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18 - 24 May 2020 Vol - 30 No. 16 Email : [email protected] Founder : Dr. Govind Narain Srivastava ISSN -2349-1221

Far-right exploit Kabul 2020 is COVID-19 crisis to a reminder of propagate ideology Karbala 680CE Far right extremist groups are exploiting the The dull daily drumbeat of deaths because COVID-19 crisis to seek public legitimacy for of the pandemic was briefly interrupted on their ideological narrative. An investigation Tuesday by news of a massacre of babies and by the BBC dated May 4, 2020, along with expectant mothers at a maternity hospital in the UK counter-extremism think-tank, Kabul. One could shrug one’s shoulders and Institute of Strategic Dialogue (ISD) has say, ‘Well, what else do you expect from studied how extremist groups across... Afghanistan,’ and many did as was... By Dr. Ankit Srivastava Page 3 By Tarek Fatah Page 2

Geo-strategic significance of Gilgit-Baltistan - l By NDT Special Bureau Page 2

Cows need to be shown same respect Holistic growth requires Accelerating Regional Action for and compassion as humans balance of mind and body Sustainable Oceans in Asia And the Pacific

Rosamund Young has written a book called ‘The Secret The relationship between mind and body has been the Written interview with New Delhi Times Life of Cows’, which surprisingly for a book on animals, centre of query for all fields of sciences be it medical, How important are oceans to the sustainable development in has shot to the Top Ten bestseller list of the... philosophical, metaphysical, psychological... the Asia-Pacific Region?... By Smt. Maneka Sanjay Gandhi Page 22 By Dr. Pramila Srivastava Page 21 By Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana Page 4

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Opinion NEW DELHI TIMES Geo-strategic significance of Gilgit-Baltistan - l Gilgit-Baltistan actually belongs to India. ◆ By NDT Special Bureau Indian leaders neither know nor dare to @NewDelhiTimes own up the land of Gilgit. They cannot even comprehend that to be secure, India must [email protected] have Gilgit-Baltistan, at any cost, under any circumstances. (This is the first leg of the two-part article on Gilgit-Baltistan. Inputs: Kashmir Adhyan As India strives to be a strong economic Kendra) power in the world, the road connectivity ammu Kashmir’s importance is neither from Gilgit to strategic places of the world J for Jammu, nor for Kashmir or even assumes importance. Most parts of the globe Ladakh. Its real importance is traceable can be reached through Gilgit. By road from to Gilgit-Baltistan only. All the foreign Gilgit, Dubai is 5000 km, Delhi 1400km, invasions on India throughout the history Mumbai 2800km, Russia 3500km, Chennai (of Saka, Hun, Kushans, and Mughals) have 3800km, and London 8000km. When India taken place only through Gilgit-Baltistan. was deemed the golden goose, all trade Our ancestors really gauged the importance with the world used to pass through this of Jammu and Kashmir. They knew well that silk route; around 85% of our population was connected through these routes. If we if India has to be kept safe from repetitive Photo Credit : Getty Images have Gilgit-Baltistan with us, we can travel incursions of foreign invaders, then the and gold mines as per the reports of Mineral of 64000km belongs to Ladakh. Gilgit- to Central Asia, Eurasia, Europe and all of invaders had to be kept away from Hindu Department of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir. Baltistan was never a part of Kashmir but Africa by road. We entreat Pakistan for IPI Kush beyond Gilgit-Baltistan. That explains why China is trying so hard always remained a part of Ladakh. This (Iran-Pakistan-India) gas pipeline. Tajikistan to clamp influence there. It is supporting explains why India reorganised J&K into At some point in history, America wanted straddles just on the other side of Gilgit. If Pakistan on every bend. We Indians are two autonomous Union territories- states- to be saddled in Gilgit-Baltistan. Britain- India has Gilgit, no need to persuade any th still blissfully unaware of the strategic Jammu Kashmir and Ladakh. Pakistan now the superpower till first half of 20 century- country for gas resources. also tried to establish a base there. Pakistan significance of Gilgit-Baltistan. Pakistan’s runs from pillar to post in the international always wanted the region. Even Russia was Himalaya’s top nine mountain peaks are also neglect and torture of the people of Gilgit- sphere for Kashmir. about to settle at Gilgit. In 1965, Pakistan among the tallest ten peaks of the world. Out Baltistan have turned them against Pakistan. International community needs to ask had conspired to handover Gilgit region to of these ten, 2 peaks are in Gilgit-Baltistan. Development of such strong anti-Pakistan Pakistan whether the parts of Jammu and Russia. Today, China is consolidating its All these are Indian assets and resources. After tendencies over decades is very important Gilgit-Baltistan it has illegally occupied and position and rapidly spreading influence China annexed and occupied the whole of from India’s perspective. hanging on for seven decades, was ever a part there. Tibet in 1959, much of the water resources of Indians talk of Kashmir but unfortunately of Kashmir. Pakistan can’t answer. The life India and South East Asian countries are lost to expectancy of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan It is the irony of history that when the Jammu, Ladakh and Gilgit-Baltistan totally China. Therefore, the alternate water resource and Ladakh remains the highest in the world. entire world is too aware of the geostrategic escape their attention. Out of the total in Gilgit Baltistan is an important resource for People here live longer than those inhabiting implications of Gilgit and knows the 79000 sq.km of Pakistan Occupied Kashmir, India, especially Kashmir. other area of the globe. That’s an added bonus. salience of the region, only India is yet to Kashmir accounts for mere 6000 km, conceive its importance. It knows not that Surprisingly, Gilgit has 50-100 large Uranium and Jammu 900km, while a vast area (To be concluded) Kabul 2020 is a reminder of Karbala 680CE incidents may be pre-medieval history for Prophet’s progeny that was the reason the Afghan president Ghani who knows better ◆ By Tarek Fatah Author & Columnist, Canada most non-Muslims, for us, ‘the faithful’, it Pakistan-backed Taliban devastated the lives than to be pompous. is like yesterday, as it has been for centuries. of so many. @TarekFatah The question we have before us is this: [email protected] How do we eradicate the virus of violence, he dull daily drumbeat of deaths because bullying and intimidation from among some T of the pandemic was briefly interrupted Muslims of this world, be they the Kabul on Tuesday by news of a massacre of killers or those who have me on a death list babies and expectant mothers at a maternity or those who have vowed to behead India’s hospital in Kabul. leading TV host, Sudhir Chaudhury?

One could shrug one’s shoulders and Here in Canada, some Muslims have say, ‘Well, what else do you expect pressured city councils to permit mosques to from Afghanistan,’ and many did as was blare “Allah O Akbar” into the homes and illustrated by the lack of space given to the neighbourhoods of non-Muslims. first-ever baby massacre of our times. In the words of Canadian Islamic scholar But for some of us who are students of Syed Muhammad Rizvi, “the Ummah Islamic history, this slaughter was no (Muslim community) has reached a point ordinary killing; it was a reminder of a where human life has no value anymore. We similar massacre 1,400 years ago in the don’t think twice about killing someone who Iraqi city of Karbala, where the then rulers Photo Credit : Getty Images doesn’t agree with us.” of Islamdom surrounded the progeny of The followers of Imam Hussain and his This is the direct result of bankrupt U.S. Prophet Muhammad and, like Kabul, slit father Ali have faced horrific discrimination, foreign policy in the region and its stupidity Even Mahatma Gandhi was troubled the throats of babies and the grandson of slaughters and ethnic cleansing by those best was reflected in what US Secretary of State by the attitude of Muslims. In an article Muhammad, Imam Hussain Ibn Ali. described as ‘Sunni Muslims’ while their Mike Pompeo had to say. He called the published in 1924, Gandhi asserts, “My own victims are the ‘Shias’ or the ‘Party of Ali.’ assault “appalling,” adding “the Taliban and experience but confirms the opinion that the They later paraded his severed head through the Afghan government should cooperate Mussalman, as a rule, is a bully.” the streets of the capital of the Islamic Understanding this divide is crucial to to bring the perpetrators to justice. … As Caliphate in Damascus. grasp the significance of what happened long as there is no sustained reduction in While the rest of world bestows great on Tuesday in the Dasht-e-Barchi district violence and insufficient progress towards a respect on Gandhi, they’ll be surprised to Islam died that day and horrific killings west of Kabul, at the maternity clinic run negotiated political settlement, Afghanistan learn that many Muslims portrayed him became the order of the day ever since, be by Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF). The will remain vulnerable to terrorism.” as an ’Islamophobe,’ especially Pakistani it the beheading of the Mansoor Hallaj in locality was, until the 2000s, a barren Muslims. Baghdad in 952 or the Moghul crown prince patch of land that became the home of the After legitimizing the Taliban and Dara Shikoh in Delhi in 1659. internally displaced refugees, mostly ethnic exonerating it of the crimes against Before this dormant virus of hate erupts in Hazara community, which is Shia. humanity it has committed over decades, Canada as well, we need to stand up to the Permit me to be the canary in the coal Pompeo was marketing them as equal bullies and take them head on instead of mine to suggest that while 1,400-year-old It was liquidating future followers of the partners, a suggestion totally rejected by whimpering in the face of intimidation. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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Editorial NEW DELHI TIMES Far-right exploit COVID-19 crisis to propagate ideology The channel is named after 4chan’s term ◆ By Dr. Ankit Srivastava for COVID-19, which has now been Chief Editor widely adopted by far-right communities, @AnkitNDT and attracted an audience of 2,300 users [email protected] throughout March. ar right extremist groups are exploiting F the COVID-19 crisis to seek public The ISD report mentions that extreme right legitimacy for their ideological narrative. An communities have recently adopted the term investigation by the BBC dated May 4, 2020, ‘boogaloo’ to refer to a second civil war along with the UK counter-extremism think- in the United States. Over 200,000 posts tank, Institute of Strategic Dialogue (ISD) contained the word ‘boogaloo’ across social has studied how extremist groups across the media, with 52% on Twitter, 22% on Reddit, globe are using the pandemic to spread their 12% on Tumblr and 11% on 4Chan and Voat. ideology and spreading misinformation. The volume peaked on March 13, 2020.

ISD has also been publishing regular reports Extremist groups are also using the on COVID-19 disinformation. The ISD COVID-19 crisis to promote anti- report dated April 9, 2020, highlighted Semitism. As per the report, “Conspiracies how far-right groups technology platforms such as QAnon and #Pizzagate rely on a are being used to promote disinformation, fictionalised group or cabal of powerful hate, extremism and authoritarianism in elites, often Jewish, who are controlling Photo Credit : Getty Images the context of COVID-19. The report global events for criminal means. The disinformation and conspiracy theories “Corona is the cure-humans are the disease”. highlighted that the mentions of ‘corona- billionaire investor George Soros and the along with provocative speeches. The chan’, a slang term for COVID-19 popular Rothschild family are regular targets of these Hundred Handlers (HH), a racist and anti- Many neo-Nazi groups see the pandemic with far-right groups and individuals, have kinds of theories … An increase in focus migrant extremist group recruits through as a “necessity”. The Nordic Resistance increased significantly across mainstream on George Soros as a centrepiece of this social media and QR codes on their stickers. Movement, an anti-immigration group views and fringe social media platforms. Far-right conspiracy, and the consistent linkages to a The group had posted racist stickers on lamp the coronavirus as a necessary outbreak. groups are also using COVID-19 crisis Jewish cabal suggests a distinct antisemitic posts, bins, bus stop blaming the COVID-19 Simon Lindberg, the leader of the NRM’s as ‘wedge issue’ to promote conspiracy narrative”. Analysis shows that between crisis on the immigrants. Swedish branch wrote on the movement’s theories, target minority communities, and February and March, Twitter saw a 750% website, “COVID-19 might be precisely call for extreme violence. increase in tweets linking George Soros with The stickers had slogans such as “Borders what we need in order to bring about a real COVID-19. Looking at comparable data on Open, Pubs Closed” and “Open border, virus national uprising and a strengthening of The report further mentioned that white forums and blogs, it is probable that this was disorder”, British far-right groups such revolutionary political forces.” supremacist groups are largely operating driven by QAnon theorists speculating on as Britain First and the Knights Templar on the encrypted messaging app Telegram whether the virus was being manufactured International, as well as the BNP’s former Thus, a narrative is being set-up by far- are using the pandemic to promote explicit by Soros. leader, Nick Griffin, have used the crisis right forces which espouses their anti- violence. One such channel is the ‘Corona- to promote themselves as supporters of the immigration and anti-Semitic ideology. The chan news’, which is specifically created In the United Kingdom, the far-right community during the lockdown. Moreover, aim of such groups appears to exacerbate as a content aggregator for disinformation extremist groups have become hyperactive Fake Extinction Rebellion flyers have been fear and ‘hatred of the other’ to fuel social promoting a racist outlook on the pandemic. on social media platforms disseminating found in several cities in the UK proclaiming tensions. Japan amends foreign investment rules promote foreign direct investment (FDI) ◆ By NDT Bureau conducive to sound economic growth and @NewDelhiTimes ensure minimal review of FDI that could pose risks to national security. [email protected] The revised rules seem to be primarily n 2019, the Japanese government targeted at limiting the Chinese investments I announced three key amendments to in Japan. On March 5, 2020, Shinjo Abe the Foreign Exchange and Foreign Trade during the 36th Council on Investments for Act and related regulations (collectively, the Future at the Prime Minister’s Office FEFTA), two of which have since taken made the following statement: “There are effect. On May 27, 2019, Japan’s Ministry some concerns over the impacts of the of Finance, Ministry of Economy, Trade, decline in product supply from China to and Industry and Ministry of Internal Affairs Japan on our supply chains. and Communications jointly announced an amendment to FEFTA expanding the In light of that, as for those products with scope of the regulated industries that trigger high added value and for which we are the prior notification requirement and highly dependent on a single country, we mandatory waiting period. This amendment intend to relocate the production bases to became effective on August 1, 2019. Japan. Regarding products that do not fall into this category, we aim to avoid relying An additional amendment to FEFTA, on a single country and diversify production effective as of October 26, 2019, expanded bases across a number of countries, including the types of foreign investment-related Photo Credit : Getty Images those of the Association of Southeast Asian activities subject to FEFTA’s notification Nations (ASEAN)”. requirement. three groups; first, those exempt from the aircraft, space, nuclear facilities, ‘dual-use restrictions entirely, second a group of technologies’, cybersecurity, electricity, gas, Japan’s new rules regarding foreign On November 22, 2019, the legislature around 500 companies operating in so-called telecommunications, water supply, railways, investments have come under criticism for adopted a draft amendment to FEFTA that core industries including nuclear power and and oil. some quarters who argue that with these would authorize the government to lower defence, and third, a group of more than new set of norms, quality investment will be the notification threshold for the acquisition 1,500 companies in noncore industries From July this list of industries is expected hampered in the country. of shares in a public company operating including broadcasting and transport. to expand with the inclusion of the health within a specified regulated business sector, a response to Covid-19. According However, these criticisms look unfounded industry from 10% to as low as 1%. Japan The law has come into force from May to the Ministry of Finance (MOF) in when these norms and regulations are has now provided details of companies that 8, 2020 and its implementation will start Tokyo, it is also intended to align Japan’s compared with some of the major economies would come under the ambit of the new from June 7, 2020. The updated FEFTA guidelines with “a global trend to strengthen of the west. Moreover, the restrictions will rules regarding foreign direct investment. covers companies active in 12 ‘core’ FDI screening from the national security target the Chinese predatory investments The list categorised the companies into sectors. These sectors comprise weapons, viewpoint”. The amendments aim to which is much needed.

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International NEW DELHI TIMES International Political Scenario of the Week The testing has led to long queue at border ◆ By NDT Bureau and it will affect food and essential supplies @NewDelhiTimes as a result of delays. [email protected] Ecuador The Confederation of Indigenous Nationalities Benin of Ecuador Confederación de Nacionalidades Municipal and communal elections will Indígenas del Ecuador) or, more commonly, take place across Benin to elect new local CONAIE, is Ecuador’s largest indigenous leaders May 17. Ahead of the vote, several organization. In October 2019, CONAIE groups have called for the elections to led protests against the central government’s be postponed due to the spread of the neoliberal policies and extractive practices. are likely to stage larger demonstrations United Kingdom coronavirus disease (COVID-19). Despite They have threatened a fresh wave of against state authorities, with a high risk of movement restrictions in place to halt the protests if the government removes fuel violence in the event of confrontations with Extinction Rebellion (XR) is a global spread of COVID-19, spontaneous protests subsidies. The group advocates marches, the police in Paris and other cities. environmental movement with the stated are possible, particularly in the run-up to road blocks, and the detention of military aim of using nonviolent civil disobedience the election. Protests are possible in major and police personnel accused of violence Lebanon to compel government action to avoid cities, including Cotonou, Port Novo, and and aggression within indigenous territories. Protests began October 17th, 2019, after tipping points in the climate system, Parakou, near government buildings, in city France the country-wide condemnation of sectarian biodiversity loss, and the risk of social centers, and along major thoroughfares. rule, austerity, political corruption, lack of and ecological collapse. XR plans to hold Costa Rica Around 250 people demonstrated against accountability, unemployment, recession, anti-carbon-emissions protests in cities police brutality in France, on the first day of and planned taxation on products such across the United Kingdom. It has said it In the week since Costa Rica began testing lockdown exit in the country. The protests as gasoline, tobacco and communication will create “pop-up” cycle and pedestrian truck drivers entering the country from took place around the municipality of services like WhatsApp. Protests have lanes in London and other cities to protest Nicaragua and Panama, 23 who were Ile-Saint-Denis, in the Seine-Saint-Denis resumed in Lebanon which is engulfed in against a possible return to high levels of car asymptomatic have tested positive for the district, north east of Paris. With the gradual a dire financial situation. Beirut and Tripoli use and pollution when COVID-19-related new coronavirus and others who showed lifting of the lockdown, groups including are the centres of protests. Violent clashes lockdown measures are relaxed. This could symptoms were turned away without tests. “Yellow Vest” protesters and trade unions between protestors and forces is imminent. create travel disruptions on key routes. Accelerating Regional Action for Sustainable Oceans in Asia and the Pacific Q&A with Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana ◆ By Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana investments have the potential to create a and environmental aspects of the ocean opportunity to address a variety of the UN Under-Secretary-General and new reality in the post-COVID-19 pandemic and coasts. We work with country-level problems at the forefront of development Executive Secretary of the UN embedded in sustainability and resilience for statistical systems to regularly produce data challenges, such as industrial development, ESCAP the oceans if they catalyse a shift towards and information required to report progress reduction of transport costs, decreasing @UN_Armida sustainable practices, such as green shipping related to attaining SDG 14 and work energy consumption, mitigating climate and decarbonization, and low-impact across data custodians harmonize and share change impacts, reducing local air and noise ritten interview with New Delhi Times W fisheries, aquaculture and tourism. statistics. pollution and traffic congestion. The region Q: How important are oceans to the and the shipping community must navigate Just as the policy response to the current sustainable development in the Asia-Pacific ESCAP is also leveraging its convening together toward greening the shipping Region? industry. In our response to the COVID-19 pandemic, we must promote policies that A: Our survival and progress in Asia and the contain emissions as they tend to rebound Pacific are anchored to oceans. They provide and rise to higher levels after crises. food, livelihoods, biodiversity and a sense of identity for our region. In the region, fisheries Q: What are the main challenges for data provide food and income to more than 200 collection on marine conservation? million people, with 34 million engaged A: The challenge in quantifying progress in commercial fishing. Shipping has been on the ocean lies in insufficient data on the backbone of economic development in ocean health. The lack of data on SDG 14 the region, which accounts for the largest is due to insufficient methodology, limited portion of global seaborne trade. Given the country-level experience and the high cost stakes we owe it to our marine environment Photo Credit : Getty Images of collecting data across the exclusive to protect it and use its resources sustainably. role to strengthen cooperation on ocean economic zones. Insufficient or missing data We need to take transformative action for COVID-19 pandemic underscores the health. The transboundary nature of ocean have resulted in large information gaps about the ocean. importance of coordinated and evidence-based management and fragmented ocean data call ocean acidification, fishing and fisheries, policy measures, grounded in strong political for closer cooperation among countries in economic benefits for small island developing Q: What effect has the COVID-19 crisis will and commitment to sustainability, the Asia and the Pacific. Building upon existing States and least developed countries, and had on the health of oceans and marine Asia-Pacific response to the plight of the oceans biodiversity? partnerships can scale up action and address the research efforts. requires the same focus on environmental extensive and heterogenous challenges facing sustainability of economic and social activities Existing data are uneven and non-harmonized A: While the pandemic has temporarily oceans. We are working with countries in a in the long run. across the region which makes it difficult to halted industrial activities harming the coordinated manner to translate international use data for meaningful analysis. As oceans environment, it also challenges us to build Q: What role is ESCAP playing in protecting agreements and standards into national action are transboundary in that water and pollution is back better. Although the impact of recent the health of the oceans in Asia-Pacific? on areas including International Maritime constantly flowing from one country to another, curbs in maritime transport stemming Organization (IMO) standards on shipping and the need for international harmonization and from the pandemic are still unknown, CO2 A: We need a full picture of the ocean global fisheries agreements. through data to assess progress and enact standardization is imperative. emissions from international shipping Q: What is the significance of green shipping? measures to protect it. Data for SDG 14: To Read Full Article : https://www. may bounce and climb to higher levels if How is ESCAP encouraging countries Life Below Water are only available for newdelhitimes.com/accelerating- measures to mitigate environmental impacts in Asia-Pacific to move towards Green two out of ten targets, showing that our regional-action-for-sustainable-oceans- are not implemented. There have been Shipping? higher incidences of irregular, unreported picture of the ocean is far from complete. in-asia-and-the-pacific/ and unregulated (IUU) fishing given the This tells us that we need to do more to A: The bulk of global shipping and port Ms. Armida Salsiah Alisjahbana is United weaker enforcement of offshore laws during support ocean data. ESCAP’s Global operations occur in the region, but a strong Nations Under-Secretary-General and the pandemic. Ocean Accounts Partnership is supporting shipping economy has come at the expense Executive Secretary of the United Nations countries to develop international standards of the marine ecosystem. The transition to Economic and Social Commission for Asia Given the persistent challenges, recovery for the measurement of the economic, social eco-friendly shipping offers a tremendous and the Pacific (ESCAP). www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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International NEW DELHI TIMES Montenegro: Dozens Australia and detained in clashes over priests’ arrests New Zealand to ontenegrin police said they have boost defence M detained around 60 people following clashes at protests demanding the release of eight Serbian Orthodox Church priests cooperation to jailed for leading a religious procession despite a ban on gatherings related to the fight COVID-19 new coronavirus outbreak. Twenty-six officers were injured during the ◆ By NDT Bureau Photo Credit : Getty Images unrest in the towns of Niksic and Pljevlja, On May 7, 2020, New Zealand Minister relationship,” Minister Reynolds said. New @NewDelhiTimes police said. One of the injured policemen of Defence Ron Mark, held a joint Zealand Minister of Defence Ron Mark has been hospitalized, the statement said. [email protected] teleconference with Senator, the Hon Linda said: “Our co-operation on supporting our Reynolds, Australian Minister for Defence, defence industries and our shared experience Prime Minister Dusko Markovic in a ustralia and New Zealand will and the Hon Melissa Price, Minister for in emergency response are important televised address described the protests as A strengthen their defence cooperation Defence Industry, to discuss responses to the components to our strong relationship. a “brutal attack on the state that could have in the wake of the COVID-19 crisis. COVID-19 pandemic. unforeseeable consequences on public health.” According to a press release by the New Industry partners are of enduring importance “Everything we have achieved in the past three Zealand government, Australia and New “New Zealand is one of Australia’s to both the New Zealand and Australian months ... has been brought into question,” he Zealand have agreed to further strengthen closest friends and defence partners. Defence Forces. They provide integral said. “There is no reasonable explanation defence cooperation in the fight against Working closely together to respond to the support to ensure our forces are well or justification for such behavior.” Police COVID-19 on both sides of the Tasman and COVID-19 pandemic is creating further equipped, capabilities are maintained to a insisted they intervened with pepper spray in the Pacific neighbourhood. avenues to strengthen our bilateral defence high level and our sites function smoothly.” and dispersed the protesters into smaller groups after they threw rocks, bottles and Philippine Navy Vessel other objects and blocked traffic. Police Hitachi earns were “brutally attacked for no reason,” the returns to India after statement added. fire accident Japanese defence Police property was damaged in Niksic, while protesters in Pljevlja stoned the police ◆ By NDT Bureau contract station in the town, the statement also said. @NewDelhiTimes ◆ By NDT Bureau Some people were detained in other towns [email protected] where they tried to organize gatherings, @NewDelhiTimes including the capital, Podgorica. hilippines National Defence Secretary [email protected] The protests followed the arrest of the P Delfin Lorenzana informed that Philippine Photo Credit : Getty Images Serbian Orthodox Church priests who had Navy offshore patrol vessel BRP Ramon able to sail into port under its own power T he Acquisition, Technology & Logistics led a procession that a few thousand people Alcaraz (PS16) returned to India after a fire and unassisted,” the Defense Chief said in Agency of the Japanese Ministry of attended without wearing face masks or incident onboard shortly after it left Cochin, a statement. Defence has awarded Hitachi a contract for respecting distancing rules. India for Philippines on May 7. the development and procurement of a new “Since the BRP Alcaraz was acquired from armoured bulldozer. The Philippine Navy said “initial investigation the US, the US Navy’s Naval Systems revealed that the fire broke at the main Command (NAVSEA) will assist in the European Security and Defence reports engine room. The ship’s rapid response team conduct of its repairs,” Secretary Lorenzana that original plan, to replace the Japanese was able to put out the fire in 10 minutes. The said. Ground Self Defence Force’s ageing Type 75 incident incurred two personnel casualties armoured bulldozer, was to procure overseas and minor equipment damages.” The Alcaraz sustained minor damage but and indigenous products then compare two crewmen were injured in the fire. The them under a separate programme, but this “The BRP Ramon Alcaraz has returned rest of the 100 crew were unharmed and the plan was abandoned in order to develop an to Cochin, India. Luckily, the damage ship would be repaired in India, Lorenzana indigenous solution. sustained was a minor one and the ship was added.

Photo Credit : AP Photo Army, who confirmed the development in a The incidents add to tensions between the Ethiopia admits statement to the African Union (AU), said government and the Serbian Orthodox the troops were protecting a camp in the Church in Montenegro, which earlier this shooting Kenyan town of Bardale in southwestern Somalia. year organized months-long protests against In a statement to the AU the Ethiopian a religious law that critics say would strip passenger aircraft Military said that they interpreted the plane’s the church of its property. Montenegrin “unusual flight” as a “potential suicide authorities have denied this would happen. ◆ By NDT Bureau mission,” adding the crew did not inform A country of 620,000 people, Montenegro @NewDelhiTimes authorities of any aircraft flying to the split from much larger Serbia in a country. “Because of lack of communication referendum in 2006. Serbian nationalists [email protected] and awareness, the aircraft was shot down,” both in Serbia and Montenegro have never the Military said. fully recognized the separation of what they view as a historic Serbian territory. In “The incident was performed by non- Serbia, populist President Aleksandar Vucic AMISON troops of Ethiopia, which will require mutual collaborative investigation said that “we fail to comprehend” why Photo Credit : Getty Images Bishop Joanikije and other priests remain in team from Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya to further understand the truth,” it added. Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and Hitachi detention. He added Serbia cannot interfere both applied, with the latter being awarded in any way but “will remain by our people However, the African Union Mission in the JPY634.7M contract, although the and the church as much as we can.” Somalia (AMISOM) has distanced itself number of vehicles and timeframe have not Large gatherings are still banned in from this incident. been disclosed. Montenegro as part of efforts to contain The plane was distributing medical supplies and According to Shinichi Kiyotani, a Tokyo- the spread of the coronavirus. The detained Photo Credit : Getty Images other equipment to be used by humanitarian based military analyst, the prototype, which priests are facing charges of violating health thiopia has admitted that they shot organisations and agencies in the Horn of is required to be 8 m long, up to 3.6 m wide regulations during the virus outbreak by E down on May 11, a Kenyan plane Africa when it crashed. According to Kenya and up to 3.3 m high, can weigh up to 26 organizing the procession. carrying humanitarian and medical supplies, Civil Aviation Authority, the aircraft had tonnes, and is expected to able to reach a top Credit : Associated Press (AP) killing all six people onboard. The Ethiopian been operating in Somalia since May 2. speed of at least 30 km/h.

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International NEW DELHI TIMES

move medical equipment and providing Despite low secure communications. Our satellite services are ensuring connectivity and cyber security is supporting remote working and preventing revenues, cyber-attacks.

We are not able to quantify yet the COVID-19 Leonardo sees impact in 2020 but we strongly believe in our solid fundamentals and remain fully a rise in orders focused on executing our Industrial Plan to create value for all our stakeholders”. ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes A press release dated May 7 2020 and available on the Leonardo website states that “ The [email protected] Group reacted promptly to the new scenario (COVID-19 crisis) by implementing a series ccording to information available on of measures aimed primarily at guaranteeing A the website of aerospace company the full protection of the health and safety of Leonardo, its earnings suffered a 75 percent employees, while preserving the continuity decline in the first quarter, falling to €41 of its production, relating to business sectors million ($43 million) before interest, tax, considered strategic in the main countries in and amortization. which the Group operates. The impact of the Covid-19 pandemic These initiatives concern interventions resulted in a net loss of €59 million ($61 aimed at (i) gradually recovering adequate million) for the first three months. Revenues productivity levels, (ii) limiting, through a finished only 5 percent down, at €2.6 billion thorough review of its cost base and level ($2.7 billion). of investments, the economic and financial However, Leonardo managed to increase its effects of COVID-19 and (iii) ensuring order intake by 36 percent during the first adequate financial liquidity to the Group. three months, with €3.4 billion ($3.5 billion) in new sales. The group’s backlog stands The uncertainty about the severity and at €37 billion ($38 billion), representing duration of the pandemic and the measures around two-and-a-half years of production. to contain the contagion as well as the impacts on the productive, economic and Alessandro Profumo, Leonardo CEO stated Photo Credit : Getty Images social fabric of the numerous countries in a “First quarter 2020 results were in line with ensure the health and safety of our people business for our clients in key countries. We state of partial or total “lockdown” in which expectations before the COVID-19 impact while preserving business and production are supporting institutions with our products the Group operates does not allow at present in March. We reacted immediately to the continuity. We have slowed down activities and technologies, using helicopters in EMS a quantification of the effects on the Group’s pandemic with the primary goal to fully but never stopped, as we are a strategic roles to move patients, C27J aircrafts to performance in 2020. 2 African nations Indian and Airshow China 2020 to get Aerosonde to witness more than Chinese troops 400 participants UAVs clash on border ◆ By NDT Bureau ◆ By NDT Bureau ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes @NewDelhiTimes @NewDelhiTimes [email protected] [email protected] [email protected] hina International Aviation & Aerospace he African nations of Nigeria and everal Indian and Chinese troops C Exhibition also known as Airshow Uganda will receive Aerosonde Mk 4.7 T sustained injuries after they engaged in China or Zhuhai Airshow is the largest unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) from the S a fist-fight in the Naku La sector of North airshow in mainland China. It has been held United States. Sikkim and also in Ladakh. Confirming in even years in Zhuhai, Guangdong. The US Department of Defence (DoD) on the face-off in North Sikkim Indian Army As the only international aerospace trade 8 May announced that AAI Corporation sources said, “Incident of face-off took show in China, AIRSHOW CHINA 2020 (Textron Systems) had been awarded a $25 place. Aggressive behaviour and minor will be held on Oct.10-15, 2020 at China 610 000 firm-fixed-price contract for three injuries were reported on both sides, International Aviation Exhibition Center, Aerosonde Mk 4.7 systems, spares, logistics disengaged after dialogue and interaction at Zhuhai, China (Zhuhai Airshow Center). and training for Nigeria. “Work will be the local level”. More than 400 well-known aircraft and aerospace companies from home and abroad performed in Nigeria, with an estimated IA sources said that in both instances the two have confirmed they will participate in the completion date of September 30, 2021,” sides rushed reinforcements of about 150– Photo Credit : Getty Images 13th edition of the event. the DoD said. 200 personnel to the sites but pointed out Reinforcements were rushed to the area by that the situation was “amicably resolved” both armies but the situation was defused The unmanned air system can be launched by local commanders in accordance with following a meeting between brigadier-level from land- and ship-based platforms to “mutually accepted protocols” through flag sector commanders from each side. conduct intelligence, surveillance and meetings along the LoAC. reconnaissance (ISR) missions, and covert IA officers said the incident marked the maritime missions as well as communication The first incident took place on the night of second such confrontation since late April Photo Credit : Getty Images relay. 5–6 May along the 4,340 m-high ‘Finger-5 along Pangong Lake, two-thirds of which is Li Yihui, deputy general manager of Zhuhai to Finger-8’ mountain spurs on the northern controlled by China, which was resolved in Airshow Co., Ltd., the organizer, said the Designed for expeditionary land- and bank of the 134 km-long Pangong Lake a similar way to the one that took place there indoor exhibition area of this year’s Airshow sea-based operations and equipped for in eastern Ladakh, following aggressive in September 2019. China will exceed 90,000 square meters, simultaneous day/night full-motion video, patrolling by both armies. with many exhibitors expanding their booth communications relay, signals intelligence The second clash, in which at least 10–12 areas. and a customer-selected payload in a single This led to an “extended scuffle” in which IA and PLA soldiers were injured, took flight, Textron Systems’ Aerosonde Small Indian security sources said two IA officers place on 9 May near the 5,000 m high Nathu Audience members are expected to feast Unmanned Aircraft System (SUAS) delivers – a colonel and a major – and several others La mountain pass in northern Sikkim and their eyes on aerobatic flights conducted by more than 300,000 flight hours, including were injured, resulting in many of them was reportedly triggered by IA personnel the Chinese People’s Liberation Army Air desert heat and Arctic cold. having to be hospitalised. blocking a PLA patrol in the area. Force and the Russian Aerospace Forces. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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“It also provides a valuable opportunity to IBGs to soon USA increases better integrate with our allies and partners through joint and combined operations and be operational: military presence exercise”. The website further states that in line with the National Defence Strategy in South China Sea objectives of strategic predictability and Army Chief Gen. operational unpredictability, the Bomber ◆ By NDT Bureau Task Force enables a mix of different types Manoj Naravane @NewDelhiTimes of strategic bombers to operate forward in the Indo-Pacific region from a broader array ◆ By NDT Bureau [email protected] of overseas and continental U.S. locations with greater operational resilience. @NewDelhiTimes ccording to information available on [email protected] A the official site of US Air Force (www. The B-1 provides all of the training af.mil), four bombers and approximately 200 opportunities which the B-52 (Stratofortress) ndian Army Chief Gen. Manoj Airmen from the 9th Bomb Squadron, 7th provided, plus the ability to train to advanced I Naravane told officers on a visit to the Bomb Wing, Dyess Air Force Base, Texas, standoff, anti-surface warfare with (Long South Western Command that the Army’s new concept of agile Integrated Battle Groups (IBG) as part of the overall force transformation will be operationalised very soon.

“The Army chief also advised optimisation of funds allotted under defence Budget in view of the economic constraints due to COVID-19 and said the funds should be utilised judiciously giving highest priority to operational needs,” Col. Sombit Ghosh, Photo Credit : Getty Images PRO Defence Rajasthan, said in a statement. deployed to support Pacific Air Forces’ Range Anti-Surface Missiles),” said Lt. Col. training efforts with allies, partners and joint Frank Welton, PACAF’s chief of operations IBGs are brigade-sized agile self-sufficient forces; and strategic deterrence missions to force management. combat formations which can swiftly launch reinforce the rules-based international order strikes against adversaries. Each Integrated in the Indo-Pacific region. The US Navy has also stepped up its operation. Battle Group (IBG)would be tailor-made On 29 April, the cruiser USS Bunker Hill based on Threat, Terrain, and Task. The Three B-1Bs flew to Andersen AFB while conducted the U.S. Navy’s second freedom of resources to IBGs will also be allotted based Photo Credit : Getty Images one split off and flew down east of Japan navigation operation (FONOP) in the South on the above three Ts. Each IBG will be the official launch of its new integrated to conduct training with U.S. Navy assets China Sea in as many days. headed by a Major General and comprise battle groups (IBGs) because of the ongoing operating in the region before heading to around 5,000 troops. IBG comprises a Covid-19 pandemic. “The roll-out of the Andersen AFB. “Deployments like this The vessel sailed past an unspecified feature mix of infantry, artillery, air defence, tanks IBGs has been delayed due to the outbreak allow our Airmen to enhance the readiness in the Spratly Islands. A day ago, the and logistics unit. Earlier, Naravane told of the pandemic and the need to divert and training necessary to respond to any destroyer USS Barry conducted a freedom the Press Trust of India news agency on 9 critical resources towards its containment potential crisis or challenge across the globe,” of navigation operation near the Chinese- May that the Indian Army has postponed efforts,” Naravane said. said Col. Ed. Sumangil, 7th BW commander. claimed Paracel Islands. China increasing its nuclear capacity United States within 30 minutes. Hu Xijun ◆ By NDT Bureau also published a follow-up article “An @NewDelhiTimes elaboration of my advocacy for why China needs more nuclear deterrence” in which he [email protected] clarified his position. The author refuted the viewpoint that China’s building of nuclear hina is one of the largest global nuclear weapon is anti-peace and said that those C power. According to web portal world- holding this notion were against Chinese nuclear.org, Mainland China has about 45 security interests. nuclear power reactors in operation, 12 under construction, and more about to start Further, the author posits that “China does construction. The government’s long-term not need to engage in an arms race with the target, as outlined in its Energy Development US, but as Washington’s strategic will to Strategy Action Plan 2014-2020, is for 58 crush Beijing grows, so must our (Chinese) GWe capacity by 2020, with 30 GWe more nuclear deterrence. under construction. Whatever calculation model is used to figure out how many nuclear warheads China Now, an opinion piece published on May needs, this common-sense logic needs to 8 in Chinese state-owned Global Times be the basis of all of them”. He concludes has attracted the attention of international by mentioning that “I would like to say that security analysts. The opinion piece is titled my gut feeling is that China will increase its “China urged to expand nuclear arsenal to nuclear warheads, and I believe this is also deter US warmongers”. the gut feeling of many people. Because China actually has no choice.”. Although Written by Liu Xuanzun, the aforementioned this view is officially not the Chinese policy opinion piece cites military and defence but since the news agency in question is experts and posits that acing rising strategic Photo Credit : Getty Images Chinese state owned, this can be called threats from the US, China needs to increase Chinese sponsored propaganda. its number of nuclear warheads and complete and peaceful world order, which will be per the portal missilethreat.csiss.org, the a technologically advanced nuclear triad beneficial for the whole world. DF-41 (Dong Feng-41, CSS-X-20) is a road- The Global Times reporting follows by developing the H-20 strategic stealth and rail-mobile intercontinental ballistic testimony given to the US House Armed bomber and JL-3 submarine-launched It may be mentioned that Global Times missile (ICBM). It is estimated to have an Services Committee on 27 February by ballistic missiles to deter potential impulsive Editor-in-Chief Hu Xijin had also advocated operational range of 12,000 to 15,000 km, James H Anderson, acting as the Deputy military action by US warmongers. that China needs to expand the number of which would make it the longest-range Under Secretary of Defence for Policy at the its nuclear warheads to 1,000 in a relatively missile in operation. It will likely have a Department of Defense (DoD), who stated The opinion piece then argues that having short time and have at least 100 DF-41 top speed of Mach 25 and will be capable of that the US believes that China will “at least a nuclear arsenal appropriate to China’s strategic missiles to curb US strategic delivering up to 10 MIRVed warheads. It is double” the size of its nuclear weapons position will help establish a more stable ambitions and impulses toward China. As projected to be able to strike the continental stockpile over the next 10 years.

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International NEW DELHI TIMES the think tank said. The study finds that Mexico witnesses Mexico’s peacefulness has declined by 27.2 percent over the last five years. homicide increase in rate increased 86 percent from 2015 to 2019, rising from 15 deaths per 100,000 people in violent crime 2015 to 28 in 2019. ◆ By NDT Bureau Crimes against women are also on the increase. The IEP report mentions that @NewDelhiTimes since January 2015, the rate of femicide has [email protected] increased by 164 percent at the national level. The Mexican government also reported that iolent crime is witnessing an upsurge at least 720 women were murdered in the V in Mexico. Mexico registered 2,585 first quarter of 2020 and 244 women were homicides in March 2020 – the highest victims of femicide, where a woman is monthly figure since records began in 1997. killed because of her gender. On April 19 2020, a total of 105 homicides were reported across the country, making it A year ago, at least 890 women were killed. the highest daily murder rate of the year to The national statistics agency (INEGI) has date. The worst affected state was Mexico said two-thirds of women in Mexico have state, with 12 cases reported over 24 hours, experienced some form of violence, with followed by Chihuahua state with ten, and almost 44% suffering abuse from a partner. Mexico City with nine. The previous highest number of daily deaths in 2020 was recorded As per the IEP report, the violent crime on April 4, with 104 murder indicator consists of four components: The Institute for Economics and Peace assault, sexual assault, family violence, and has published the Mexico Peace Index robbery. While all components of violent 2020 which documents a rapid rise in the crime increased between 2015 and 2019, violent crimes in Mexico. The 2020 report the sexual assault rate recorded the largest is the seventh edition of the Mexico Peace percentage increase, at 59.5 percent. Index (MPI) and provides a comprehensive Photo Credit : Getty Images measure of peacefulness in Mexico, times higher than the global average. highlighted that the national violent crime “The economic impact of violence was including trends, analysis and estimates of rate increased by 4.7%. nearly eight times higher than public the economic impact of violence. The report The IEP noted that the rate increases of 1.4% investments made in health care and more highlighted that the homicide rate in Mexico in 2019 represented “a much slower rise than The latter increase was mainly driven by than six times higher than those made in last year was 28 per 100,000 residents, seven the previous year’s increase of 15.7%” but an 18.7% rise in the sexual assault rate, education in 2019,” the report states.

Africa program, told VOA. Report: Former “HTS severed ties with al-Qaida in 2017, and since then has attempted to recast al-Qaida Syria itself as a Syrian ‘rebel group,’ rather than a transnational jihadist one, by pushing out some foreign fighters and other hardliners branch should from its leadership,” he said. be included in Fragile cease-fire In March, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Russian President Vladimir cease-fire Putin announced a new cease-fire that powerful Islamist militant group should included establishing a “security corridor” A be included in a Russian-Turkish deal in Idlib, where joint Russian-Turkish patrols to sustain a cease-fire and prevent a new would take place. The agreement halted a humanitarian crisis in northwest Syria, said major Russian-backed Syrian government an international conflict prevention group. offensive to retake Idlib. Photo Credit : Getty Images The Brussels-based International Crisis The deal, however, remains shaky as locals flexibility will also draw a wedge between it Idlib depends largely on whether Russia Group (ICG) said in report, released said have expressed their opposition to the and more extreme jihadist forces.” backs the offensive with airstrikes. that Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), an armed presence of Russian patrols in their areas. In addition to HTS and Turkish-backed “Russia’s geostrategic considerations group designated as a terrorist organization Turkey already maintains about a dozen rebels, several jihadist groups, such as the include drawing Ankara closer to Moscow at by the United States, Russia and Turkey, military posts in Idlib. Turkistan Islamic Party and Hurras al-Din, Washington’s expense, thus driving a wedge is too entrenched to be defeated militarily have established a significant presence in in the NATO alliance and weakening U.S. without killing a large number of civilians in “Idlib’s fragile cease-fire remains at great Idlib. influence. An all-out assault on Idlib would the restive Syrian province of Idlib. risk of falling apart,” the ICG report said. put Russian relations with Turkey at risk,” Some experts believe it is hard for a radical “All actors should seek a more sustainable the ICG said. Charles Lister, a Syria scholar at the group like HTS to morph into a more cease-fire -- optimally including HTS, Washington-based Middle East Institute, moderate force. The U.S., which doesn’t have a military notwithstanding legitimate concerns about views the report’s key recommendation is presence in northwestern Syria, has the group – that avoids the high military, “HTS is following a blueprint to build a “brave and forward-looking.” expressed support to its NATO ally, Turkey, political and humanitarian price of another society in Syria that follows conservative in the Idlib crisis. offensive,” the report said. “If HTS’s current leadership is serious about Salafism, and which can be a safe haven for reforming itself in small but meaningful transnational jihadist operatives,” Nicholas In March, U.S. Special Envoy to Syria HTS is a former al-Qaida branch in Syria. ways, it should be tested and challenged and Heras, director of the Middle East program James Jeffrey suggested that his country was It was previously known as Jabhat al-Nusra. the easiest way to do so would be to make at the Institute for the Study of War, told willing to provide “ammunition” to Turkish With about 20,000 fighting members, it it party to a serious multinational cease-fire VOA. military in Idlib. is considered the most dominant militant agreement,” he told VOA. “Asking HTS to become a moderate group Recently, Jeffrey said he hoped Turkey group in Idlib, a last major rebel stronghold Prospects of success or failure is like asking a wolf to stop eating meat, it’s would maintain pressure on militant groups for Syrian rebels. The U.N. says nearly 2.6 fruitless,” Heras added. in Idlib, including the HTS. million civilians live in the enclave. Rights Hassan Hassan, a Syria expert and co- groups have accused HTS of committing author of the book “ISIS: Inside the Army ‘Weakening US influence’ “We hope to see the Turks continue to put war crimes in Syria’s conflict. of Terror,” sees bigger advantages with HTS Despite halting its military offensive on pressure on the terrorist organizations there, being a party to the cease-fire in Idlib. “Our recommendation is for HTS to be Idlib, the Syrian government has vowed the most powerful of them Hayat Tahrir al- included in the cease-fire agreement, not “HTS is now at a comfortable position, to retake “every inch of Syrian soil.” But, Sham,” he said during an online event held the negotiation process,” Joost Hiltermann, as a dominant force in that area, to show according to the ICG report, a conclusive by the Atlantic Council in Washington. director of ICG’s Middle East and North maximum flexibility,” he said. “Such military victory for government forces in Credit : Voice of America (VOA) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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command. Security experts advocate that Security experts SOCOM should consider buying unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) instead of only manned platforms for its highly anticipated advocate for Armed Overwatch procurement, according SOCOM to an industry insider. Armed Overwatch will provide special operations forces (SOF) with deployable acquiring UAVs and sustainable manned aircraft systems fulfilling close air support (CAS), precision ◆ By NDT Bureau strike, and SOF intelligence, surveillance, @NewDelhiTimes and reconnaissance (ISR) in austere and permissive environments. [email protected] This is according to an announcement he United States Special Operations posted by SOCOM Program Executive T Command (USSOCOM or SOCOM) Office-Fixed Wing (PEO-FW) on the beta. is the unified combatant command charged sam.gov federal contracting website. The with overseeing the various special aircraft procured will also support US operations component commands of the Air Force Special Operations Command Army, Marine Corps, Navy, and Air Force (AFSOC) missions such as CAS, armed of the United States Armed Forces. The reconnaissance, strike co-ordination and command is part of the Department of reconnaissance, and airborne forward air Defense and is the only unified combatant control. command created by an Act of Congress. USSOCOM is headquartered at MacDill Air SOCOM is also looking to maximise Force Base in Tampa, Florida. leveraging Artificial Intelligence. SOCOM Commander Army Gen. Richard Clarke SOCOM was activated in April 1987 to noted that a number of his program executive provide command, control and training for offices are keen on the technology. all special operations forces (SOF) in the United States. Its components include the “Artificial intelligence and machine learning U.S. Army Special Operations Command efforts are integrated into most of our major at Fort Bragg, N.C.; the Air Force Special PEO programs, and we’ll continue this,” we’re going to have to have artificial learning isn’t confined to information Operations Command, Hurlburt Field, he said May 12 during a keynote address intelligence and machine learning tools, operations. Acquisition Executive Jim Smith Fla; the Naval Special Warfare Command, at the virtual Special Operations Forces specifically for information ops that hit a said the command is pursuing a wide range of Coronado, Calif., and the Joint Special Industry Conference, or vSOFIC, which is very broad portfolio, because we’re going applications for the command’s top priorities, Operations Command at Fort Bragg. The managed by the National Défense Industrial to have to understand how the adversary is to include: next-generation intelligence, John F. Kennedy Special Warfare Center Association. thinking, how the population is thinking, surveillance and reconnaissance; next- and School, the U.S. Air Force Special and work in these spaces” to conduct gen mobility; precision fires and effects; Operations School, and the Naval Special “As we look at the ability to influence and information operations at a fast pace, he biotechnology; hyper-enabled operator; and Warfare Center are also assigned to the shape in this [information] environment, said. SOCOM’s interest in AI and machine data and networks. China increases air-surveillance in South China sea ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes [email protected]

iery Cross Reef, a human-built islet F of 274 hectares, supports a runway and has received flights from the Chinese mainland. It’s one of three major islets that Beijing controls in the Spratly archipelago, a group of tiny features in the South China Sea. The Philippines controls 10 islets in the same chain, which is valued for fisheries and energy reserves. Analysis of commercial satellite imagery indicates that Chinese military aircraft have been deployed to Fiery Cross Reef in the South China Sea (SCS).

Imagery captured on 11 May shows a KJ- 200 anti-submarine warfare (ASW) aircraft, a KJ-500 airborne early warning (AEW) aircraft, and a Z-8 helicopter on the ramp at Fiery Cross Reef, which supports a large Photo Credit : Getty Images Chinese military outpost constructed on Island) but falls under the jurisdiction of The Nansha District would have jurisdiction level city is now in charge of administering reclaimed land, and includes an airfield China’s southernmost Hainan Province, had over the Nansha Islands, reefs, and their an area stretching nearly 2 million km², of and a harbour. All three aircraft types are established two districts – Xisha (Paracels) surrounding waters, with the government which only about 20 km² are land areas. operated by the People’s Liberation Army District and Nansha (Spratly) District located on Yongshu Jiao (Fiery Cross Reef). Navy Air Force (PLANAF). – following approval by China’s State Both of these actions were heavily criticised Council: the country’s main administrative That same day the state-owned China Global by the Philippines and Vietnam, which also The move came just one day after the Ministry authority. Television Network (CGTN) reported claim various territories in the area. of Civil Affairs in Beijing announced it had that these are now the first two districts established two administrative districts for The ministry said that Sansha City’s in the history of Sansha City, which was Washington also criticised Beijing’s moves the disputed Paracel and Spratly islands in Xisha District would administer the established on 24 July 2012 “to administer in the area, with the US Department of the SCS. Xisha and Zhongsha islands, reefs, and the Xisha, Zhongsha, and Nansha islands Defence (DoD) accusing the Chinese their surrounding waters – which include and their surrounding waters in the South government of “attempting to exploit” In an 18 April statement the ministry said that Macclesfield Bank, Scarborough Shoal and China Sea”. the Covid-19 coronavirus pandemic to its Sansha City, which is located on Yongxing various other features – with the district benefit and “at the expense of others” to Island (the Chinese name for the Woody government located on Yongxing Island. The network also stated that the prefecture- further its territorial claims in the region.

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funding for military modernisation through a dedicated budget known as the Revised AFP Modernising Modernization Program (RAFPMP). The RAFPMP is divided into three phases, or Philippines Horizons, covering the period from 2013 to 2027. The First Horizon, which lasted from 2013 to 2017 was focused upon rebuilding defence sector the capabilities of the AFP primarily with regards to internal security and ongoing ◆ By NDT Bureau counter-insurgency. Horizon Two (2018– @NewDelhiTimes 22) lays procurement of military hardware and the modernization of armed forces of the [email protected] country.

he Armed Forces of the Philippines As part pf this strategy, the Philippine Marine T (AFP) Modernization Act also known Corps (PMC) through the Philippine Navy as Republic Act No. 7898 was first made (PN) had reached a major milestone in the Photo Credit : Getty Images into law on February 23, 1995, under the Horizon 2 Phase 2 modernization project. billion, while Horizon Three (2023–27) military capabilities. In order to achieve this, leadership of President Fidel V. Ramos. Both projects are intended to increase is expected to receive more than PHP300 the Philippine government has approved It was aimed to modernize all branches of the firepower of marine units, while also billion. A report titled “The Philippine the Horizon II program under which the the AFP such as the Philippine Air Force, replacing old assets with better new models. Defence Market-Attractiveness, Competitive Philippines Department of National Defence Philippine Navy and the Philippine Army. These projects are the Light Rocket Launch Landscape and Forecasts to 2025” has been is expected to spend US$5.6 billion during On December 11, 2012, the Republic Squad Acquisition Project (SRLL), and the released by research and markets.com. 2018-2022 on the procurement of military Act no. 7898 was amended by Republic 81mm Mortar Acquisition Project. As per the report, the Philippines’ defence hardware and the modernization of armed Act No. 10349 also known as the revised expenditure recorded a CAGR of 8.21% forces of the country. Funding under the RAFPMP is allocated AFP modernization act which extends the over the historic-period and stood at US$3.8 under three phases or ‘horizons’, with Internal and external threats to the Philippines modernization program for another 15 years billion in 2020. money released annually. Actual funding include the rise of terrorism, tensions in the with an initial budget of 75 billion pesos under Horizon One (2013–17) of the Territorial claims in the South China Sea and South China Sea, and the illicit drug trade. Due for the first five years in order to continue RAFPMP was PHP126 billion (USD2.49 the increasing strength and assertiveness of to these factors, the Philippines is expected to modernizing all the branches of the AFP. billion). Horizon Two (2018–22) has the Chinese armed forces have spurred increase its military and homeland security The Philippine government agrees in principle received approval for spending of PHP289 the Philippine government to enhance its expenditure over the forecast period.”.

purchase the system after the leasing period. army medics who rendered assistance to the Israel and Greece Italy thanks Italian side,” the Ministry said. The Heron system, equipped with both signs virtual defence day and night activity platforms, maritime Russia for military Russia began sending doctors, nurses and deal, Israel to lease patrol radars and satellite communications, medical equipment to disease-stricken Italy offers extended operational endurance in a medical assistance in late March in a goodwill operation that drones to Greece wide range of scenarios including maritime Moscow dubbed “From Russia with love”. patrol, marine and land border protection, ◆ By NDT Bureau search and rescue, disaster management and As of May 7, Russian chemical, biological, ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes more. radiological, and nuclear (CBRN) protection @NewDelhiTimes [email protected] specialists, together with Italian servicemen, [email protected] The system is operational in the IDF and had disinfected assisted living facilities in naval forces around the world and has talian Defence Minister Lorenzo Guerini more than 93 localities in Lombardy, 120 srael and Greece have signed a defence demonstrated its capabilities in Greece as I thanked his Russian counterpart Sergei buildings, more than 1.2 million m 2 of I agreement pertaining to expanding well. Shoigu over a telephone call on May 7. building interiors, and more than 500,000 security relations between Israel and Greece The Russian Defence Ministry reported m 2 of paved roads. Russian medical teams and per the deal, Israel is to lease drones to Israel’s International Defence Cooperation on May 7, “the Italian Defence Minister provided treatment at 65 recreational centres Greece to defend its borders. Directorate (SIBAT) head, Brig. Gen. (Res.) thanked Sergei Shoigu for his information converted into anti-COVID-19 facilities. on sanitary and epidemiological measures Each medical team comprised a therapist, a underway in the Russian army and expressed resuscitation consultant anesthesiologist, an his readiness to provide medical assistance epidemiologist, and a nurse anesthetist. to the Russian side in the fight against the Russian and Italian specialists erected a 142- pandemic, if need be”. bed field hospital in Bergamo in early April

Photo Credit : Getty Images Yair Kulas said, “The great security relations The agreement has been signed digitally Photo Credit : Getty Images between Israel and Greece are expanding. The Italian Defence Minister also thanked due to the coronavirus crisis between Israeli that began functioning on April 6, with 32 We see great importance in the choice his Russian counterpart for the prompt and Defence Ministry and the Hellenic Ministry Russian medics working in three shifts. By made by Greece to equip its forces with an timely provision of the assistance in the fight of National Defence. The agreement is the May 7, the hospital had treated 115 infected Israeli system, particularly during the global against the coronavirus spread, Russia’s first military deal between the two countries persons, 76 of whom were cured and corona crisis. This is a clear expression of Defence Ministry noted. and incorporates the option to buy the discharged. The hospital was handed over to confidence in the capabilities and strength of system. the Italians on May 7. the Israeli defense industry. We hope to sign “The head of the Italian Defence Ministry Under the terms of the agreement, Israel’s additional agreements with Greece as well specially emphasized the high professionalism, Starting on April 22, Russian military Ministry of Defence will lease the Heron as other European partners, assisting them in self-sacrifice and responsibility of all the medics also provided medical treatment system in its maritime configuration to addressing security challenges - in times of Russian military specialists of radiation, in Brescia province on the request of the Greece over three years, with an option to the corona pandemic and beyond.” chemical and biological protection and Lombardy authorities. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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his wife has been ill. Yeargan’s wife had Hong Kong shop US pilot jailed breathing difficulties but tested negative for Typhoon leaves offers ‘tear gas’ in Singapore the coronavirus in March, he said. 1 dead, extensive Tan said Yeargan lost his daughter in a tragic incident four years ago and the possibility flavour ice cream for breaking of another death frightened him. Yeargan damage in ear gas is among the new flavors at a told the court his two co-pilots had flown T Hong Kong ice cream shop. quarantine order out on April 6 as scheduled but he has been Philippine towns held back in his room. He also said he has to n American cargo pilot who admitted yphoon Vongfong’s ferocious wind and The main ingredient is black peppercorns, give up an assignment to fly a humanitarian to “poor judgment” in breaking a rain left at least one dead and damaged a reminder of the pungent, peppery rounds A aid mission to COVID-19-hit countries for T quarantine order to buy medical supplies hundreds of coronavirus isolation facilities fired by police on the streets of the semi- the U.S. Air Force due to his blunder in became the first foreigner imprisoned in and homes, along with rice and corn fields in autonomous Chinese city during months of Singapore. demonstrations last year. Singapore for breaching its restrictions five hard-hit eastern towns alone, a governor meant to curb the coronavirus, his lawyer “In his address in court, Yeargan said he said. “It tastes like tear gas. It feels difficult to said. was sorry, he made a poor judgment and breathe at first, and it’s really pungent and that he shouldn’t have gone out,” Tan said. irritating. It makes me want to drink a lot FedEx pilot Brian Dugan Yeargan, 44, of The American also said he has “the highest of water immediately,” said customer Anita Alaska, was sentenced to four weeks after he regard for the Singapore people and its Wong, who experienced tear gas at a protest. pleaded guilty to leaving his hotel room for laws,” Tan added. “I think it’s a flashback that reminds me of three hours to buy masks and a thermometer, how painful I felt in the movement, and that defense lawyer Ronnie Tan said. The court said in its ruling Yeargan should I shouldn’t forget.” have asked someone to obtain the items for Singapore has one of the largest outbreaks in him. The flavor is a sign of support for the pro- Asia, with 26,000 cases. More than 90% of democracy movement, which is seeking those infected are foreign workers living in Tan said Yeargan was relieved as prosecutors to regain its momentum during the crowded dormitories, while the government had sought a sentence of up to eight weeks. coronavirus pandemic, the shop’s owner recently began easing restrictions for the He said he will apply for a remission for good said. He spoke on condition of anonymity local population. behavior, which could see the American to avoid repercussions from the pro-Beijing government.

“We would like to make a flavor that Photo Credit : AP Photo reminds people that they still have to persist Gov. Ben Evardone of Eastern Samar in the protest movement and don’t lose their province, where the typhoon slammed passion,” he said. ashore, said some residents were weeping in desperation after their houses were He tried different ingredients, including destroyed or blown away in the towns he wasabi and mustard, in an effort to replicate inspected. One distraught villager who lost the taste of tear gas. Black pepper, he said, his home slashed his wrist but was treated in came closest to tear gas with its throat- time, he said. irritating effects. A man bled to death after he was hit by glass “We roast and then grind whole black shards in a school building he was trying to peppercorns and make them into gelato, the open to take shelter in, Evardone said. Italian style. It’s a bit hot, but we emphasize its aftertaste, which is a sensation of irritation “The damage I saw was very extensive. in the throat. It just feels like breathing in The roof of one church was ripped off tear gas,” the 31-year-old owner said. completely, its iron bars twisted badly by the typhoon,” Evardone told The Associated More than 16,000 rounds of tear gas were Press by telephone. fired during the protests, according to Hong Kong authorities, many in densely populated He said that he and his group of military, districts where narrow streets are filled with police and local authorities failed to small restaurants and apartment blocks. travel to two towns hit by the typhoon, Jipapad and Maslog, due to fallen trees on the road. Cellphone and two-way radio communications to the far-flung areas were Photo Credit : AP Photo down and Evardone appealed to the military to deploy a helicopter to inspect and carry ending his sentence in three weeks. The The tiny city-state has strict penalties for out food drops if army troops were not be Anchorage Daily News reported Yeargan is those who breach quarantine rules, don’t able to reach the area. masks in public or fail to adhere to social from the Eagle River community and serves distancing measures. Quarantine violators with the Alaska Air National Guard. In the outlying region of Bicol, northwest of face up to six months in jail, a fine of up to Eastern Samar, more than 145,000 people It said he last spoke to his parents on Singapore $10,000 ($7,000) or both. were riding out the weakening typhoon in Mother’s Day. “He’s taking care of himself,” emergency shelters after a mass evacuation Jim Yeargan was quoted as saying. Tan said Yeargan and his two co-pilots were that was complicated and slowed by the taken to an airport hotel to serve 14-day FedEx spokeswoman Davina Cole told coronavirus. quarantines upon arriving from Sydney on the newspaper the company adhered to all April 3. It was required because they stated regulations from government authorities Vongfong weakened into a severe tropical in their health declarations they had visited related to containing the virus. storm after hitting land and was blowing Photo Credit : AP Photo China, Hong Kong, Macau, Japan and the northwest toward the populous main The protests began over proposed legislation United States in the two-week period before Yeargan was the first foreigner sentenced northern island of Luzon, government that would have allowed criminal suspects their arrival, Tan said. for violating quarantine orders, but several forecasters said. to be extradited to mainland China to face Singaporeans have been jailed for between charges. Health officials checking on Yeargan found five and six weeks for leaving their homes. The typhoon’s maximum sustained wind him missing from his room on April 5. speed dropped to 110 kilometers (68 miles) While the bills were withdrawn, demonstrations Yeargan told the court he took the metro Singapore imposed a partial lockdown per hour with gusts of 150 kph (93 mph) but continued over concerns Beijing is eroding downtown to buy a thermometer and a few on April 7 and loosened restrictions with it remains dangerous especially in coastal the civil liberties granted to the former boxes of masks before he was to fly home food manufacturers, barbers and laundry and low-lying villages, forecasters said. British colony when it was returned to on April 6. shops opening doors three weeks before the Vongfong was expected to blow out of the Chinese rule in 1997. lockdown ends June 1. country’s north. Tan said Yeargan needed the items because Credit : Associated Press (AP) they were in short supply back home and Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 12 18 - 24 May 2020

International NEW DELHI TIMES

36. Russian health officials insisted that the Britain, Germany and the U.S. The World Russia slams relatively low coronavirus death toll is due EU: Possible virus Health Organization has estimated it could to its instituting a quick ban on travel from drug approval take about 12 to 18 months for an effective New York Times, neighboring China earlier this year, an early vaccine to be found. introduction of restrictions and tracing of ‘before the summer’ the infected contacts. U.S. President Donald Financial Times Trump has cited a similar travel ban for his he European Medicines Agency predicted efforts to combat the virus. T that there could be licensed drugs to on virus deaths treat the new coronavirus in the next few months and that a vaccine might even be ussia’s Foreign Ministry has criticized Russian officials also have said the scope approved in early 2021, in a “best-case the Financial Times and The New of testing has been significantly increased R scenario.” York Times after they reported that Russia’s in recent weeks, allowing for officials to coronavirus death toll could be much higher spot the infections quickly and prevent Dr. Marco Cavaleri, who heads the European than government officials are saying. patients from developing life-threatening regulator’s vaccines department, told a complications. media briefing that approving medicines to The articles said that they were based on treat COVID-19 might be possible “before a spike in total mortality rates reported by Following the Foreign Ministry statement, the summer,” citing ongoing clinical trials. Photo Credit : AP Photo officials in Moscow, who said the capital lawmaker Vasily Piskaryov demanded that Recent early results for the drug remdesivir While some experts have proposed dropping registered about 1,800 deaths more in April reporters from the newspapers be stripped of suggested it could help patients recover from the requirement for large-scale advanced 2020 than the monthly average. their accreditation, effectively banning them the coronavirus faster, although longer-term clinical trials altogether, Cavaleri said that data is still needed to confirm any benefit. wasn’t currently being considered. Although it typically takes years to develop “Our current thinking is all vaccines under a vaccine, Cavaleri said that if some of development should undergo large phase the shots already being tested prove to be 3 trials to establish what is the level of effective, they could be licensed as early as protection,” he said. the beginning of next year. But he acknowledged that could change if Cavaleri cautioned, however, that many the situation worsened. experimental vaccines never make it to the end and that there are often delays. “Things may evolve as the pandemic will evolve and we will see if we need to do “But we can see the possibility that if something else,” Cavaleri said. everything goes as planned, vaccines could be approved a year from now,” he said. Some officials have warned that a vaccine might never be found; previous attempts More than 140 heads of states and health to develop a vaccine against related experts, including South African President coronaviruses like SARS and MERS have Cyril Ramaphosa, Pakistani Prime Minister all failed. But Cavleri was optimistic an Imran Khan and Nobel laureate Joseph immunization against COVID-19 would Stiglitz issued an appeal calling on all eventually be discovered, as there are countries to unite behind a “people’s various technologies being tried globally. vaccine” against COVID-19, to ensure Photo Credit : Getty Images any effective treatments and vaccines be “I think it’s a bit early to say, but we have The New York Times reported that total is from working in the country. available globally to anyone who needs good reason to be sufficiently optimistic that far higher than the official COVID-19 death them, for free. at the end of the day, some vaccines will count of 642, which the newspaper said was Zakharova said measures against the media make it,” he said. an indication of significant underreporting organizations “will depend on whether they At the moment, there are about a dozen by the authorities. It quoted Tatiana N. run the retraction.” vaccine candidates being tested in China, Credit : Associated Press (AP) Mikhailova, a senior researcher at the “The weather is beautiful. This was a great Last month, Russian lawmakers approved Presidential Academy of National Economy Children let out to opportunity because we were so bored at fines of up to $25,000 and prison terms of up and Public Administration in Moscow, as home,” said Zeyda Ozdemir, who brought to five years for anyone who spreads what is saying that the number who died from the play as Turkey mulls her 8-year-old daughter, Zeynep, to the park. virus is “possibly almost three times higher deemed to be false information during the than the official toll.” outbreak. tests for tourists She added, however, that she felt “a little urkey’s parks filled with the sound of uneasy” because the park was more crowded The Financial Times pointed to a similar Under the measure, media outlets could T children as the government allowed than she had hoped it would be. surge in deaths reported by authorities in St. be fined up to $127,000 for disseminating people ages 14 and under to leave home for Petersburg, and it concluded that nationwide, disinformation about the virus. the first time in 40 days. In the city’s Birlik Mahallesi neighborhood, Russia could have 70% more coronavirus two children were seen riding scooters deaths than it reports. Moscow’s health department rejected the up and down a street while a voice from a allegations of undercounting coronavirus loudspeaker on the top of the minaret of a Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman deaths. Officials said autopsies are being nearby mosque called on the public not to Maria Zakharova complained about what conducted in all suspected coronavirus deaths. be “fooled by the arrival of spring and good she called “disinformation” by the two weather.” newspapers and said letters demanding a “That’s why post-mortem diagnoses in retraction would be passed on to both. Moscow and causes of death, in the end, are “The danger of infection is not over yet,” the exceedingly accurate, and the mortality data announcement said. Danielle Ha, vice president for communications absolutely transparent,” the statement said. for The New York Times, told Russian news The Turkish government set out a agencies the report was accurate because it “normalization plan” as the number of More than 60% of deaths of people with was based on data released by an official confirmed coronavirus cases dropped, but coronavirus in Moscow were ascribed state agency. Photo Credit : AP Photo warned of tougher measures if infections to other causes, such as cardiovascular As the Turkish government continues to rise again. ailments, cancer, diseases involving organ The Financial Times didn’t immediately loosen some of its coronavirus restrictions, failures and other illnesses, according to the Senior citizens were briefly allowed out respond to a request for comment from The the country’s youngest residents may now statement. for the first time in seven weeks. Malls, Associated Press. venture out for four hours a day between hairdressers, barber shops and hair salons 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. People in the 15- 20 age were allowed to reopen Russia has reported over 250,000 coronavirus Guidelines on reporting coronavirus deaths, group will be able to leave homes for a few cases as of 14 May and 2,305 deaths. The issued by the World Health Organization hours a day Meanwhile, a lawyer told The Associated comparatively low death toll raised questions in mid-April, state that “deaths due to Press that he has filed a lawsuit against in the West, with some critics suggesting it COVID-19” should be considered as such In the capital of Ankara, young children China on behalf of a private company could be much higher. “unless there is a clear alternative cause wearing masks took turns on the slides and that is seeking compensation for financial of death that cannot be related to COVID swings at Kugulu Park. An adjacent street losses suffered because of the coronavirus The New York Times reported that Russia’s disease.” teemed with pedestrians, and police urged outbreak. mortality rate of only about 13 deaths per the public to abide by social distancing million was far below the world average of Credit : Associated Press (AP) practices. Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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International NEW DELHI TIMES Head of Germany in World Trade recession as Organization to economy shrinks 2.2% in 1st quarter step down early he German economy shrank by 2.2% in the first quarter compared with the he head of the World Trade T previous three-month period as shutdowns Organization said that he will leave T in the country and beyond started to bite, his post a year early, a “personal decision” official data showed.That means Europe’s that sets the stage for a succession contest biggest economy went into recession at the trade body amid lingering U.S.-China following a small dip at the end of last year. tensions and a coronavirus pandemic that has doused the global economy. The figures from the Federal Statistical Photo Credit : AP Photo Office offered a first glimpse of the damage Roberto Azevedo, a 62-year-old Brazilian, market. Speaking to reporters at the White The U.S. has blocked the appointment of caused by the coronavirus crisis, which said he will step down Aug. 31 as WTO House before travelling to Pennsylvania, new judges, complaining that the WTO is the government is trying to limit with director-general, ending a seven-year Trump said he was “okay with it” when slow, cumbersome and ill-equipped to deal rescue programs and has pushed other big tenure marked in recent years by intense asked about Azevedo’s plans to step down. with challenges posed by China’s hybrid European economies like France and Italy pressure from President Donald Trump, who capitalist-socialist system. into recession. repeatedly accused the Geneva-based trade “The World Trade Organization is horrible,” body of “unfair” treatment of the United Trump said. “We’ve been treated very badly. The Appellate Body’s woes have been States and launched a trade war with China I’ve been saying it for a long time. They a punishing blow to the “rules-based in defiance of the WTO system. treat China as a developing nation, therefore international trading system” that Azevedo China gets a lot of the benefits that the U.S. has long defended. And the “America First” “This is a decision that I do not take lightly,” doesn’t get.” mindset in the United States — long the Azevedo told a special meeting of WTO most powerful WTO player — put him often delegations. “It is a personal decision - a Alluding to China’s accession to the WTO in on the defensive. family decision – and I am convinced that 2001, Trump added: “The people sitting in this decision serves the best interests of this the Oval Office” before him “should never “I believe that I have been able to organization.” have let that happen.” contribute to maintaining the WTO as a key pillar of global economic governance The 25-year-old trade body has never had to U.S. Trade Representative Robert Lighthizer amid challenging times for multilateral fill a vacancy for the director-general post thanked Azevedo for his “exemplary” cooperation,” he said. before that term expired, and under WTO service. rules, a selection process for a successor is The WTO nonetheless has intervened in to begin as soon as possible. “Despite the many shortcomings of the some of the world’s thorniest trade disputes, WTO, Roberto has led the institution with handing down record rulings recently in Azevedo’s WTO often found itself in the grace and a steady hand,” Lighthizer said in standoffs like one pitting plane makers Photo Credit : AP Photo firing line of the Trump administration, a statement. “He will be difficult to replace.” Airbus and Boeing that ultimately gave the which has accused it of letting China get U.S. the go-ahead to slap tariffs on billions The decline in the January-March period was away with unfair state subsidies and for Azevedo’s tenure has been marred by the of dollars worth of European goods in the second-biggest quarterly decline since allegedly strong-arming foreign businesses U.S. squeeze on the WTO’s Appellate compensation. Germany was reunited in 1990, exceeded into giving up their intellectual property in Body — a sort of appeals court that issues only by a 4.7% drop in the first quarter of order to gain access to the giant Chinese final rulings on international trade disputes. Credit : Associated Press (AP) 2009 at the height of the global financial crisis, senior statistics office official Albert Main opposition Italian lawmaker Braakmann said. It followed a 0.3% gain in last year’s third quarter and a 0.1% contraction in the fourth candidate sorry for calling quarter — the latter figure revised down from the initial report in February of zero growth. leaves Poland’s hostage a ‘neo- That revision put Germany into a technical recession, defined as two consecutive Presidential race terrorist quarters of economic contraction. In year- he main opposition candidate in Poland’s right-wing lawmaker apologized for on-year terms, the economy took a 2.3% hit. T trouble-ridden presidential election said A calling a young Italian woman who March was the month in which the she was quitting the race after her support converted to Islam while held hostage in coronavirus pandemic hit Europe, with first dropped dramatically. Center-liberal candidate Somalia a “neo-terrorist.” Italy and then other countries imposing Malgorzata Kidawa-Blonska of the Civic Alessandro Pagano of the anti-migrant sweeping restrictions on public life and Platform party was at one point seen as a strong businesses. contender, but lost almost all support after she League party said in a Facebook post that Photo Credit : AP Photo called for a boycott of the election held amid he had intended to criticize the government, extremists. She returned to Italy wearing Germany itself started shutting down in the coronavirus pandemic. not Silvia Romano, with his remarks in the the green hijab typical of Somali Muslim mid-March. Its lockdown was less severe lower house of parliament. women, and told prosecutors she had freely than those imposed in Italy, Spain and Civic Platform is expected to name a new converted during her ordeal. candidate to run against the frontrunner, Pagano drew outrage and a reprimand from France and it never ordered factories closed, incumbent President Andrzej Duda, and a fellow lawmakers and the Vatican after he Her return, however, has unleashed waves but companies did largely stop production in few other candidates. referred to Romano while complaining of anti-Islam hate speech on social media, some areas — such as the automaking sector criticizing her conversion, her decision to — and supply chains were disrupted. Warsaw Mayor Rafal Trzaskowski and about the government’s refusal to reopen work as a volunteer in Kenya and the ransom former foreign minister Radoslaw Sikorski churches during the coronavirus lockdown. Recent data showed a 15.6% month-on- paid for her freedom. month decrease in factory orders in March, have been mentioned as potential new picks. Pagano alleged there is a “strong anti- and a 9.2% drop in industrial production. The election were postponed amid religious bent” in Italy’s coalition Pagano said his remarks were directed at Exports dropped 11.8%, the strongest coronavirus restrictions and political government, “and yet when a neo-terrorist the government, saying the ransom payment decline since Germany reunited in 1990. infighting over how and when to hold the comes back ...” It was a reference to the and high-profile welcome for Romano was a propaganda victory for al-Shabab. vote. The new date is still to be announced, decision by the Italian premier and foreign The country started loosening restrictions He expressed “maximum solidarity” with but it should fall before late July. minister to greet Romano at Rome’s on April 20 and the process has gathered Romano. Duda, whose term expires Aug. 6, is seeking Ciampino airport and apparent willingness pace recently. Shops have now reopened, reelection with the support of the ruling, to pay ransom to her captors. “If I offended some sensitivities, I apologize,” restaurants are gradually opening up and he said. auto production has restarted. right-wing Law and Justice party. Romano, 24, was freed after 18 months as Credit : Associated Press (AP) a hostage of Somalia’s al-Shabab Islamic Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP) India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 14 18 - 24 May 2020

Delhi/NCR NEW DELHI TIMES ICMR to conduct is facing it together. Soon, we will learn to Delhi government live with the Coronavirus disease. Slowly, population-based sero things will open up and so will the schools. invites suggestions to However, this also means that new ideas survey in selected develop protocol for of schools and learning will have to be scripted.” districts of the country, schools when they says Health Ministry open after lockdown ◆ By NDT Bureau Photo Credit : Getty Images swabs to be collected for RT-PCR tests,” ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes adding further, “This surveillance will be in @NewDelhiTimes [email protected] addition to the routine testing as per current testing guidelines”. [email protected] ith an aim to review the trend in the W prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 infection, For this purpose, systematic surveillance tudents, parents, teachers and school the Ministry of Health and Family Welfare needs to be established for SARS-CoV-2 S principals have been asked by the Delhi has decided to conduct a population- infection in all districts of the country, which government for suggestions to develop a based sero survey in select districts of the will consist of 10 health facilities including protocol for schools when they open after the COVID-19 lockdown is lifted. country. six public and four private ones from each Photo Credit : Getty Images district, the Ministry said. Announcing the move, the Health Ministry Saying that he will initiate a dialogue with Adding further, the Minister expressed said, “The ICMR/NCDC is going to conduct A sero-survey involves testing of blood key stakeholders of school education before need to change the set pattern and said, a population-based sero survey in selected serum of a group of individuals and this will taking a final call on the protocols, Delhi “For decades, schools had a set pattern, districts of the country. The aim is to monitor be used to monitor trends in prevalence of Education Minister Manish Sisodia said, standardised classes, times, way of the trend in the prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 the novel coronavirus, or SARS-COV-2, “We have faced challenges in the past; the functioning. These need to be re-imagined infection at the district level. Throat/nasal infection at the district level. difference this time is that the entire world now.” AIIMS exempts its patients from paying Home delivery of charges till normalcy is restored alcohol fraught with general wards and medical investigation security and safety ◆ By NDT Bureau during the pandemic period till the normalcy issues: Delhi High Court @NewDelhiTimes is restored as before. ◆ By NDT Bureau [email protected] An order issued last month stated, “The AIIMS in view of exigency situation has @NewDelhiTimes exempted all charges payable on account of [email protected] admission and hospitalisation of all patients being admitted in general wards through xpressing concern over the suggestion emergency or with referral from outside as E of providing home delivery of alcohol a special case during the period of epidemic through food delivery platforms, the Delhi till normalcy of patient care services is High Court said that it would be “fraught restored as before.” with security and safety issues”.

As per the order, all the beneficiaries of A bench comprising Justices Rajiv Sahai the Ayushman Bharat-Pradhan Mantri Jan Endlaw and Sangita Dhingra Sehgal said, Photo Credit : Getty Images Arogya Yojna (AB-PMJAY) will continue “The possibility of alcohol being snatched “It appears that transit of alcohol from to get requisite benefits under the scheme as during transit cannot be ruled out. home to home would have to be in the same before. manner and style as transit of cash between The possibility of home delivery of alcohol, banks and between banks and ATMs,” the Photo Credit : Getty Images Also, BPL patients will be provided with distribution whereof till now is largely in bench observed. ll India Institute of Medical Sciences all non-available medicines and surgical the hands of State, would also increase the A (AIIMS) has exempted its patients consumables and exemption of package possibilities of adulteration of alcohol, also It also has asked the governments to take a from paying charges for admission in charges etc. as before. resulting in loss of life.” decision regarding the same, at the earliest. Nirmala Sitharaman details on Rs. 20 lakh crore economic package Rs. 2,500 crore, EPF support for business to 3 crore farmers through NABARD. Rs. ◆ By NDT Bureau and workers has been extended for the next 70,000 crore has been announced to boost @NewDelhiTimes 3 months. the housing sector and middle-income groups through the extension of Credit [email protected] Global tenders will be banned from Linked Subsidy Scheme till March 31, 2021. nveiling the details of the mega government procurement up to Rs. 200 crore U economic stimulus package to uplift to make India self-reliant. Also, investment In the third set of relief measures, the Finance the economy hit hard by the impacts of limit defining an MSME has been revised Minister announced standard mechanism for global pandemic of Coronavirus, Finance to Rs. 1 crore as against 25 lakh earlier. As predictable pricing, allowing farmers to fix Minister Nirmala Sitharaman addressed the equity support, government will provide their own price. She announced Rs. 1 lakh nation and announced several measures. Rs.20,000 crore as subordinate debt to crore for FPOs for strengthening farm-gate MSMEs. infrastructure for farmers. The government has announced to provide Rs. 3 lakh crore collateral free loans to the On second tranche of the mega stimulus For formalisation of Micro Food Enterprises, MSMEs, which will have 4-year tenure and economic package, the government Rs. 10,000 crore scheme has been rolled out. moratorium of 12 months. These loans will announced Rs. 5,000 crore special credit Rs. 20,000 crore scheme, called Pradhan be available till October 31, 2020. facility for nearly 50 lakh street vendors Mantri Matsya Sampada Yojana (PMMSY), having initial working capital of up to Rs. has been announced for fishermen. Rs. 45,000 crore liquidity infusion has been 10,000. announced by the government through a She also announced to set up an Animal Partial Credit Guarantee Scheme 2.0 for Under Mudra-Shishu loans, Rs. 1,500 Husbandry infrastructure development fund the NBFCs. Special liquidity scheme of Rs. crore worth of interest subvention will be of Rs. 15,000 crore. Rs. 500 crore scheme Photo Credit : Getty Images 30,000 crore for the NBFCs/ HFCs/ MFIs provided to small businesses for a period is being introduced to promote bee keeping. Further, Operation Greens will be extended has been launched, as a move to ease the of 12 months. Rs. 30,000 crore additional Further, she said that the government will to Tomatoes, Onions, Potatoes (TOPs) to all flow of credit. Providing liquidity relief of emergency working capital will be given amend the Essential Commodities Act, 1955. fruits and vegetables. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

18 - 24 May 2020 15

Delhi/NCR NEW DELHI TIMES

The project is a turnkey project that includes Tata power installation and commissioning of modern airfield equipment like Cat-II Instrument SED gets Indian Landing System (ILS) and Cat II Air Field Lightning System (AFLS), etc. The modern equipment around the airfield will also be defence contract directly connected to Air Traffic Control ◆ By NDT Bureau (ATC), thereby providing excellent control of the airfield systems to the air traffic @NewDelhiTimes controllers. The upgradation of navigational [email protected] aids and infrastructure under this project would enhance the operational capability ata Power Strategic Engineering by facilitating air operations of military and T Division (SED) has been awarded a civil aircrafts even in poor visibility and defence contract by the Indian Defence adverse weather condition while enhancing Ministry for Modernisation of Air Field aerospace safety. Infrastructure (MAFI) of 37 airfields for Indian Air Force (IAF), Indian Navy (IN) The contract will provide impetus to the and Indian Coast Guard (ICG) with M/s Tata domestic industry in the prevailing situation. Power SED (TPSED) at a cost of nearly Rs The project will give a boost to over 250 1,200 crore. Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises which will be directly benefited from being According to a press release by Press involved in execution of various activities Information Bureau, The MAFI Phase-II of this project. This contract would aid in is a follow-on programme based on MAFI infusing the much-needed capital in the Phase-I that included upgradation of 30 market and boost employment generation airfields of IAF. The airfields modernised in such fields as communications, avionics, under MAFI Phase-I have been of immense information technology, apart from civil and benefit to both military and civil users. electrical equipment and construction. Photo Credit : Getty Images Delhi HC seeks responses DMRC preparing ICMR issues from state and Centre on plea seeking resumption of protocol to ensure guidance on rapid public transport services social distancing antibody test kits ◆ By NDT Bureau norms once it for Coronavirus @NewDelhiTimes resumes operations ◆ By NDT Bureau [email protected] @NewDelhiTimes ◆ By NDT Bureau ince the nationwide lockdown that was [email protected] S put into force on March 25, most public @NewDelhiTimes ssuing guidance on the rapid antibody transport services have been suspended, [email protected] I test kits for COVID-19, the top health while allowing some services to ferry than 1,100 escalators and 1,000 lifts, apart research body, Indian Council of Medical essential services. n order to maintain social distancing from other infrastructure.” I in trains and stations and for cleaning Research (ICMR clearly stated that these During the third phase of the lockdown and maintenance, the Delhi Metro Rail “All systems of the Metro, including the rapid antibody tests are not recommended that was extended from May 4 till May Corporation (DMRC) is preparing a detailed signalling, electrical, rolling stock, tracks, for diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. 17, the government at the centre allowed protocol for the time it resumes its operations and others, will have to be tested in detail considerable relaxations but much of the in the Capital city. before services are ultimately restarted, to public transport system remained suspended ensure the safety of our commuters,” he forcing people to take on to the private Anuj Dayal, executive director, DMRC said, further added. vehicles, creating traffic snarls in several “DMRC is working out the detailed cleaning parts of the city. and maintenance procedures in view of the It is to be noted that DMRC has been carrying pandemic. The exercise will be exhaustive out regular maintenance of its systems since as it involves cleaning and maintenance of it shut its operations on March 21 evening, a 264 stations, over 2,200 coaches and more day before the Janta Curfew. Railways cancels all tickets for regular passenger trains till June 30, full refund to be given have been cancelled will be provided with ◆ By NDT Bureau full refund, said the Railways in a statement @NewDelhiTimes issued on May 14. “The “shramik (worker)” - trains being run to transport stranded migrants [email protected] In its guidance issued on Wednesday, May - and “special” passenger trains - that this 13, the top health research body stated, week started running between Delhi and 15 “These tests can be done on blood/serum/ stations as part of efforts to gradually restart plasma samples, the results of which are normal service - will continue to operate as available within 30 minutes and the test scheduled,” the statement further clarified. comes positive after 7-10 days of infection.”

It is to be noted that the Railways, last month “The test remains positive for several refunded around Rs 1,490 crore after 94 lakh weeks after infection. Positive test A plea in this regard has been filed in the tickets were cancelled that were booked indicates exposure to SARS-CoV-2 while Delhi High Court seeking resumption of ll the tickets for regular passenger before the lockdown was put into force. negative test does not rule out COVID-19 public transport services in the National A trains, including mail, express and Apart from this, Rs. 830 crore was further infection,” the guidance further read, with Capital. The Delhi High Court has sought suburban services, for journeys booked up refunded for travel planned between March the ICMR stressing that these tests are not from the state and the central government to June 30 have been cancelled by the Indian 22 and April 14, during the first phase of the recommended for diagnosing the deadly responses in this regard. Railways. The passengers whose tickets lockdown. infection of novel Coronavirus.

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 16 18 - 24 May 2020

Neighbourhood NEW DELHI TIMES

will remain in effect until August 31. The Myanmar’s ceasefire comes six weeks after the UN Secretary-General urged a global ceasefire armed forces to help fight the spread of COVID-19. The ceasefire will be applied to the areas declare three- except for those where armed organizations named as terrorists by the government are based, as per statement from the Office of the month ceasefire Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services. ◆ By NDT Bureau The ethnic armed organizations are advised @NewDelhiTimes to follow four principles out of the [email protected] Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services’ six-point peace principle, the statement said. rom May 10, Myanmar military F has started a three-month ceasefire. The four peace principles include commitment However, it will not cover areas where to agreements, abstaining from misusing the ethnic rebels, the government considers as peace agreement, not to placing burden on terrorist groups, are based. local people and abiding by existing laws.

Among the exceptions are Arakan Army Meanwhile, Myanmar rebel coalitions have (AA) rebels, which mainly operate in called on the military to extend ceasefire the states of Rakhine (west) and Chin to Rakhine state. The Ta’ang National (northwest), the conflict with which has Liberation Army (TNLA), Arakan Army intensified since January. (AA) and Myanmar National Democratic Photo Credit : Getty Images Alliance Army (MNDAA) issued a joint as the military has ongoing offensives in Alliance extended its own ceasefire for The unilateral ceasefire declared by the statement on May 10, mentioning that the Rakhine and Chin State’s Paletwa Township, one month on May 3, but fighting between Myanmar military, also known as the Myanmar army should not exclude Rakhine where many local people are suffering the the groups and the Myanmar military has Tatmadaw, was announced on May 9 and from its latest ceasefire, as it has in the past, impacts of the fighting. The Brotherhood continued.

against “unidentified gunmen”. alleged ties to militants in the region. Since 2018, he has spent more than a year in jail Mohsin: State- Grievances Fire guts 400 for his activism. Pashtuns, who are the largest ethnic group sponsored He was arrested April 17 and accused of in Afghanistan but a minority in Pakistan, shanties, shops delivering “anti-Pakistan” remarks during have felt neglected and targeted in Pakistan a recent visit to Afghanistan. Days after he militants behind for some time. That long-simmering anger was released on bail, he was attacked by in Bangladesh boiled over in January 2018 with the death gunmen on his way home. Wazir’s killing of Naqeebullah Mehsud, a 27-year-old Rohingya camp prominent leader of Pakistan’s Pashtun shopkeeper-turned-model, at police hands in The PTM members have accused the government A Tahafuz Movement (PTM) and member Karachi. of being behind the attack, which they claim fire raced through a crowded camp of the country’s National Assembly blamed is meant to intimidate other members of the A housing Rohingya refugees in Police said at the time that Mehsud had “state-sponsored militants” for last week’s movement. Prominent rights groups have southern Bangladesh, destroying nearly 400 been killed in a shootout with members fatal attack on a leader of the movement in the urged Pakistan’s government to open an shanties and shops, a Bangladeshi official of the Pakistani Taliban, but an internal country’s South Waziristan region. investigation into the killing of Wazir. and the U.N.’s refugee agency said. “The Pakistani authorities must carry out an No casualties were immediately reported, independent and effective investigation into the refugee agency said in a Facebook post. yesterday’s attack in South Waziristan on Arif Wazir, a member of the Pashtun Tahaffuz The agency, known as the UNHCR, said Movement. The suspected perpetrators must the fire broke out at the Lambashia camp in be held accountable,” Amnesty International Kutupalong in Cox’s Bazar district. said in a tweet May 2 in reaction to Wazir’s More than 1 million refugees live in the death. district bordering Myanmar, from where the The Pakistani government has not officially refugees crossed the border into Bangladesh. released any statement regarding the call for Mohammad Nikaruzzman Chowdhury, investigation into Wazir’s killing. Pakistan’s the area’s chief government official, Foreign Office (FO) did not respond toa said firefighters rushed to the scene and request for comment from VOA. extinguished the blaze in an hour. Photo Credit : Getty Images Investigation unlikely “It is clear for them [the authorities] that inquiry cast doubt on that claim, saying Some experts said it is “unlikely” that they [state-sponsored militants] have a hand Mehsud had no known link to any militant Pakistan’s government would carry out such in it. There were cases in the past, and it [the group. The killing sparked days of protests an investigation. government] kept quiet [about those cases] and a weekslong march in Pashtun- and even tried to influence those in the dominated northwestern Pakistan. It also Michael Kugelman, a South Asia analyst investigation,” Mohsin Dawar, a member of prompted the establishment of the Pashtun at the Woodrow Wilson Center, told VOA Pakistan’s National Assembly and a leader Tahafuz Movement, or Pashtun Protection that he believes an investigation should be of the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), Movement, that has since held dozens of conducted into the case but doubts Pakistan said in accusing “state-sponsored militants” rallies across the country to demand basic would conduct or “create space” for such an of carrying out the attack. rights for ethnic Pashtuns. investigation.

“In the cases, such as Tahir Dawar’s, [federal] The movement demands an end to extrajudicial “Particularly for an attack that is so sensitive Ministers made promises, in the parliament, killings, enforced disappearances, removal of dealing with PTM, which is a group that that they would conduct (an) investigation military checkpoints, and the establishment (the) Pakistani state simply does not want but did not kept their words,” Dawar said, of a truth and reconciliation commission. anyone to be talking about,” Kugelman said. It was not immediately clear what caused the referring to the case of a Pashtun police fire, but local media said it may have been Pakistan’s government has vowed to address Elizabeth Threlkeld, a senior fellow and officer who was abducted in 2018, and then caused by an explosion of a gas cylinder these grievances, but the PTM accuses it of Deputy Director of South Asia program tortured and killed by unknown people. kept in a shop in the area. dishonesty. at the Stimson Center, told VOA that “a The UNHCR said it mobilized emergency Arif Wazir, a leader of PTM, died May 2, transparent investigation” would help in Arif Wazir’s case response teams to provide the refugees with a day after he was wounded in an attack in “addressing what the state has acknowledged food and other items. Wana, South Waziristan. Police in Wana Arif Wazir was an outspoken critic of are legitimate grievances”. have filed a first information report (FIR) Pakistan’s military and the establishment’s Credit : Voice of America (VOA) Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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North America NEW DELHI TIMES Prodded by US, Dr. Miguel Betancourt, president of the Nicaragua releases more Concerns grow Mexican Society of Public Health, cautioned Mexico aims to restart against putting too much stock in the safety than 2,800 inmates amid as Puerto Rico to of opening places with no recorded cases, industrial plants given the low level of testing. pandemic spend $2B to fight resident Andrés Manuel López Obrador “Without a well-implemented system of icaragua released more than 2,800 P pledged to begin reopening Mexico’s monitoring or an adequate laboratory testing N prisonerr, one day after the death of COVID-19 economy next week — under pressure at capacity in these areas, they don’t really an inmate who reportedly had suffered uerto Rico’s governor revealed how home and from U.S. officials — even as know precisely what the situation is,” he from respiratory problems and while the P the U.S. territory will spend more than the country saw its largest one-day jump in said. “Just because there aren’t any cases government maintained there was no local $2.2 billion in federal aid to fight the new coronavirus cases, hospitals are reeling, and right now, doesn’t mean there won’t be spread of the coronavirus in the country. coronavirus amid concerns that the money testing remains inadequate. later.” Loyda Valle, a friend of inmate Silvio will not reach those in need soon enough. Economy Secretary Graciela Marquez said Assistant Health Secretary Hugo López- Pérez’s family, said his relatives were still the move would be “gradual, orderly and Gatell said that the Mexican government is awaiting his death certificate. cautious,” and that by May 18, industries evaluating more widespread testing, but that The government said in a statement that like construction, mining, and car and truck it probably wouldn’t start until July. it was releasing the prisoners to house manufacturing would be allowed to resume. arrest as a gesture for upcoming Mother’s But the governor of a state that is home The auto and other manufacturing plants Day, but also mentioned that the release to major auto plants warned that lifting that the U.S. wants reopened — and that the included elderly inmates and those with restrictions now could lead to the pandemic Mexican government is pushing to restart chronic illnesses. It made no reference to getting “out of control.” — often depend on parts made at factories along the border known as maquiladoras. COVID-19, which has emerged in prison The country’s lockdown — which began Ciudad Juarez is home to hundreds such populations around the world and poses a in March — will remain in place, but work plants. greater risk to people in those categories. in the industries Marquez cited will be Valle, a member of an opposition coalition, allowed to begin again because Mexico’s While many shut when the lockdown began, said relatives had spoken to the 60-year- top advisory body on the pandemic, the others were considered essential and still old Pérez a day before his death and he had General Health Council, said it had decided others tried to eke out a few more weeks Photo Credit : AP Photo told them he was starting to feel better. The to classify them as “essential activities.” of production. But as the virus spread like The bulk of the money, $300 million, will wildfire through factory floors, workers government has not confirmed the death of be used in part to increase testing, expand Mexico has been under pressure from U.S. demanded to be sent them home with full Pérez, who was serving a sentence for drug contact tracing and help the unemployed officials to reopen auto assembly plants, in pay. There have been reports from workers, trafficking. affected by a lockdown imposed in mid- particular, because without them, integrated companies and labor activists of dozens of Yonarqui Martínez, a lawyer who did March. Another $100 million will be supply chains would make it hard for deaths among employees in such plants. not represent Pérez but closely monitors given to the island’s 78 municipalities for plants in the U.S. and Canada to reopen. prisoners, confirmed that the man was quickly coronavirus-related costs and $100 million At home, the National Alliance of Small Susana Prieto, a labor lawyer who advises buried. He died in a Managua hospital that to government agencies to clean work areas Business Owners has also complained about workers at maquiladoras, said the decision has become Nicaragua’s primary care center and implement social distancing measures lockdown measures, often imposed, quasi- showed the government was yielding to for suspected COVID-19 cases. so that public employees can return to the legally, at the local level. pressure from multinationals. office. In addition, $486 million will be Martinez said at least 26 political prisoners placed on reserve. have been reported to be suffering from symptoms of COVID-19. In a nod to concerns about potential mismanagement given the large amount “They have fever and severe respiratory of money to be distributed, Gov. Wanda problems, but they haven’t taken them to the Vázquez said she will create a team charged hospital or tested them for the coronavirus,” with overseeing and auditing the funds. she said. “There can’t be any opportunities for Relatives of political prisoner Uriel José corruption,” she said. “Fraud and theft will Pérez reported to the Permanent Commission not be allowed ... don’t even try it.” on Human Rights, a nongovernmental group, that the 29-year-old had been removed from Many Puerto Ricans also worry that the the same prison in Tipitapa and hospitalized newest funds available will once again with severe pneumonia. They said he was in be delayed despite pledges from the intensive care and on a ventilator. government that they have created a system to reduce bureaucracy and speed up the Photo Credit : Getty Images Martínez had requested release or change of distribution of money. But others in Mexico fear a reopening — “Is it safe?” Prieto asked with disbelief. “It is detention conditions for 15 prisoners with saying the measures were too long in coming safe to say that the president of Mexico is a chronic health conditions, but said 12 were Vázquez and other government officials and haven’t been in place for long enough. puppet of Mexican and foreign (businesses) rejected and three had not been answered. acknowledged there are tens of thousands The announcement came as hospitals from that do not care about the lives of Mexican of people still waiting for incentives Mexico City to its northern border with workers.” and benefits announced shortly after a the U.S. were nearing overload, and many lockdown was imposed in mid-March manufacturing workers in border cities like For most people, the new coronavirus causes that has deepened the island’s economic Ciudad Juarez had only recently been sent mild or moderate symptoms. For some, crisis. Roughly 140,000 people out of home in the wake of protests demanding a especially older adults and people with 190,000 who applied for and qualify for shutdown. existing health problems, it can cause more unemployment benefits have received them. severe illness and can lead to death. In addition, technological failures has forced Officials have acknowledged the actual the government to process by hand more number of infections is many times that. U.S. officials have suggested the supply than 87,000 requests to access the federal Mexico has done relatively little testing, chain of the North American free trade zone Pandemic Unemployment Assistance with about 120,000 tests reported so far could be permanently affected if Mexican program. in a country of almost 130 million. With factories didn’t resume production. only about 0.6 people per 1,000 inhabitants “Yes, the system has collapsed,” Vázquez tested, Mexico has the lowest rate in the Christopher Landau, the U.S. ambassador said. “No one was prepared for the number Organization for Economic Cooperation and to Mexico, launched a Twitter campaign of requests like the ones we have received.” Development. last month, writing: “There are risks Photo Credit : AP Photo everywhere, but we don’t all stay at home Nearly half of the prisoners released came Meanwhile, in an announcement cheered That will make it hard to judge whether the for fear we are going to get in a car accident from the Modelo prison in Tipitapa, where by the private sector, Vázquez said $350 reopening will risk an upsurge in cases — ... The destruction of the economy is also a Martínez said most of the ill political million will be used to help reimburse and to see one coming if it does. Marquez, health threat.” prisoners are held. None of the approximately employers who kept paying their workers the economy secretary, said that schools 90 political prisoners detained and still held despite closing their businesses. Another and businesses would be allowed to reopen The pressure for reopening is building as following anti-government protests that $200 million is slated for self-employed in 269 townships that have no confirmed well in Mexican states where the lockdown began in April 2018 was believed to have workers who will receive $1,000 each in a cases — or in about one-tenth of Mexico’s has caused huge job losses. been included in the release. new round of incentives. townships. They are largely in rural areas in Credit : Associated Press (AP) north-central and southeastern Mexico. Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 18 18 - 24 May 2020

Africa NEW DELHI TIMES Years of conflict leave Somalia ill-equipped to fight virus ears of conflict, instability and poverty Y have left Somalia ill-equipped to handle a health crisis like the coronavirus pandemic. In fact, no one really knows how many cases of COVID-19 it has.

The uncertainty has led to fear, confusion and panic even after authorities have tried to keep the public informed about the outbreak.

The official count of cases is now above 1,200, with 53 deaths, according to figures from Johns Hopkins University.

But some aid groups — and even authorities leading the fight — have warned that official figures could be far too low in a country with one of the world’s weakest health systems Photo Credit : AP Photo after three decades of civil war and attacks adding to the unease in the population. trying to do so would make us overstretched, extremist group have left large regions by Islamic insurgents, as well as recurring which could lead to negligence in handling without easy access to basic aid, let alone humanitarian crises. Somalia was one of the last nations in Africa the cases we have now,” Ali said. intensive care facilities. to have the capacity to test for the virus. “We are not dismissing the fact that the death Just over 2,700 tests have been carried out, Somalia’s plight is echoed in other war- “It has been extremely difficult to access toll could be a lot higher than publicized,” according to the World Health Organization. shattered countries where a fragile corps of these areas with humanitarian support Mohamed Mohamud Ali, the head of health workers faces overwhelming odds. during this long period of restriction and Somalia’s COVID-19 task force, told The Mogadishu Mayor Omar Mohamud lockdown,” the WHO said this week. Associated Press. Mohamed touched off a panic early this “In places like Syria, Yemen and Libya, month when he estimated almost 500 deaths where health care infrastructure has been That has led some communities to take The numbers for the country are stark. in the capital in less than two weeks. Then, significantly damaged by ongoing conflict, matters into their own hands. Somalia’s information minister, Mohamed mounting an effective response against There is only one well-equipped quarantine Abdi Hayir, warned that everyone who dies COVID-19 poses an extremely difficult Residents of Beledweyne in central Somalia facility for a population of more than 15 would be referred to as a COVID-19 victim. challenge,” the United Nations has said. set up their own quarantine measures. “We million people. Aid groups have warned that those seeking cannot wait for the government any longer,” The health ministry quickly dismissed the shelter from fighting in crowded, squalid said Shafi’I Mohamed, a local infectious “Staff are reporting that people with remarks as “unproven” and “unsupported.” camps could find little escape from the virus disease specialist. “We had to do something.” symptoms are being told to stay home to if it arrives. save the limited health resources for those Still, Ali described the spread of the virus as Evacuating patients to the capital “is not who become severely ill, showing that the “a speeding car with a failed brake.” U.N. Secretary-General Antonio Guterres an option for now, since that could further official count is far off from reality,” said has pleaded for a global cease-fire to allow contribute the spread of the virus,” said Ali, Richard Crothers, the International Rescue About the only advantage Somalia might exhausted health workers to better deal with the COVID-19 task force leader. Committee’s country director, in remarks have is the relative youth of its population, pandemic. But he urged communities to share earlier this month. he said. information, saying authorities would still In Somalia, restrictions on flights and try to reach affected areas. Others who think they are infected often are “Our capacity to deal with all cases in the the difficulties of traveling in a country too scared to even approach some clinics, country is limited, and we are afraid that threatened by the al-Qaida-linked al-Shabab Credit : Associated Press (AP) Kenyan ballet student struggles in slum with no remote class announced, my father has not gone to work are now being taught remotely via and there is no food,” the boy said. videoconferencing. While there, Ochieng took the rare opportunity to join a class His mother, 38-year-old Gladys Akinyi, has while Rust watched and advised the young encouraged his ballet dream, but now she dancers. has more pressing concerns: How to provide for five children with no regular income. For Ochieng, it was a soul-lifting experience “Even though I want the best for him, I just after weeks of hardship and uncertainty.

Photo Credit : AP Photo can’t afford private dance classes,” she said. “The more privileged students ... are able to he coronavirus pandemic is forcing the non-profit Artists for Africa visited his do classes virtually online with us and we T children to stay home and learn school and showed his class a few moves. Her son is undeterred. He recently seized are still connecting with them,” Rust said. remotely. But in the depths of Kenya’s He was instantly hooked. the chance to visit a Dance Centre Kenya slums, 12-year-old ballet student Eugene studio in Nairobi’s upmarket neighborhood “But with the underprivileged students in Ochieng faces huge obstacles to remote ut when the coronavirus started spreading of Karen, where he collected a donated pair the slums like Kibera, they have a much learning: no computer, no internet access in Kenya the government closed all schools, of hand-me-down ballet shoes. harder time getting to those virtual classes and very little space to practice. including dance studios. and not a lot of computers, even if they had Normally, more than 500 dancers train at internet access. So not only are they missing With his ballet studio closed, he finds open So Ochieng had to overcome his stage fright Dance Centre Kenya’s network of studios in the training, but they are also missing the spaces in Nairobi’s Kibera slum, spinning and find open spaces in the slum where he Nairobi, and the school works with Artists personal interaction with their teachers and and jumping in his sneakers against a could practice. for Africa to support talented dancers from probably even more importantly than that, backdrop of crammed metal shacks. Half low-income families. The non-profit also they are missing the opportunity to be able a million people live in Kibera, most with But that’s hardly the only challenge the virus sponsors a handful of scholarship students to express themselves through their favorite no running water. Many dream of a way to has posed. Restrictions on movement have who live in a nearby boarding house so they art.” escape. put millions of people out of work, including can attend daily classes. Ochieng’s father, a mason, and his mother, In spite of the challenges, Ochieng does all Ballet isn’t just a passion. It could be a way a tailor. When Ochieng arrived at the studio, he can to keep up his training. out of poverty. Ochieng discovered the only the scholarship students and artistic dance two years ago when teachers from “Ever since the first case of COVID-19 was director Cooper Rust were there. Classes Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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South America NEW DELHI TIMES Colombia’s Court: Brazil Avianca faces President tested rocky road after negative 3 times Chapter 11 filing for virus atin American airline giant Avianca L is hoping to sail into smoother skies razilian President Jair Bolsonaro after a Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing – but it B tested negative three times for the will take more to keep the region’s second coronavirus in March after he attended largest carrier afloat. a widely publicized meeting with U.S. President Donald Trump in Florida, Colombian Finance Minister Alberto according to test results made public. Carrasquilla signalled that a government loan isn’t off the table, though the nation is The trip made international headlines strapped for cash and might be limited in because a Bolsonaro aide photographed close how much it can offer. to the two leaders at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago Club turned out to be infected at the time. “We are looking for a way to be a piece Twenty-three other Brazilian government of the solution,” he told BLU Radio. “The officials and business leaders who also went problem will require giving cash at some Photo Credit : AP Photo on the trip later tested positive for the virus. moment, for sure.” and has survived a century of turbulence Colombia’s government to provide aid, but Bolsonaro strongly resisted revealing his including wars, bankruptcy and economic no concrete plan has been outlined, and test results and has told reporters that he Avianca is Colombia’s largest airline and has downturns to emerge as the behemoth that some in congress are reluctant to back any had two tests after the March 9 trip that seen revenue plummet as key markets shut it is today. Pilots and crew members dressed sort of financial bailout – though President were negative. But Brazilian Supreme Court down all air travel. But unlike air carriers in signature red cape uniforms now fly to Iván Duque could act unilaterally. Justice Ricardo Lewandowski ruled that the in wealthier nations, Latin America’s over 75 destinations. Last year, the company information was public and revealed that governments have been slow to boost the celebrated its 100th anniversary, but talk of Chief financial officer Adrián Neuhauser the president had three negative tests — on airline industry. Whereas the U.S. has spent financial worries began to mount. said Avianca is asking various governments, billions shoring up distressed airlines, including Colombia’s, for help in ensuring it March 12, March 17 and March 21. Colombia and other nations in the region Shares fell in August after a video leaked has liquidity to operate during the Chapter have thus far taken only small steps to stop online showing Avianca’s chairman warning 11 proceeding, which could last up to 18 airlines from going under. staff that Colombia’s crown carrier was months. On the same day it announced the “broke.” The airline denied it was bankrupt filing, Avianca also revealed that it will shut Avianca had pre-existing financial issues but went about taking out loans, reorganizing operations in Peru. and a rocky relationship with much of the debt and making changes to expand the public, complicating government efforts to number of passengers on flights. “COVID has left us no other option,” van rescue it. At the same time, letting Avianca der Werff said. fail could bring about dire consequences Chief executive Anko van der Werff told for a country trying to make international reporters that Avianca had made good Congressman Fabio Arroyave said tourism a key driver as it emerges from a progress in the first two months of 2020 in Colombia’s purse strings are tight and can’t half-century of civil conflict. both securing new financing and improving possibly meet the demands of the nation’s flight delays, a frequent complaint. airline carriers. Moreover, he said Avianca’s “It’s an emblematic company,” said Iván relationship with many Colombians has Montoya, an economic analyst. “We’d be But COVID-19 has thrown any advances soured through the years. He noted instances left to the whims of carriers from other into disarray. where prices to travel within Colombia nations deciding who we are connecting to have become more expensive than a flight or not.” “Avianca is facing a challenge without to Miami, making some feel the airline precedent in its 100 years,” he said. prioritizes international travelers. Avianca was founded around the time of another pandemic – the Spanish flu – Company officials have been in talks with Credit : Associated Press (AP) Photo Credit : AP Photo Bolsonaro’s tests were conducted using pseudonyms for him, as is customary for Venezuela says medical tests preformed on the country’s 39 ex-soldiers leaders to preserve their privacy. As the pandemic deepened globally and in Brazil, Bolsonaro has repeatedly appeared caught trying to in public without wearing a mask and frequently shakes hands with supporters. He enter country has roundly criticized attempts by governors and mayors to close non-essential businesses the United States (and) the government of and keep people at home as virus cases Colombia itself.” Maduro claimed that “new rise, saying job losses hurt Latin America’s mercenary groups” are being formed in largest country more than the virus. neighboring Colombia, though he presented no evidence. More than 12,000 people have died of The governments of the United States COVID-19 in Brazil and it is the hardest hit and Colombia, which are close allies of country in Latin America. Venezuelan opposition leader Juan Guaidó, The legal fight to force the release of Photo Credit : AP Photo have rejected the allegation that they were enezuelan authorities said they have people, including two Americans, as a result Bolsonaro’s coronavirus test results grew involved in the armed attack. Guaidó seized 39 military deserters trying to of the May 3 raid on the coastal town of two weeks ago when the newspaper O V announced that two of his U.S.-based enter the country from Colombia, saying Macuto. Estado de S. Paulo filed a lawsuit seeking political advisers had resigned over their ties they are believed linked to the failed armed full results of the tests that Bolsonaro had to the failed raid. incursion by sea early in the month that was Speaking on state television, Padrino said were negative but refused to provide. aimed at toppling President Nicolás Maduro. López said authorities assume the captured Two Americans were captured after the deserters “came to fulfil a task as part of the incursion along with eight other men, some The test results made public by the court had Défense Minister Vladimir Padrino López general scheme” of the thwarted maritime of whom were described as Venezuelan been provided by presidential officials, not gave no details on where or when the incursion. He repeated the government’s deserters. the laboratories that performed the tests. former soldiers were captured. Officials had charge that the raid had “foreign financing, previously reported the arrests of at least 40 with equipment supplied by powers such as Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

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Opinion NEW DELHI TIMES Iran warship ‘hit by missile’ in self-goal high alert after firing a barrage of missiles at imposed crippling sanctions on its economy. such mistakes but own it up. Mistakes after ◆ By NDT Bureau the US troops in Iraq. Iran had launched the mistakes. There seems incompetence galore. @NewDelhiTimes missiles in retaliation for the US’ killing of Such incidents have happened far They need to better train their forces. Iran its top General Soleimani in a drone strike too many times with American troops in is probably going through a long bad phase. [email protected] days before that. Iraq, Afghanistan and Libya being hit with Iran needs no enemy.

n Iranian warship was accidentally hit Experts wonder how much Iran’s mistake A by a missile during exercises in the would cost the world if it is armed with Gulf of Oman. The unfortunate incident nuclear weapons. First, they downed the happened amid tensions with the United passenger aircraft and now a military States. The friendly fire incident involving warship. Something is seriously wrong with the Konarak vessel occurred on May 10, skill set and capability which is showing up near Bandar-e Jask, off the southern coast now. And they claim to be ready to fight a of Iran. The vessel had sunk after being war with a superpower. hit by a missile fired by another Iranian warship. “The vessel was hit after moving During the COVID-19 pandemic, North Korea a practice target to its destination and not fired an object in atmosphere earlier, and creating enough distance between itself and now Iran is continuing its war manoeuvres. the target,” state television explained. Iran’s This is an act of bullying the neighbours Army confirmed the death of 19. besides hindrance to movement of coalition maritime force in same area to maintain free The Konarak is a light logistical support way of oil tankers. Iran must retrain all acts vessel made in the Netherlands and and exercises. purchased by Iran before the 1979 Islamic Revolution. The Hendijan-class vessel is Iran’s army always shoots the wrong target. equipped with four cruise missiles and sunk Are they too nervous? It is strange that with after being hit by the missile. “Konarak was this level of sophistication Iran is itching to ‘sunk by friendly fire’ after Moudge-class fight Americans. The US is against Iran’s frigate ‘Jamaran’ accidentally shot [it] with acquiring nukes. They will bomb their own a missile during live firing exercise in Jask oil fields. Iran has more self-inflicted wounds area of #PersianGulf waters on 10th May.” than any other modern state. A sad history Photo Credit : Getty Images of a proud and talented people brought Iran’s armed forces in January mistakenly Iran and its arch enemy-the US have traded friendly fire. It hit Doctors without Borders down by their own collective actions. The shot down a Kiev-bound Boeing 737 barbs in the past over a spate of incidents hospital in Afghanistan. But Iran’s is not very name of one of the founders of world passenger jet shortly after take-off from in the sensitive Gulf waters. Tensions have at all a professional army. It needs more civilization had become synonymous with Tehran, killing all 176 people aboard. The escalated since 2018 when the US withdrew practice to build on protocols, SOPs and fanaticism, terrorism and refugees. Iran military admitted that the catastrophic error from a multinational accord called JCPOA obsolete planning methodology to overcome today is a problematic country that has occurred when Iran’s air defences were on that froze Iran’s nuclear programme and re- professional drawbacks. Others also commit spread fire everywhere in the Middle East. Year 2020 too critical for EU-China relations COVID-19 has ensured that there won’t China exposed Wuhan infection to the agendas, China hopes. The two sides can’t ◆ By NDT Bureau be face-to-face communication between world but insulated its own cities from decouple with each other for the time being. @NewDelhiTimes the EU and Chinese leaders. The EU and Coronavirus through purposive and selective China using technology to interact is not air connectivity. This information exposure The European Union has called for a [email protected] new. They have already held the 28th round by the US has convinced the EU that China review of the international response to the of negotiations on investment agreements deliberately fanned the pandemic world- COVID-19 pandemic to frame response he year 2020 is critical for the EU- from April 20-24 online. COVID-19 at least wide. Unfortunately, European people to similar crises in the future. The review T China relations given the unprecedented facilitated communications between the EU suffered the rough end of the Corona stick. includes the performance of the World Health disruptions by Corona pandemic. Three and Chinese leaders. Chinese President No matter how much China tries to allay Organization, hence China feels the heat. The major summits are planned for the year- Xi Jinping and Premier Li Keqiang held the EU against the US under the banner of WHO will debate the EU’s resolution during the China-Central and Eastern European the WHO Health Ministers virtual meetings nd telephonic conversations with European multilateralism, Europe has seen through Countries Summit, the 22 China-EU leaders during the pandemic. the Chinese game and won’t be blinded from on May 18-19. China is worried that Summit, and a special summit of EU leaders again. There remain structural differences the document will hold the WHO and China and China in Leipzig, Germany. China is aware that Europe has not taken in the EU-China relations. Many in Europe accountable for the pandemic. The WHO believe China cannot be trusted no matter badly needs reforms. And such reforms how deftly it uses the backdrop of growing cannot happen till the WHO Director-General strategic competition with the US as the screen Ghebreyesus is attached to China’s apron saver. strings. China has heavily politicized the WHO leading to its stigmatization. This could have The EU-China differences in systems and been easily avoided. The review of the WHO’s ideology will remain. Europeans now see performance must factor in the undisputed fact through China’s propaganda of international that the virus originated from China. Beijing cooperation. That will definitely impact is unnecessarily scapegoating the West, negatively the EU-China relations. It’s not the its democratic system and the inadequate EU’s sense of superiority but China’s cunning response of its health care systems to divert that’s under the scanner. The pandemic has world’s attention from China-the virus source. severely shocked Europe’s economy and politics and sapped the continent’s strength China is among the countries and organizations and international influence. European that pledged $8 billion toward the research, experts have revealed how the COVID-19 manufacture and distribution of a possible Photo Credit : Getty Images pandemic exposed China as a systemic vaccine and treatment for COVID-19. That The COVID-19 pandemic has entirely kindly to China’s lackadaisical approach rival. The EU Commission communiqué of cannot wash away China’s sin. transformed the EU-China relations. The in handling Coronavirus. China fears the March 2019, already described China as “a virus has severely impacted diplomatic EU agreeing with the US’ version, which systemic rival promoting alternative models The international community will never interactions between the EU and Chinese Beijing cleverly brushes off as conspiracy of governance”. forgive China which caused death of around leaders. theory. Some European political leaders, three lakh people all across the world and mainstream media, and prominent In the post-pandemic era, Europe should brought its transport, communication, The after effects of the lockdown could Parliamentarians have exposed China’s be more competitive in the face of China. tourism, hotel industry, trade, commerce somewhat delay or at least make the involvement in hiding facts about human-to- In the global arena Europe could still need and international economy virtually to a three major summits virtual. Either way, human transmission. China’s support for multilateralism and related standstill. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

18 - 24 May 2020 21

Think - Tanks NEW DELHI TIMES Holistic growth requires balance of mind and body everyone is running a rat-race to succeed, ◆ By Dr. Pramila Srivastava where everyone lives under the fear of @PramilaBK failure, fear of lacking behind or the fear of losing out one thing or the other while trying [email protected] to earn everything, it is obvious that this competitiveness will burden our mind to a he relationship between mind and great extent. T body has been the centre of query for all fields of sciences be it medical, The stress we take in our lives is not always philosophical, metaphysical, psychological destructive, but in the wake of time if things or spiritual. Many have attempted to get piled up it may take a destructive turn. decipher the code per their own perceptions It then becomes imperative that we try and and understandings, but to the dismay, none balance out the attention we pay to our body could claim to have understood the bond in and mind, else it will be quite impossible Photo Credit : Getty Images totality. The mind-body relationship is quite for us to keep any of the two at place. The abilities, augmenting our productivity, and healthy habits for the safekeeping of our intrinsic in its framework when analysed old saying that in a healthy body resides a paving way for the understanding of our real mental health that will consequently help to deeply, but none could deny the traditional healthy mind, might sound cliché, but there self. improve our mental strength and also help understanding of the relationship between is absolutely no denial to the fact that there us fight our bodily shortcomings. mind and body that states- in a healthy body could be any other possible way to neglect The symbiotic relationship between the resides a healthy mind. its truthfulness. health of the body and the mind could be The chief food for a healthy mind is understood in simple terms. When we fall positivity. If we regularly feed our mind The term ‘health’ has conventionally been In the extensively busy schedule of modern sick, our physical immunity to deal with the with doses of positivity, be it by extensively attached just to the physical body and the existence it is of outmost importance to disease help us recover fast, but it is not just reading positive books or meditating to keep acceptance of the term to encompass the keep our mind healthy like we work to keep the physical strength that assist us at the time our mind calm, it will show affirmative mind as well, has developed a bit later. It is of our body healthy by adopting healthy food of illness. This is an established fact that result on the overall health of the being. great disappointment that even in the modern habits, exercising regularly or by taking unless we want to get healthy, no doctor or Several studies have proven it for a fact era of the 21st century that marks innovation proper rest. In similar manner, it is imperative medicine could help us recover. Deadly to that there is a direct relationship between and advancement, talking of mental health to schedule our day to day existence in such deadlier diseases get miraculously healed, if physical exercise and mental well-being, still remains a taboo, resulting in excessive a way that we pay due attention to the health we showcase the strength of our mind. so it is of utmost importance that we adopt neglect of the health of the mind at large. of our mind as well. the goodness of exercise in our day to day The psychological impact on the health existence. As we progress towards advancement, we For a meaningful existence, it is important of our body has been well-established must not forsake the basis of living a healthy that our body and mind both remains fit and by several doctors, philosophers and For living a meaningful life, one must adopt life. If we dedicate so much attention to the fine to individually do their work towards psychologists. Like the way we tend to a healthy lifestyle and eat healthy because health of the body, then we must also cater to a common goal that we set for ourselves. take care of our physical health, in similar as Buddha said, “To keep the body in good the needs of our mind so as to pave way for The health of the mind is essential for manner the health of the mind could be kept health is a duty…otherwise we shall not be holistic progress. In the modern era, where strengthening our professional and personal in check. This could be we done if we adopt able to keep the mind strong and clear.” Cuban doctors upholding the mantle of humanity amidst the fight against COVID-19 as precarious situations ranging from virus countries in the world to send doctors and countries across the globe also pay for the ◆ By International Institute for Non - Aligned Studies outbreaks to natural calamities. nurses abroad to help fight the coronavirus services provided by Cuban doctors. Many pandemic. international health bodies like the World @iinsNAM Cuba has been hard-hit by several economic Health Organisation have also come to the [email protected] sanctions from the superpower but that has It is not the first time the Cuban doctors respite of the Cuban doctors in terms of not stopped the country in extending their payment. In 2014, Cuba sent 250 medical he COVID-19 has significantly challenged have come to the forefront to aid the world health care services to the nations in the professionals to West Africa in response to a the health care system of the world as at large. The Cuban government has already T midst of the crisis. Cuban doctors and nurses request from the World Health Organization even the most advanced of the countries have saved countless lives throughout the globe. have extended their professional services to for medical assistance to fight the Ebola not been able to completely shield its people The presence of Cuban doctors in Iran, other countries who have been hard-hit by Italy, Spain, Jamaica, Surinam, Venezuela, outbreak. from the adverse effect of the virus. Most the COVID-19 pandemic. of the nations have witnessed an upsurge in and multiple locations throughout Africa substantiates the fact. Cuban internationalist doctors and health the infected persons that has significantly The Cuban government, keeping itself care professionals have been offering challenged the health infrastructure of the aligned to the ideals of the Non-Aligned humanitarian assistance and risking country posting dearth of medical supplies Movement has kept humanity above any Cuba currently has about 37,000 medical their own lives in the midst of the global and medical professionals. politics. The Cuban medical diplomacy has workers in 67 countries, most in longstanding pandemic. Their selflessness has showcased permitted it to send its professional doctors missions. At least 593 doctors from the In the time of crisis, nations across the globe their determination to provide their services to new missions to battle COVID-19 in at Henry Reeve Brigade have also been to despite risk being at the forefront and this are adopting a humanitarian approach to least 14 countries including Italy and the Suriname, Jamaica, Dominica, Belize, Saint fight back the pandemic. The ideals of the very humanitarian attitude has resulted in tiny principality of Andorra on the Spanish- Vincent and the Grenadines, St. Kitts and the global acceptance of the Cuban doctors. Non-Aligned Movement have focussed French border. Despite the political tensions Nevis, Venezuela and Nicaragua, some of on the principles of humanity and have between Cuba and Italy, the country has sent them reinforcing existing medical missions. (in arrangement with cherished the ethics of solidarity in the time 52 doctors and nurses to Italy that has been Most of the doctors are sent to other countries News from Non-Aligned World) of crisis. Cuba has been one of the founding dealing with the worst of the impact of the as part of free aid missions, but many of the www.iins.org members of the Non-Aligned Movement COVID-19 pandemic. and the only Latin American country in the group. It has been following the ideals of the More than 200 doctors from Cuba arrived NAM in all its essence and with it extending in South Africa to help fight the COVID-19 a hand of support to nations across the globe pandemic. South Africa requested the in this time of crisis has put forward an assistance from the Cuban government, example for nations to follow. which is sending more than 1,000 doctors to 22 countries, including Togo, Cap Verde and Cuba has a very staunch and profession Angola in Africa. bunch of health care providers and the country has a history of providing medical In the course of just three weeks in March aids to other nations when crisis hits the 2020, Cuba has sent 800 medical personnel world. The Cuban doctors and other health to 16 different countries, mainly in Latin care support providers have excellent America and the Caribbean, responding training in the field and they have the to requests for assistance from their experience of working in extreme as well governments. Cuba is one of the only

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 22 18 - 24 May 2020

Technology & Health NEW DELHI TIMES Cows need to be shown same respect and compassion as humans kind to them and nurse grudges. They are number of ways a child may be treated. “A know better about their personalities, don’t ◆ By Smt. Maneka easily offended and will ignore you forever badly treated calf is simply a neglected, ill bother to be nice to them or even understand Sanjay Gandhi until you try very hard to make friends nourished, lonely frightened child”. them. They are kept tied most of the day, again. But ultimately, they are forgiving. milked, their children separated at birth and @ManekaGandhiBJP They make friends for life. They can be If any sense of fear is aroused, then none tied a few unattainable feet away from their obstinate, gentle or aggressive. Above all of the cows will sleep. If the source of fear mothers. “It” is simply an animal tied to a osamund Young has written a book they are wise. If you choose to see a cow the is remote, cows will communicate to the post whose only thought presumably is of R called ‘The Secret Life of Cows’ way you see your dog, she can be very good calves that they can sleep while the older fodder. It is easier to assume that an animal which, surprisingly for a book on animals, company. animals keep guard. We are the only country has no feelings. They can then be treated as has shot to the Top Ten bestseller list of the in the world that treats cows as special, generators of profit without any thought to Sunday Times. It is a very sweet small book They love each other, have friends and about the animals she has brought up and enemies. They communicate with people-if interacted with, specially cows, in her Kitt’s you are willing to listen. They like music. Nest farm in England. She has treated them They are problem solvers-which means a with kindness and consideration, kept them high degree of intelligence. The cows in my in as natural conditions as possible. And she hospital, Sanjay Gandhi Animal Care Centre has been rewarded with watching an entire find out how to open the gates of their pens other world of innocence and love, play and and come out when they feel like. They have happiness. She knows all of them by name food preferences-are you listening gaushala and describes their personalities. or dairy people who feed them the same awful food day after day. When I was sending Rosamund describes her relationship with some cows to a really good gaushala on the each cow. “Cows are as varied as people’ she outskirts of Delhi so that they would have writes. “They can be highly intelligent or more freedom, Radhibai, our most beloved slow to understand, vain, considerate, proud, cow inmate, attacked all of us several times shy or inventive. Although much of a cow’s so that her friends wouldn’t go. day is spent eating, they always find time for activities such as baby sitting, playing They are good mothers. They will lick their hide and seek, looking for berries”. They children all over as a calming grooming look for happiness in the warmth of their gesture. One cow who came to us had given own families. Grandmothers step in when birth and suffered a prolapse-when the uterus mothers need a break from feeding, calves falls out because of the pressure of birthing. make best friends and share treats, cows literally jump in the air-all four feet-when She was in dreadful pain having been lying happy and excited. Rosamund describes on the road for two days with the newborn how cows in trouble come to her or her calf. But her eyes never left her baby even brother at their house and tell them when while she was being stitched up and the baby Photo Credit : Getty Images they are about to calve, or when they are was being bottle fed. When she recovered invests them with a religious significance their needs. And yet, the same person will go not feeling well, so that they can be helped. she went back to feeding her daughter. and makes special shelters called gaushalas They know their own names and come from into his house and worship the small idol of for them. But, because we don’t recognize far when called. They stare when they want Bovine needs are in many respects the the cow he keeps on his puja table. the cow as a thinking individual, even the something, looking from you to the object same as human ones: freedom from stress, gaushalas become simply prisons for cows This book should be made compulsory they want you to see till you understand. adequate shelter, pure food and water, liberty to exercise, to wander about, to go where they stand in an indiscriminate herd reading in schools, especially for people Cows have different kinds of moos-voices for a walk, or just to stand and stare. till they fall down and die. who have the compassion to run gaushalas. like ours. Mooing in a loud agitated way They have no names and no individual If animals are to survive, people must could mean that the mother is looking for Every animal needs the congenial company recognition. I have, in collaboration, written realize that these are us, just in another her calf. Fear, disbelief, anger, hunger or of its own species and a cow needs to be the only manual in India on gaushalas and we form. Anyone who eats an animal is eating distress – all of them have different sounds allowed to enjoy her “rights” in her own have a chapter on what cows like and what himself. and a low quiet moo means she is asking you way, in her own time, and not according they fear, how to approach them and how to To join the animal welfare movement a question. Cows tell the difference between to a human timetable. The number of ways recognize their moods. Even the people who contact [email protected], people, remember people who have been a calf may be treated is no fewer than the keep a few cows in their homes, who should www.peopleforanimalsindia.org

for depression rose by 64%, Gionfriddo said. increase has been attributed to isolation and hopelessness. Mental health problems increase Of the people who contacted Mental Health America, 7,140 reported having thoughts of This isn’t the first time a mental health crisis amid COVID-19 pandemic suicide or self-harm, a number 42% higher has emerged in the wake of a tragedy or s the coronavirus pandemic continues than what Gionfriddo said he would have national emergency. A to rage on, an invisible fight is expected based on experience before the Following the global financial crisis in 2007 emerging for many at home, triggered by pandemic. and the accompanying Great Recession, the the anxiety, joblessness, death, isolation and In the three months since the beginning of U.S. saw high rates of depression, anxiety uncertainty that accompany the virus. the pandemic, demand for mental health and alcohol abuse, and a 13% increase May is mental health awareness month, and resources has skyrocketed, according to the in suicides. In 2008 alone, over 46,000 never before has the topic of mental health National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI), lives were lost to suicides attributed to been more relevant. Federal agencies and which reported 41% more calls and emails unemployment and income inequality. experts are reporting increasing rates of to their hotline from March 1 to April 23 As joblessness rates reach the worst level mental health problems and predict that this compared to the same period in 2019. seen since the Great Depression, surpassing is only the beginning of a lasting mental “HelpLine callers mentioning COVID-19 what was reported in 2008, experts are health crisis. are most frequently experiencing serious beginning to worry that the United States is Nearly half the people in the United States anxiety about their physical and emotional not equipped to handle the increase. Models using data from past national emergencies say the coronavirus pandemic is adversely Photo Credit : Getty Images health,” Dawn Brown, Director of show that there will likely be an increase affecting their mental health, according to a iceberg,” Paul Gionfriddo, President and community engagement at NAMI, said. in suicides, overdose deaths and substance Kaiser Family Foundation poll. The tracking CEO of Mental Health America (MHA), “Some callers are experiencing panic attacks abuse. poll, which surveyed 1,226 Americans from said. “Tens of thousands of people are when reaching us, and our volunteers help March 25-30 and had a margin of error of already experiencing serious mental health them work through the panic until they’re “We offer testing to protect people from 3 percentage points, indicates 45% of adults problems because of the pandemic, many of able to talk about the issue.” the virus. We offer stimulus to protect their say the crisis has had a negative impact on them young.” livelihoods,” Gionfriddo said. “We need to Seventy-five percent of callers need their mental health, and 19% say it has had a offer mental health screening and services to The number of people screened by MHA for support and reassurance during this time, “major impact”. protect their lives.” anxiety increased by more than 70% from Brown said. Depression is the second-most- “These numbers represent the tip of an January to April, and the number screened commonly reported condition, and the Credit : Voice of America (VOA) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

18 - 24 May 2020 23

Entertainment & Lifestyle NEW DELHI TIMES has run away to Mumbai, to try his luck in Nawazuddin Siddiqui films and gives himself 30 days to try and starrer “Ghoomketu” prove his worth as a Bollywood writer. to release on ZEE5 Nawazuddin plays Ghoomketu in an out and out comedy role and Anurag Kashyap plays platform Badlani, the corrupt cop. Pushpendra Misra is the Director of the movie ◆ By NDT Bureau Nawazuddin Siddiqui said in a statement, @NewDelhiTimes “Ghoomketu is a quirky, never-seen-before [email protected] character and I thoroughly enjoyed playing him. “G hoomketu”, starring Nawazuddin Siddiqui as the main lead, will released on Zee 5 Anurag, who is generally behind the camera, platform on May 22. Ghoomketu is a comedy will be seen sharing screen space with us drama film and also stars, Ragini Khanna, and it was a great experience to work with Anurag Kashyap and Raghuvir Yadav in the him as an actor. main lead roles while also featuring Amitabh Bachchan, Ranveer Singh, Huma Qureshi in Ghoomketu has a phenomenal storyline the cameo appearances. which will definitely entertain the audience. During this time of the lockdown, I am glad “Ghoomketu” is the story of an aspiring that a humorous film that the entire family writer from a UP village called Mahona. He can watch is being streamed on ZEE5.” Photo Credit : Getty Images With No. 1 hit, Spotify signs deal Michael once-ousted with Saregama Jackson musical producer Dr. Luke ◆ By NDT Bureau postpones its marks comeback @NewDelhiTimes n 2014, songmaster Dr. Luke had [email protected] Photo Credit : Getty Images Broadway debut I logged his 16th No. 1 with Katy Perry’s music across local languages, but also be able stage musical about Michael Jackson “Dark Horse”, solidifying his place as pop usical streaming site Spotify has to discover more old-school song through A has pushed its Broadway debut until music’s reigning prince of hits, a throne that M partnered with Indian music label Spotify’s locally curated playlists-both next year due to the coronavirus pandemic. could only be challenged by one another Saregama to bring more than 100,000 retro editorial and algorithmic,” Spotify’s Director person-his mentor Max Martin. He seemed and new age songs in over 2 dozen languages of Global Licensing Paul Smith said. Preview performances of “MJ” are now set unstoppable. to users in one of the largest entertainment to begin in March 2021 at the Neil Simon “We are happy to partner with Spotify and markets in Asia. Theatre. The musical-previously called “Don’t But the hits came to a halt as Dr. Luke make our entire catalogue available for Stop ’Til You Get Enough”-was to start became entangled in a bitter lawsuit with The partnership will enable Spotify users in listeners across the globe, now including performances in New York City on July 6. former collaborator Kesha, who accused India to access Saregama’s entire catalogue India. Saregama holds the largest library him of sexual assault during their yearslong that spans across film, Carnatic, Hindustani of films and non-film songs in over 25 partnership, which began when he became classical and devotional music in over 25 languages ranging from old classics to new her mentor when she was 17. Dr. Luke has languages, a statement said. “With the full age music. We are sure, listeners would be vigorously denied the allegations. His career Saregama catalogue available on Spotify India, really happy with this addition” said Vikram waned as the case took center stage even our users will not only find their favourite retro Mehra, Managing Director, Saregama India. before the growing #MeToo movement; female acts stood in solidarity with Kesha, Ex-lovers of Johnny Paradis should be included as evidence in including Kelly Clarkson, Taylor Swift, the actor’s case against the publisher. Adele and Lady Gaga. Feeling the pressure, Depp come to his “We’ve been partners for 14 years and we Perry even released her first major-label raised our two children together,” Paradis album without a Dr. Luke song on it. While defence in libel case said, court documents show. “Through all Photo Credit : AP Photo Dr. Luke still crafted songs for artists these years, I’ve known Johnny to be a kind, wo former romantic partners of actor The musical is inspired by Jackson’s life including Ne-Yo, Big Boi, Trey Songz and attentive, generous, and non-violent person T Johnny Depp came to his defence in and music. Two-time Pulitzer Prize winner Tyga, the pop smashes that he had become and father.” She added that he was “never his libel suit against British newspaper-The Lynn Nottage is writing the book, using synonymous with eluded him. violent or abusive”. Sun, dismissing claims that he was violent Jackson’s vast catalog of songs. Tony Award Until now. or abusive. Depp’s lawyers also want to include evidence winner Christopher Wheeldon will direct Dr. Luke, born Lukasz Gottwald, is marking from Ryder, who was in a relationship with and choreograph and Ephraim Sykes will a comeback with the funky Doja Cat hit “Say the star in the 1990s. “I cannot wrap my star as Jackson. head around (Heard’s) accusations,” she So”, which topped this week’s Billboard Hot Jackson sold millions of records and was a said according to the documents. “He was 100 chart thanks to its remix featuring Nicki 13-time Grammy winner. In 1983 he became never, never violent towards me. He was Minaj. The song, produced and co-written an international icon with the release of never, never abusive at all towards me.” by Dr. Luke, is on Doja Cat’s sophomore “Thriller”, the best-selling album with such album “Hot Pink”, released last November Heard’s representative issued a statement hits as “Beat It” and “Billie Jean”. He died on Dr. Luke’s Kemosabe Records. Instead after the case management hearing, saying in 2009. of using his known stage name, Dr. Luke that “in relation to Vanessa Paradis and Although an exact date for performances used the moniker Trevor Trax when credited Winona Ryder’s evidence, we are glad they to resume on Broadway has yet to be as the producer of the song, which found Photo Credit : AP Photo did not have the same experience as Ms determined, Broadway producers are now major success after TikToker Haley Sharpe Actresses Vanessa Paradis and Winona Heard”. performed a dance to the tune on the uber- Ryder offered supportive statements for the offering refunds and exchanges for tickets popular video-sharing platform. “Pirates of the Caribbean” star, who is suing “However, one woman’s experience does purchased for shows through September 6. the tabloid paper’s publisher, News Group not determine the experience of another Pitbull, who has collaborated with Dr. Luke Other shows-like an upcoming revival of Newspapers, over an April 2018 article woman,” the statement said. on hits like the Kesha-featured “Timber” Neil Simon’s “Plaza Suite” starring Matthew which referred to the 56-year-old Depp and “Time of Our Lives”, said he didn’t A two-week trial was due to start in London Broderick and Sarah Jessica Parker-have as a “wife-beater”. The article contained even know Dr. Luke produced “Say So”. on March 25, but it was put on hold due to also pushed their production to next year. allegations by Depp’s ex-wife, Amber the COVID-19 pandemic. “No, I didn’t. I wouldn’t lie to you,” the Heard, who filed for divorce after requesting Other shows scheduled to open this spring Grammy winner said. “I thought, ‘Oh man, a domestic violence restraining order. Depp Lawyers for NGN told the court they agreed have abandoned their plans, including that’s crazy.’ But I love the record. All the has strenuously denied the allegations. to Paradis and Ryder being witnesses at the “Hangmen” and a revival of Edward Albee’s “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”. kids that I’m around, they love the record.” In a hearing conducted remotely, lawyers for trial now set for July. Credit : Associated Press (AP) Depp argued that statements from Ryder and Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 24 18 - 24 May 2020

Sports NEW DELHI TIMES Games while obtaining and strengthening encourages cities to conduct a needs IOC’s new guide highlights links between their technical, soft and core skills in event assessment that considers working planning, operations, communication, conditions, labour market demographics and Olympics and youth employment teamwork, problem solving, mediation, economic development trends that will drive The guide provides an overview of the personal development, technology and skills requirements for the future that can be ◆ By NDT Bureau IOC’s and ILO’s commitment to employing leadership. These skills are then leveraged translated into opportunities offered to future @NewDelhiTimes and developing the employment potential in their careers after the Games, increasing employees, volunteers and contractors involved in planning and delivery of the [email protected] Games. These opportunities include skills development, knowledge transfer, healthy n the occasion of International Labour working environments, and diversity O Day celebrated worldwide on May 1, and inclusion efforts. As an example, the the International Olympic Committee (IOC) study cites that during the two years of the published a guide “The Olympic Games: A candidature (for the 2024 Olympic Games), Springboard for Young Professionals” which The Paris 2024 worked very closely with the highlights how the Organising Committees five national trade confederations in France, for the Olympic and Paralympic Games along with other public stakeholders, to (OCOGs) can enhance youth employment adopt a social charter. The Paris 2024 has opportunities in preparations to and during made the broadest commitments to young the Games. The guide shows organisers how professionals amongst recent Games. The to help young people kick-start work and Paris bid team wanted to ensure that their career development. Photo Credit : Getty Images Games would drive progress for society and The past several editions of the Olympic of young people. It also defines young their opportunities and providing employers share opportunities around the Games with Games have offered many young professionals and the types of skills which with a highly talented and skilled workforce everyone. They prioritised young people professionals the opportunity to build may be gained by working with the Games. adapted to the future of work. across nearly all of their Games’ objectives, their capability, gain experience and The IOC loosely defines young professionals setting up a Generation 2024 committee The guide provides examples of commitments develop advanced skills in sport and event as members of the workforce in their 20s within the candidature to ensure youth were to youth employment and development management. These programmes are an working in professional roles in the Olympic included in all aspects of the vision. undertaken during the dialogue with integral part of the Workforce focus area of Games. the IOC Sustainability Strategy. Supported the IOC. As part of Rio 2016’s JADE According to Etienne Thobois, Director by the International Labour Organization According to the guide, investments in programme, which targeted Rio’s youth from General of the Paris 2024 bid committee (ILO), the IOC requires the OCOGs to attracting, employing and developing young economically disadvantaged backgrounds, and subsequently the Paris 2024 OCOG, provide their young professionals with professionals yield important legacies for approximately 500 apprentices benefited “We really wanted to demonstrate our quality educational and skills development a host community. Young professionals from an eight-month training programme commitment to the development of young opportunities. contribute to the successful delivery of the focused on the sports industry and the people, and this goal is not just reflected in development of sports management skills, our social charter, but also was a priority in along with practical work experience. our Games budget”. In Korea, PyeongChang 2018 worked Marie Sallois, IOC Director of Corporate with the government to hire nearly 330 and Sustainable Development aptly remarks: prospective government employees to fill “Youth is the lifeblood of the Olympic critical administrative roles. Over a six- Games. The Games are a unique occasion month period, the young professionals for a host to provide its young professionals worked in almost 35 different positions, with significant employment and skills moving into government jobs after the development opportunities. It is imperative Games and obtaining additional skills, that we leverage these opportunities to help beneficial to their future positions. as many young people as possible to kick off Prior to the election of a host, the IOC their professional life.” Hamilton gets empty feeling thinking about F1 without fans riving around Formula One tracks D without fans cheering at Silverstone and Monza would literally feel “very empty” for world champion Lewis Hamilton. The first 10 races this season have been postponed or cancelled amid the coronavirus pandemic, with the iconic Monaco Grand Prix scrapped for the first time in 66 years. F1 remains hopeful that the season can start in early July with a doubleheader at the Austrian Grand Prix, and that 15 to 18 of the Photo Credit : AP Photo 22 scheduled races can yet be completed. provide a welcome boost to people during lockdown. But all of them would be held without any spectators until it is safe. “It’s going to be Credit : Associated Press (AP) very empty,” Hamilton said, evoking the subdued Contact New Delhi Times atmosphere of preseason For Complaints & Suggestions testing in Spain. “For us +91-9999331600 it’s going to be like a test & day, probably even worse For Advertisements than a test day in a sense,” +91-9999337800 the Mercedes driver said. “On a test day there’s not A-2/59, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi-110029 a huge amount of people in Barcelona, but there are still some.” V i s i t u s a t : t w i t t e r @ N e w D e l h i T i m e s However, any racing would facebook.com/newdelhitimes 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. 16 Editor : Dr. Ankit Srivastava www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper