of best practices of dealing for medical professionals. India has gifted a vulnerable to COVID-19. SAARC is a together. We can respond best by – Coming with COVID-19 at SAARC Disaster 10-tonne consignment of essential lifesaving regional grouping of eight South Asian together not growing apart; Collaboration Management Centre, and a website medicines to Sri Lanka and sent similar countries i.e. Afghanistan, Bangladesh, not Confusion; Preparation not Panic”. with information in each of the SAARC supply to Maldives to help fight the COVID Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan Thus, India underscored, that SAARC languages. India also offered to share its crisis. and Sri Lanka. Among the SAARC region could set an example to the world, for software for Integrated Health Information Member States, India has led the way in the regional coordination to address complex for Disease Surveillance. Indian PM called (in arrangement with multilateral organisation’ effort to tackle the cross-border challenges. for evolving a common SAARC Pandemic News from Non-Aligned World) COVID-19 crisis. Protocols which can be applied on SAARC www.iins.org During the video conference, PM Modi It was on the initiative of Indian Prime suggested the establishment of a SAARC Minister Narendra Modi that a video Emergency Response Fund for COVID-19, conference of SAARC leaders on March 15 with an initial US $ 10 million contribution 2020. Joining the Indian Prime Minister at from India and asked SAARC countries to this videoconference were H. E. Mohammad use the fund to meet the cost of immediate Ashraf Ghani, President of the Islamic actions and medical requirements. SAARC Republic of Afghanistan; H. E. Sheikh readily welcomed this proposal. Hasina, Prime Minister of the People’s Republic of Bangladesh; H. E. Dr.Lotay The SAARC Development Fund (SDF) Tshering, Prime Minister of the Royal has allocated US$ 5 million for COVID-19 Government of Bhutan; H. E. Narendra projects in the SAARC Member States under Modi, Prime Minister of the Republic its Social Window to support Member States of India; H. E. Ibrahim Mohamed Solih, in responding to the novel coronavirus/ President of the Republic of Maldives; Rt. COVID-19 pandemic.“The objective of the Hon. KP Sharma Oli, Prime Minister of US$ 5 million allocation is to provide fund
India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 22 15 - 21 June 2020
Technology & Health NEW DELHI TIMES Help Animals India: Makes a mark in Animal protection What is common in animal welfare people is our curiosity and spirit of adventure. When emailing became possible in the 90s, of the shelters and rescues and show them to ◆ By Smt. Maneka Eileen started communicating with the few her American audience. In 2008, she formed Sanjay Gandhi people that were in the Indian field. Many of the USA non-profit “Help Animals India” them were foreigners: Christine and Jeremy to help animal welfare groups by providing @ManekaGandhiBJP Townend from Australia who founded the financial and practical assistance. “Darjeeling Goodwill Animal Shelter”, the uring this time of lockdown, thousands Since then I have seen her pour in money amazing couple from America, Kim Bartlett D and thousands of Indians, especially across India to small groups who would and Merritt Clifton, who have spent their women, have cut back on their daily food and never have made it without her generosity. lives in animal advocacy and have played fed the street animals instead. As the days Her special pet, at the moment, is the animal a major role in disseminating information drag on, the money has dwindled because rescue and sterilization group “Varanasi for about India’s animal welfare to the world no one is earning any money, but the hunger Animals”. So many visitors from abroad through their newspaper/websites, to name levels remain the same. My organization visiting Varanasi were upset by the suffering Photo Credit : Getty Images a few. has been deluged with requests for money animals and begged Eileen to help start own lives every day, the same group that and animal food and we have helped as Eileen’s first donation from her own earnings a program there. When they started their has fed the carriage horses when the state many people as we can with both. NGOs was to “Help in Suffering”. She joined work in Varanasi, the administration refused government that insists on having them did across India have pooled their resources and a group called “Animal People Forum”, to pay for dog sterilization, so Eileen paid not extend any help at all, are in great trouble. responded to desperate cries for help. taking on Kim Bartlett as her mentor. In for each operation. She also helps groups The shelter has been hugely damaged by the 2003, she visited India for the first time and in Nepal, and now that the animal welfare ferocious wind and rain of cyclone Amphan A person, I would like to thank from the met the earliest animal welfare groups in movement is finally getting on its feet in and needs money to stand up again. Eileen bottom of my heart, is Eileen Weintraub. India: “Blue Cross” in Chennai, CUPA in Sri Lanka, I am sure she will look there as sent 3 lakhs immediately. It is going to need Not just for her generous help during the Bangalore (also founded by Crystal Rogers) well. When Eileen first started helping, the at least 25 lakhs. lockdown period, but for all the years she and VSPCA in Vishakhapatnam. She was dollar was worth 40 rupees. Now it is almost has put in to help India’s animals. Eileen Dealing with India is difficult: when it is so impressed by their dedication that she double. So, donations go very far for the runs a charity in Seattle, called “Help day for us, it is night for the US. But we Animals India”. She is not rich-in fact, the correspond in the twilight zones of dawn most generous donors in the world are not India’s Constitution is unique in this powerful message: “It shall be the and dusk. Every year there are enormous “trust fund” people or inheritors of any kind, fundamental duty of every citizen of India to protect and improve the natural disasters: drought, flood, cyclones, but people who have worked to earn their Natural Environment including forests, lakes, rivers and wildlife, and to earthquakes, now the Corona lockdown own money and then given it away. have compassion for all living creatures.” which has left street animals starving. The challenge to help is great and each one of us She started her animal work early: as a feels inadequate, no matter how much we do. child in Brooklyn, New York she helped the Eileen writes: “The work and challenges can committed to helping them with funds. In US dollar or the Euro in India/Nepal.I first “stray” dogs and cats in her neighbourhood, seem overwhelming, but when you focus on 2004, when the tsunami came to India’s met her at the Asia for Animals Conference often running into the same type of animal one animal and one project at a time, you shores, Eileen brought it to the attention of in 2007, in Chennai. She came to my home haters that we have to contend with daily and can have a great sense of achievement. Over the world and veterinarians and volunteers and visited the Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care who make me really sad. What is common the years I have watched some situations came from all over to help animals. They Centre a few years later. Since then we in animal welfare people is our curiosity improve from abhorrent to acceptable, as stayed to help improve the shelters, specially have worked together, and Eileen, and my and spirit of adventure. Eileen evolved into international groups have stepped in to the Vishakhapatnam SPCA whom she has personal god-on-earth-for-the-animals, the a Legal Secretary and a Nursing Assistant support the maturing knowledge of Indian helped substantially over the years. Australian Philip Wollen, are the two people and spent decades volunteering for animal animal advocates. I can depend on to respond with help within advocacy, animal rescue and vegetarian Eileen had started writing, lecturing and a day of my asking them. During this time To Read Full Article : https://www. promotion in California and then Seattle, promoting India across the USA. No one of lockdown, she has sent money to many newdelhitimes.com/help-animals-india- Washington. Along the way she learnt in India ever documented their rescues - till groups across India. makes-a-mark-in-animal-protection acupuncture and became a Chinese Medical now my shelter, “Sanjay Gandhi Animal Practitioner (acupuncturist) and made three Care Centre”, the earliest shelter in India, At the moment my shelter in Kolkata and To join the animal welfare movement trips to Tibet. And then she turned her mind has never made a rescue film, for instance. the dedicated team that have kept it open contact [email protected], to India. On her trips to India, Eileen would take films throughout the lockdown and risked their www.peopleforanimalsindia.org NASA awards Apple removes contract to deliver Robot Rover to Moon Podcast Apps in he U.S. space agency, NASA, has China announced it has awarded a $199 million T popular podcasting platform, Pocket contract to a city of Pittsburgh company to A Casts, has been removed from Apple’s launch its robot lunar rover to the moon in app store in China at Beijing’s request, 2023. The agency made the announcement in according to the company’s Twitter thread. an online release. In a statement posted on its website, Pocket Casts confirmed on Twitter that Astrobotic Technology, a space robotics the request was made by the Cyberspace company, says it will deliver NASA’s Photo Credit : Getty Images Administration of China (CAC), Beijing’s Volatiles Investigating Polar Exploration will travel several kilometers and use its top internet watchdog agency that controls Rover (VIPER) to the moon’s south pole on four onboard science instruments to sample which apps can be accessed on iOS and board the company’s Griffin lunar lander. soil environments. The rover also will have other platforms in the country. a drill to bore approximately one meter into The contract was awarded under NASA’s the lunar surface. Before Pocket Casts was removed, another Commercial Lunar Payload Services podcast player for iPhone, Castro, said on The space agency says VIPER will collect program (CLPS) and is the second CLPS June 4 that its app was also removed from data-including the location and concentration contract Astrobotic has received. The the Chinese app store by Apple. Castro said of ice-that will be used to create the first company’s Peregrine lander is scheduled about 10% of its user base is in China. global water resource maps of the moon. for a NASA mission in in 2021. Astrobotic’s MoonRanger rover was selected by NASA NASA says the VIPER’s data will also help Asked why its app was taken down, Castro for delivery to the moon in 2022 on the determine landing sites for manned missions said in a Twitter comment on June 6 that lander of another CLPS contract company. to the moon beginning in 2024 and will they think it might have been the company’s bring the agency a step closer to developing support of the protests in Hong Kong, but NASA says the VIPER is designed for a a sustainable, long-term presence there. “we were not given specifics”. 100-Earth-day mission searching for signs of water on the moon’s surface. The rover Credit : Voice of America (VOA) Credit : Voice of America (VOA) Photo Credit : Getty Images www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper
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Entertainment & Lifestyle NEW DELHI TIMES Big B arranges “Pick me up off the floor”, Norah special flights for Jones asks on her new album he title of Norah Jones’ new album, migrant workers T “Pick Me Up Off the Floor,” has two chief meanings. aking another bit of his contribution in M the time of the corona virus pandemic After spending two years recording one-off to help migrant workers get to their monthly sessions, the piano-playing jazz- hometowns, Bollywood actor Mr. Amitabh pop singer realized she had enough great Bachchan arranged flights to ferry them to songs piled up. “I didn’t know what was their homes. In a move to send about 700 happening with them. I was sort of picking migrants from Mumbai, Maharashtra, to them up and putting them together. That was their homes in Uttar Pradesh, Mr. Bachchan sort of the idea,” she said. on June 10, arranged four special flights. The other meaning? It’s the extremely literal Photo Credit : Getty Images PC : Getty Images one: the songs were sad, and Jones needed a that is very personal...I think I was sad when The sources have revealed that the flights, hand getting up. I wrote a lot of them, for sure, obviously,” organised on Mr. Bachchan’s directive said Jones, who added that the subjects of by his close aide Rajesh Yadav, “That feeling of desperation, when you just the songs came from one period of time in Managing Director of his home need somebody to pick you up, it was all of her life, though she didn’t say when that production company AB that,” she said. was. Getting the sad songs out of her system Corp. Ltd., took off from was healing, she explained. Mumbai for Allahabad, Though the 11-track album was written and Gorakhpur and Varanasi in recorded sporadically, it is a cohesive set that “I think it’s a really good way to release it, UP on June 10, ferrying is personal and emotional, with song titles actually. It’s more like an outlet for me to 180 passengers in each of like “How I Weep”, “Hurts to Be Alone”, sort of release that sadness, I guess,” she them. “Heartbroken, Day After” and “Stumble On said. “It feels really good to write songs My Way” to drive the point home. when you’re feeling things deeply because Apart from these flights, “Then it whacks me straight into my stomach you have somewhere to put all that energy. I Mr. Yadav on Big B’s at night, it’s a hard blow to take with all of its think it’s almost like therapy.” behalf recently flagged might/It tries to be sorry, it tries to be sweet, After she finished touring her 2016 off 10 buses for 300 then it runs out the door as if on two feet,” album “Day Breaks”, Jones held monthly migrants to reach their she sings on the opening track. recording sessions to collaborate with artists villages in Lucknow, and also to put out singles without thinking Allahabad, Bhadohi But Jones, 41, isn’t down and out the entire about a full-length album. She said she was and other places in the time-the album’s later songs, including “I’m extremely inspired to write, and the songs northern state. Alive” and “To Live”, finish off with hopeful poured out of her. notes proving there is light at the end of the - By NDT Bureau tunnel. “I feel like there’s a lot on this album Credit : Associated Press (AP) Grammys make awards changes, Janhvi Kapoor’s much-awaited film,“Gunjan Saxena: The address conflicts of interest Kargil Girl”, to be released on he Recording Academy is making ties are financial, familial or creative. If a a digital platform T changes to several Grammy Awards conflict is discovered, that person would not categories, including the often-debated be allowed to sit on that committee that year. anhvi Kapoor’s much-awaited film, best new artist title, and having nomination “Gunjan Saxena: The Kargil Girl”, Some of the new changes could be a J review committee members sign disclosure will be released on a digital platform. response to former Recording Academy forms to prevent conflicts of interest. Taking it to the social media, Karan Johar, CEO Deborah Dugan, who was fired only who has produced the film, shared a new The new rules announced will affect the months into her job and days before the 2020 poster of the film and revealed that the film 63rd annual Grammy Awards, which will Grammys, held in January. Dugan had said will be released on Netflix. air live on January 31, 2021. The best new the awards show was rigged and muddled artist award has been criticized for decades, with conflicts of interest. Questions have “Gunjan Saxena - The Kargil Girl. This and the Academy has tried to evolve with the loomed for years around the nominations isn’t just a film for me-it’s a journey that’s ever-changing music industry by continually process for the Grammys, but the doubts taught me to believe in myself. A updating the category’s rules. In recent years, reached a new level following Dugan’s journey I can’t wait to share with the award has been scrutinized because the comment. you all. About a girl who set out Academy placed a song and album limit, to do something simple, follow disqualifying certain performers. But the her dreams. #GunjanSaxena new rules say, “there is no longer a specified -#TheKargilGirl coming maximum number of releases prohibiting soon on Netflix. artists from entering” the category. GunjanSaxenaOnNetflix The change will benefit younger artists, (sic),” announced Janhvi specifically rappers, who tend to release Kapoor. many singles and therefore did not qualify However, the date of in recent years because they surpassed the release of the film has 30-song limit. Whitney Houston and Lady not been disclosed yet. Gaga missed out on being best new artist This comes after Shoojit nominees because of the category’s rules in Sircar’s “Gulabo Sitabo” the years they marked their breakthroughs. The Academy has said that nominees are and Vidya Balan’s selected from contenders voted into the top “Shakuntala Devi” The Academy also said musicians invited 20 in each category. But critics have called announced to have a to participate in a nomination review the voting less than transparent, because the direct OTT release. committee-in place to safeguard a specific choice of finalists happens behind closed “Gulabo Sitabo” is genre’s integrity and to serve as additional doors. That has stirred claims that members checks and balances-will have to agree to streaming on Amazon
of key nominating committees promote PC : Getty Images Prime Video from June the terms of a conflict of interest disclosure projects they worked on or projects they 12, 2020. form. Committee participants will have to favour based on personal relationships. reveal if they would benefit from an artist’s nomination for that category, whether the Credit : Associated Press (AP) - By NDT Bureau
India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 24 15 - 21 June 2020
Sports NEW DELHI TIMES Sports organisations commit towards Environmental protection Sports Federations across the spectrum recognise the significance of protecting the environment and have been engaging to focus their efforts to address the pressing environmental issues. the voices in support of the ‘Big Plastic ◆ By NDT Bureau Pledge’, a global campaign around the @NewDelhiTimes issue of plastic pollution, specifically in sport, initiated by Olympian Hannah Mills. [email protected] Norwegian rower Martin Helseth in on board as an Athlete Ambassador for the nvironmental protection has been movement. E at the heart of issues pertaining to modern day complexities and like all Raffaele Chiull, President of the other international organisations working Global Association of International towards the protection of the planet, the Sports Federations remarked, Sports organisations across the globe have “Sport has an unparalleled platform in similar fashion committed as well as Photo Credit : Getty Images to raise awareness amongst a vast contributed towards the betterment of the environment and have been engaging to of sport to help step up global efforts to community, so it is only right that environment at large. New Delhi Times in focus their efforts to address the pressing address climate change. Co-created by the sport honours World Environment this edition looks at the numerous ways in environmental issues. On this year’s IOC and the UN Climate Change in 2018, Day. To see the tremendous progress which the sports body celebrate the World United Nations’ World Environment Day, the Framework now includes more than 125 Environment Day by taking generous our Members have made towards International Sports Federations (IFs) sports organisations that have committed initiatives having long-term positive impact sustainable sport makes me demonstrated their commitment to protect to developing a climate action agenda on the environment on the whole. immensely proud, and I know that, biodiversity and promote awareness for for sport. The International World Games united, we can make a lasting and World Environment Day is the most pressing environmental issues. Association (IWGA) and World Bowling positive impact on protecting our renowned day for environmental action. became the latest IFs to join the United planet’s biodiversity”. The International Olympic Committee Since 1974, it has been celebrated every Nations Framework Convention on Climate (IOC) has reaffirmed its commitment year on June 5. The focus of this year’s Change (UNFCCC) under the UN Sports for to minimising its ecological footprint, The Union Internationale de Pentathlon World Environment Day was biodiversity-a Climate Action Framework, which unites protecting the environment and raising Moderne (UIPM) marked the 2020 World concern that is both urgent and existential. sports organisations to take responsibility awareness about its importance. Larger Environment Day by celebrating the ecological Sports Federations across the spectrum for their climate footprint. collaborations, such as the UN Sports for impact of a decade of lead-free ‘Laser Run’. recognise the significance of protecting the Climate Action Framework, use the power FIFA reiterated its commitment to protect the environment. Over the past decade, FIFA At the start of the decade, the UIPM created has continuously increased its requirements a new competition format which generated and expanded its programmes related to an annual saving of 25 tonnes of lead, environmental protection covering issues a colossal amount of metal previously such as climate change, waste management, required for shooting competitions and recycling and sustainable construction. training around the world. Laser Run has FIFA Secretary General Fatma Samoura now become a symbol of an eco-friendly remarked, “Our commitment to protecting sporting movement. our climate remains unwavering. The International Automobile Federation We recognise the critical need for everyone (FIA) President Jean Todt expressed the to help implement the Paris Agreement FIA’s commitment to global environmental and accelerate the change needed to reach protection, noting the creation of the greenhouse gas emission neutrality in the FIA Formula E-Championship and the second half of the 21st century.” World establishment of an Environment and Rowing’s Athletes Commission has joined Sustainability Commission. Federer out for remainder of 2020 after injury setback oger Federer will miss whatever R remains of the coronavirus-impacted 2020 tennis season because of a setback in his recovery from surgery on his right knee. Photo Credit : AP Photo The 20-time Grand Slam Champion had I did leading up to the 2017 season, I plan to arthroscopic surgery on his knee in February. take the necessary time to be 100% ready to In a statement on Twitter, Federer said that play at my highest level.” he had a second procedure that will delay his “I will look forward to seeing everyone back return until 2021. on tour at the start of the 2021 season.” The 38-year-old Federer had initially planned Credit : Associated Press (AP) to be side-lined for at least four months, but because Contact New Delhi Times the tour was suspended For Complaints & Suggestions amid the coronavirus +91-9999331600 pandemic, he has barely & missed any elite tennis. For Advertisements “A few weeks ago, having +91-9999337800 experienced a setback during my initial rehabilitation, I A-2/59, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi-110029 had to have an additional quick arthroscopic procedure Visit us at : twitter@NewDelhiTimes on my right knee,” Federer facebook.com/newdelhitimes posted. “Now, much like 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. 20 Editor : Dr. Ankit Srivastava www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper