Vol. 20 Issue 11 Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 $ 1 www.thesouthasianinsider.com Israel and Palestine What is the history of the conflict between them in the Middle East ? Conflict between Israel and Hamas continues to escalate. The recent fighting between Israeli forces and Hamas militants in Gaza shows no sign of abating, as both sides exchange deadly airstrikes and rocket attacks. The escalating tensions have also spilled over into street violence in several Israeli cities.

Story on Pages 36-39 Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 COMMUNITY 2 US Working Closely With India On Covid Crisis: White House Official While the assistance from the US government has been worth USD 100 million, the private sector has donated an additional USD 400 million, totalling half a billion dollars to India, the official said.

(Insider Bureau)-The US week with the US India Business challenging time," Mr Sandhu is working closely with India on its Council and the Chamber of tweeted. continued and emerging needs Commerce in an effort to elicit Congressman Andy Levin said during the unprecedented second additional supplies from the that more needs to be done for wave of the COVID-19 pandemic, private sector, which we'd be India. a top State Department official has terrifically gratified to see," Price "We cannot lose sight of the said. said. catastrophe wracking India right While the assistance from the US Earlier in the day, top American now. While the US is starting to government has been worth USD senator Mark Warner spoke work to make vaccines more 100 million, the private sector has with India's ambassador to the accessible, we must do more. pandemic will not end anywhere Price, there have now been six donated an additional USD 400 US Taranjit Singh Sandhu and The Indian people need until it ends everywhere. airlifts to India deployed by the million, totalling half a billion dollars assured his full commitment for equipment and other tools now to "Please consider supporting USAID in the course of six days. to India, State Department the assistance to India. end this crisis," he said. groups that are providing what is Among the supplies included in Spokesperson Ned Price told "India right now is at the Meanwhile, the 4th consignment needed locally on the ground," those airlifts are 20,000 courses reporters at his daily news epicenter of COVID-19. This of more than 78,000 doses of she said.Noting that India is of Remdesivir, nearly 1,500 conference on Tuesday. morning I spoke with the Indian Remdesivir from Gilead Sciences seeing daily new COVID-19 oxygen cylinders, 550 mobile "We are continuing to work closely ambassador and pledged to do reached India. cases at 400,000, and the oxygen concentrators, 1 million with Indian officials and health our part to help the Indian people "More than 2,61,000 have deaths are catastrophic, Indian- rapid diagnostic tests, nearly 2.5 experts to identify continued respond to the surge. I will reached so far, in addition to US American congressman Raja million N95 masks, large scale needs and emerging needs in this continue working with the Biden Government support of around Krishnamoorthi said that he is deployable oxygen concentration ongoing crisis," he said. administration on this," Warner 1,25,000 doses. More to follow!" pushing the Biden administration system and pulse oximeters, he "I was talking about our catalytic said after the call. the Indian envoy tweeted. to slow this dangerous rise in said."In addition, USAID effect in another context earlier... Warner is Chair of the Senate Congresswoman Deborah Ross cases through sharing immediately allocated funding to Secretary (of State) Tony Blinken, Intelligence Committee. said that helping India respond to resources."A COVID-19 fire purchase locally an additional Special Coordinator Gayle Smith "Thanked him for his strong this latest wave is humane and is anywhere in the world is a threat 1,000 mobile oxygen participated in calls the other support for India during this in the US' national interest as this to us," he said.According to concentrators," Price added. Chinese Arrested For Attacking Indian-Origin Woman In Singapore For Not Wearing Mask

(Insider Bureau)- police said."She purportedly got Singapore police have arrested into a verbal exchange with the a 30-year-old Chinese man for man. The man allegedly uttered allegedly assaulting an Indian- an offensive racial remark and origin woman and subjecting her assaulted her, causing her to fall to racial slurs for not wearing a to the ground," the police said. mask while she was brisk The couple then left the scene walking last week.The man was and the 55-year-old woman, arrested "for public nuisance, identified as Hindocha Nita uttering words with intent to Vishnubhai, a private tutor, was wound the racial feelings of assisted by a passerby. others and voluntarily causing cInvestigations into the incident hurt," the Singapore Police Force are on, police said.If found guilty (SPF) was quoted as saying by of public nuisance, the man the Channel News Asia on could be jailed for up to three Tuesday.The woman was months, fined up to SGD 2,000 walking along a walkway at Choa (USD 1,509), or both.For uttering Chu Kang Drive at about 8.45am words with deliberate intent to on Friday when she was wound the racial feelings of any confronted by a Chinese couple person, the punishment is an who told her to wear her mask imprisonment term of up to three properly as a safety measure, years, a fine, or both. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 ADVERTISEMEMT 3 Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 COMMUNITY 4 India-UK Migration Pact Overcomes Past Barriers: UK's Priti Patel Priti Patel highlighted that the move, which includes a new "bespoke" plan for 18 to 30 year olds to apply for a 24-month stay in either coun- try puts youth mobility at the heart of the bilateral relationship.

(Insider Bureau)- A new Migration said the plan to have 3,000 young unprecedented scheme that will and Mobility Partnership (MMP) students and professionals a provide additional benefits to signed between India and the UK year access new work both countries. It is highly recently is an "unprecedented" experience benefits in either symbolic," Patel told PTI in an reciprocal agreement that will country under the new pact will interview on Monday. overcome the barriers around be up and running "within "It shows how our two countries mobility and migration of the months". have really developed and past, British Home Secretary She highlighted that the move, advanced our relationship, in a Priti Patel has said. which includes a new "bespoke" purposeful and transformative about mobility barriers," she High Commission in London and The senior Indian-origin Cabinet plan for 18 to 30 year olds to way; which to be very candid, we said. Ministry of External Affairs in New minister, who signed the apply for a 24-month stay in did not have previously. Putting Under the new pact, both sides Delhi. partnership's memorandum of either country puts youth mobility at the heart of this have agreed to work towards "We have worked at pace for understanding (MoU) with mobility at the heart of the relationship is a real change, a an April 2022 timeline to bring this and we are in the process External Affairs Minister S bilateral relationship. real pivot. We have spent too in new systems in place, with of finalising the timetable Jaishankar in London last week, "This is a very significant much time in the past speaking work already underway with the around this. "Biggest Crisis India Has Seen...": Indian-American Entrepreneur's Appeal India has been severely affected by the unprecedented second wave of the coronavirus and hospitals in several states are reeling under the shortage of health workers, vaccines, oxygen,

do more," Indiaspora founder MR moredrugs than what and we beds.want to do. "Help Tamil Nadu Breathe" Rangaswami, an entrepreneur This kind of crisis doesn't come campaign that raised USD 1.5 and philanthropist who lost his across every day," MR million.In addition, Mr sister in Chennai due to COVID- Rangaswami said in response to Rangaswami has been 19, told PTI. a question. involved in multiple campaigns Silicon Valley-based Mr Indiaspora, a network of to raise funds for India, which Rangaswami said that he has eminent leaders, has raised he says is crucial to save been working around the clock over USD 2.5 million. Over the lives not only in India but also in (Insider Bureau)- wave of the coronavirus and to galvanise as much funds weekend, he was part of a the region and the world. Describing the current COVID- hospitals in several states are and resources as the 19 crisis as the biggest India has reeling under the shortage of community from the US and ever faced, an eminent Indian- health workers, vaccines, other parts of the world can do American philanthropist and oxygen, drugs and beds. for the people in India, which is venture capitalist from the Silicon "This is the biggest crisis India's experiencing the worst ever Valley has urged the community ever seen. So, what I urge them public health crisis post- to help support the Indian to do is two things: One is make independence. people. sure you support your family and "This is the one time that we India has been severely affected friends in India. But this is the should give more than what we by the unprecedented second one time that everybody should can; more than what we think; Kerala Woman Killed In Palestinian Rocket Strike In Israel

(Insider Bureau)- A Kerala woman working we came to know about the incident," Mr in Israel was killed allegedly in a Santhosh's brother Saji told PTI. Palestinian rocket strike on Ms Soumya, hailing from Tuesday, her family members Keerithodu in Idukki district, had said. been working as a housemaid in They said the rocket fell on the Israel for the last seven years, her residence of 31-year old Soumya relatives said.Newly-elected MLA in the city of Ashkelon while she and Nationalist Congress Kerala was talking to her husband leader Mani C Kappan condemned Santhosh, who is in Kerala, over the incident.In a Facebook post, video call in the evening. Kappan, who is representing Pala "My brother heard a huge sound seat in the Kerala Assembly, said during the video call. Suddenly the thousands of Keralites working in phone got disconnected. Then we immediately Israel were living in fear.He also sought intervention contacted fellow Malayalees working there. Thus of the Central and state governments in the issue. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 COMMUNITY 5 Swaminarayan temple in US raided, workers taken from India treated as forced labour: Report

(Insider Bureau)- A merely 10 per cent of the hourly eulogy at his funeral. The Swaminarayan temple in New minimum wage according to organisation has also donated the Jersey, US, was raided by the New Jersey law, and forced to equivalent of about $290,000 to Federal Bureau of Investigation, live in gruelling conditions. Their the construction of the temple in Department of Homeland Security, passports were allegedly Ayodhya, the NYT report said. and the US Department of Labour impounded and they were What are the allegations? to investigate allegations of forced confined to a fenced, guarded Mukesh Kumar, 37, was among labour against Bochasanwasi area. A majority of the workers the 200 construction workers Akshar Purushottam were Dalits, said the report. flown out to the US by BAPS in Swaminarayan Sansthan (BAPS), The organisation has, however, 2018. He quit and returned to India reported The New York Times. denied all allegations, and in a after a labourer died due to an Quoting a source, the NYT report statement said they are illness. Shortly after, Kumar work long hours often under US government like volunteers. said 90 labourers were removed "thoroughly reviewing the issues contacted Swati Sawant in 2020, dangerous conditions. The complaint further said the from the site by US federal raised". an immigration lawyer who then They allege that they were paid workers were made to sign agencies after Tuesday's raid. BAPS has been behind scores began investigating these claims. $1 per hour for their work when several documents, often in In a lawsuit filed Tuesday in US of temples built around the Sawant, a Dalit herself, organised the minimum wage in New Jersey English, and tell US embassy District Court of Newark, six world. The foundation has close the temple workers and arranged is $12 per hour. staffers that they were skilled workers alleged that the ties with the Bharatiya Janata legal teams to take up the case, According to the complaint, the workers or decorative painters. organisation brought them to the Party, and Prime Minister according to NYT. workers were allegedly brought However, the lawyers for the United States from India to work Narendra Modi has hailed the In the complaint, six men have to the US on R-1 Visas that are workers say the men were forced on an extension of the temple spiritual head of the organisation come forward with the allegations applicable for clergy and religious to do manual labour on the site situated in Robbinsville, New - Pramukh Swami Maharaj - as saying they were brought to the workers like missionaries. The and made to work for more than Jersey. However, they were paid his "mentor". The PM gave a US in 2018 and were made to labourers were presented to the 13 hours a day. Indian-Origin Man In US Sexually Assaults, Kills Mom On Mother's Day Eve The suspect is accused of grabbing his mother from behind, choking and punching her until she fell to the floor, prosecutors said. "Once down, the son allegedly continued the attack, strangling and punching his mother before sexually assaulting her," the New York Post reported.

victim lost consciousness and York Daily News quoted police report said. then died," the New York Post and prosecutors as saying. Sharma's neighbour Kelvin said quoted the officials as saying. Soraj Sharma's daughter found he knew Sharma had mental The suspect told police he "woke her mother unconscious in the health problems, but he was up the morning before Mother's basement, cops said, adding stunned at the slaying. Day "with an uncontrollable urge medics rushed her to Long The family was really nice and to hurt someone," according to Island Jewish Hospital where she friendly. I am shocked to know a criminal complaint. was pronounced dead. that the son could've done this, Pushkar Sharma told police, he What should have been a he said.He recalled a past (Insider Bureau)- An Jamaica in Bellerose Manor on continued choking her (mother) celebration of Mother's Day incident when neighbours called Indian-origin man has been Saturday morning. The suspect until he was pretty sure she was became a brutal, tragic police because Sharma was charged with killing and sexually is accused of grabbing his dead, the criminal complaint nightmare for a Queens family, acting erratically.So, it's not the assaulting his 65-year-old mother from behind, choking and alleges, reported news agency Queens District Attorney first time. He's been in trouble mother at their home in New punching her until she fell to the Press Trust of India. Melinda Katz said on Sunday. before, Kelvin said. You can York on the eve of Mother's Day, floor, prosecutors said. Covered in blood, Sharma Sharma was arraigned on clearly tell that he has some according to media reports. "Once down, the son allegedly gathered his wallet and keys and Sunday on murder and sexual mental health issues. When he Pushkar Sharma, 28, allegedly continued the attack, strangling walked to the 105th Precinct, abuse charges. He was ordered had the cops called on him carried out the deadly attack on and punching his mother before where he confessed to the held without bail, and his next previously, people said that he Soraj Sharma at their home in sexually assaulting her. The unimaginable violence, the New appearance is on May 24, the was not on his medications. Man arrested in Puerto Rico after killing dog on golf course Puerto Rico police say they arrested a man accused of shooting and killing a dog that had stolen his ball on a golf course at a well-known resort

Puerto Rico police said Grande. Police said he used a Monday that they arrested a man 9mm gun to shoot the dog several accused of shooting and killing a times. dog that had stolen his ball on a Zaveri was released on $60,000 golf course at a well-known bond but his passport and driver's resort. license have been seized. He did Authorities identified the man as not immediately respond to a Salil Zaveri and said the shooting request for comment. occurred Saturday at the Zaveri is a sales and marketing Wyndham Grand Rio Mar Resort consultant and the CEO of Zaveri in the north coastal town of Río Consulting, LLC. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 INDIA -CURRENT AFFAIRS 6 Four Punjab Ministers Seek Navjot Singh Sidhu's Suspension From Congress

Earlier, three other ministers had also urged the Congress high- command for strict disciplinary action against Navjot Singh Sidhu for his "outbursts" against the Punjab chief minister.

(News Agencies)-Four Congress, state ministers Balbir minister were instigated by AAP Punjab ministers sought the Sidhu, Vijay Inder Singla, Bharat or BJP leaders to create problems suspension of Congress leader Bhushan Ashu and Gurpreet in the ruling party to further their Navjot Singh Sidhu from the party Singh Kangar said today. electoral agenda in the state, a today for repeatedly targeting Chief "He (Mr Sidhu) should be Punjab Congress release quoted Minister Amarinder Singh, alleging immediately suspended, if not them as saying. that the Amritsar East MLA's expelled, as his continued "The manner in which Sidhu had attacks might be instigated by the presence in the Punjab Congress launched the offensive against the Aam Aadmi Party or the BJP. is creating a mess in the party's state government, particularly Wednesday, was part of a meeting Congress.According to the Punjab Earlier, three other ministers -- state unit and diverting its attention Amarinder, suggested a of three ministers and two MPs, Congress release, the four Brahm Mohindra, Sunder Sham from the more important task of conspiracy against the chief in which they expressed concern ministers said the Amritsar East Arora and Sadhu Singh gearing up for the polls," they minister," it added. over the delay in action against MLA's verbal assaults on the Dharamsot -- had urged the added. Mr Sidhu has been repeatedly the perpetrators of the sacrilege chief minister were an open Congress high-command for strict The ministers did not rule out a attacking the chief minister over and police-firing incidents. rebellion against the party. disciplinary action against Sidhu collusion between Mr Sidhu and the alleged delay in delivering Besides Gurpreet Kangar, Terming Mr Sidhu's "blatant for his "outbursts" against the chief opposition parties in the state such justice in connection with the ministers Sukhjinder Randhawa defiance" as an "act of total minister. as the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) desecration of the Guru Granth and Charanjit Singh Channi, and indiscipline", they said such The cricketer-turned-politician's and the Bharatiya Janata Party Sahib and police-firing incidents in MPs Ravneet Bittu and Partap anti-party activities cannot be "provocative and targeted" attacks (BJP). the state in 2015. Singh Bajwa attended the tolerated by any political on the chief minister are an It is quite possible that Mr Sidhu's Gurpreet Kangar, who joined the meeting on Monday, amid a establishment and more so in "invitation for disaster" for the "targeted" attacks on the chief chorus for action against Sidhu on political turmoil in the Punjab a poll-bound state. "More To Life Than Just Image-Building": Did Anupam Kher Criticise Centre? "Somewhere they have slipped ... it is time for them to understand that there is much more to life than just image- building maybe," Anupam Kher said.

(News Agencies)-Actor Should the government's efforts for another political party to use Anupam Kher, who has often have been more about providing it for their gain is also not right," praised Prime Minister Narendra relief than managing their image said the national award-winning Modi and is known to be a strong and perception, Mr Kher was actor. defender of the BJP-led regime, asked. How distressing did he "We should as people... Get on Wednesday said that he find images of Covid-hit families angry...It is important to hold the believed the government "had begging for hospital beds, government responsible for what slipped" in the Covid crisis and it corpses floating in the river and has happened." was important to hold it struggling patients? The words mark an extraordinary responsible. "I think the criticism is valid in lots departure for the 66-year-old "Somewhere they have slipped ... of cases and I think it is important former Film and Television it is time for them to understand for the government to rise to the Institute of India chairman whose handling of Covid with a tweet that and medicines, Mr Kher is that there is much more to life occasion and do things that they wife, actor Kirron Kher, is a BJP said: "Aayega toh Modi hi (but among celebrities who have than just image-building maybe," are chosen by people of this MP. Modi will return)." launched relief efforts. His "Heal Anupam Kher said in what country for. I think only an About two weeks ago, Mr Kher With the deadly second wave of India" initiative seeks to help appeared to be a critique of the inhuman person will not get was trolled for responding to a Covid leaving many states those who need ventilators and Centre in an interview to NDTV. affected by... bodies floating. But critique of the government's desperate for oxygen, hospitals oxygen concentrators. 12 Opposition leaders write to PM Modi, blame govt for 'apocalyptic human tragedy'

Central Vista project and instead The letter, signed by former PM the vaccines."It asked for divert the money to buy oxygen HD Deve Gowda, Maharashtra stopping the Central Vista and vaccines. In the letter, the CM Uddhav Thackeray, Tamil construction and demanded that leaders argued that they have Nadu CM MK Stalin, Jharkhand all money held in the "repeatedly in the past" drawn CM Hemant Soren, CPIM general unaccounted private trust fund, the PM's attention to the secretary Sitaram Yechury and PM Cares must be released to measures, they think, are others, said, "Procure vaccines buy more vaccines, Oxygen and "absolutely imperative" for the centrally from all available medical equipment required. Central government to undertake sources - global and domestic" The letter reiterated that all and implement.""Unfortunately, and "immediately begin a free, jobless people should be given at your government has either universal mass vaccination least ?6000 per month and there (News Agencies)-Top off a letter to Prime Minister ignored or refused all these campaign across the country. must be free distribution of food leaders of twelve opposition Narendra Modi to put across nine suggestions. This only Invoke compulsory licensing to grains to the needy as over one parties including Sonia Gandhi of demands including a free Covid- compounded the situation to expand domestic vaccine crore tonnes of food grains are Congress and West Bengal chief 19 vaccination campaign. They reach such an apocalyptic production. Spend budgetary currently rotting in central minister Mamata Banerjee shot also asked PM Modi to halt the human tragedy," the letter read. allocation of Rs. 35,000 crores for godowns. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 INDIA -CURRENT AFFAIRS 7 "If Delhi Is Opened Tomorrow, It'll Be Disaster": Top Medical Body Chief Dr. Balram Bhargava, head of the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), said in an interview that lockdown restrictions should remain in place in all districts where the rate of infection is above 10% of those tested. (News Agencies)-The as a test-positivity rate above economic activity and public head of the main Indian health 10%, including major cities like movement to stop the spread of agency responding to the New Delhi, Mumbai and the virus, which are mostly being coronavirus has said districts Bengaluru. reviewed and extended on a reporting a high number of Dr Bhargava's comments are the weekly or fortnightly basis. infections should remain locked first time a senior government "The high positivity districts down for another six to eight official has outlined how long should remain (shut). If they come weeks to control the spread of the lockdowns, which already to 5% from 10% (positivity rate) rampaging disease. encompass large parts of we can open them, but that has said: "If Delhi is opened tomorrow, could be five to 10 times higher. Dr. Balram Bhargava, head of the country, need to continue to rein to happen. That won't happen in it will be a disaster."India is in PM Modi and other top political Indian Council of Medical in the crisis in India. six-eight weeks, clearly," Dr deep crisis in the current wave of leaders have faced a public Research (ICMR), said in an Prime Minister Narendra Modi's Bhargava said in an interview at COVID-19 infections with around backlash for addressing mass interview that lockdown government has shied away from the New Delhi headquarters of the 350,000 cases and 4,000 deaths election rallies where no major restrictions should remain in imposing a nationwide lockdown ICMR, the country's top medical being reported daily. Hospitals COVID-19 safety protocols were place in all districts where the because of the economic impact research body.Referring to the and morgues are overflowing, followed. The federal government rate of infection is above 10% of and has left it to state capital, one of India's hardest hit medical staff is exhausted and also didn't intervene to stop a those tested. governments. cities where the positivity rate oxygen and drugs are running religious festival in in March that Currently, three-fourths of India's Several states have introduced reached around 35% but has now short.Many experts say the was attended by millions of 718 districts have what is known varying levels of curbs on fallen to about 17%, Dr Bhargava actual case tallies and deaths devout Hindus. Maharashtra Lockdown Likely To Be Extended Till May 31, Says Minister Maharashtra reported 46,781 new coronavirus cases and 816 deaths on Wednesday. 58,805 patients were discharged in the last 24 hours.

number of coronavirus cases Pune reported the 9,536 and 74 Many experts say the actual despite infections slowing down deaths while Mumbai saw 2,104 case tallies and deaths could be in the past few days.Maharashtra cases and 66 deaths. five to 10 times higher. Despite reported 46,781 new coronavirus India is in deep crisis in the being the global hub of vaccine cases and 816 deaths on current wave of COVID-19 manufacturing, India has Wednesday. 58,805 patients infections with around 3.5 lakh managed to fully inoculate just were discharged in the last 24 cases and 4,000 deaths being 2.5 per cent of its population till hours.The positivity rate has reported daily. Hospitals and Monday as Prime Minister (News Agencies)- Rajesh Tope said on Wednesday fallen to 17.36 per cent while the morgues are overflowing, medical Narendra Modi's government has Maharashtra is likely to extend after a cabinet meet as the state fatality rate is down to 1.49 per staff is exhausted and oxygen been accused of not buying its lockdown till May 31, minister continued to grapple with a high cent, the health department said. and drugs are running short. enough shots in time. "Should We Cry Or Laugh?": Akhilesh Yadav On Cow Dung As Covid 'Cure' Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh Yadav tweeted: "Should we cry or laugh over this...".

(News Agencies)- where some people go once a an associate manager at a Samajwadi Party chief Akhilesh week to slather cow dung and pharma firm, claimed the Yadav on Wednesday joined a urine over their bodies, hug cows practice helped him recover from chorus of voices commenting on and practice yoga.The video COVID-19 last year.Doctors and a video from Gujarat's showed a group of about a dozen scientists have repeatedly Ahmedabad - a video that shows men squatting shirtless in a field warned against alternative men gleefully covering with buckets of liquified cow treatments for COVID-19, saying themselves in cow dung and dung in front of them. Each man that they can lead to a false urine in the belief it will protect dug his hand into the buckets sense of security and further them against COVID-19. and smeared handfuls of the complicate health cows is bound to increase the CoV2 virus.As recently as last A bemused Mr Yadav tweeted: dung all over their body and head, problems."There is no concrete chance of some zoonotic or week a video shared by news "Should we cry or laugh over before standing in a circle and scientific evidence that cow dung infectious disease spreading," he agency ANI showed Uttar this...".Attached to his tweet praying."... even doctors come or urine boosts immunity against added.The Reuters report is not Pradesh BJP MLA Surendra was a video from a report by news here. Their belief is that this COVID-19," Dr JA Jayalal, the the first time that cow dung or Singh, a controversial figure who agency Reuters that identified a therapy improves their head of the Indian Medical urine has been offered by certain last month was accused of school called the Shree immunity...," Gautam Manilal Association, told sections of the Indian society as making sexist remarks, claim Swaminarayan Gurukul Borisa, a participant of the ritual, Reuters."People should also a viable treatment for, or that drinking cow urine had Vishwavidya Pratishthanam, told Reuters. Mr Borisa, who is understand that using excreta of protection against, the SARS- protected him from COVID-19. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 INDIA -CURRENT AFFAIRS 8 Eid ul Fitr 2021: Clerics Urge People To Celebrate Eid At Home Amid Covid Muslim clerics across the country have urged people to celebrate Eid at home amid the Covid crisis this year

(News Agencies)-Eid ul Fitr is we have to celebrate the Eid at People have been advised to being celebrated amid the horrific home this year," Maulana Sohel, celebrate Eid ul Fitr in a safe and coronavirus pandemic for the president of the Jamiat Ulema-e- simple way. Processions, second consecutive year. Muslim Hind (Arshad Mandi faction), gatherings for prayers are not clerics across the country have Marathwada unit, told news allowed. urged people to celebrate Eid at agency Press Trust of India. The The Shahi Imam of Delhi's home. At Jalna in Maharashtra, coordinator of Jalna's Holy Quran Fatehpuri Mosque, Dr Mufti there will be no large Centre, Abdul Hafiz, said that Mohd Mukarram Ahmed also congregrations for prayers and meetings and gatherings during urged Muslims to offer Eid social get-togethers on the this year's Eid are a distant prayers at home and stay safe. prayers on Eid ul Fitr and asked shops to function up to 10 pm on occasion of Eid-ul-Fitr due to the dream considering the prevailing According to the Shahi Imam, people to celebrate at home. Wednesday for home delivery, surge in Covid cases. Clerics coronavirus situation. He Eid ul-Fitr will be celebrated on Kerala Chief Minister Pinarayi according to news agency Press requested all community encouraged people to connect May 13-14 depending the sighting Vijayan also urged people to Trust of India. Last week, the Mr members to celebrate the festival with each other virtually. of the Eid moon.Masjid celebrate Eid at home. In view of Vijayan had announced a state- at home in a simple manner. The Maharashtra government has committees in Assam have the Ramzan, the Kerala wide lockdown, till May 16, to ''Amid distress, fear and worry, already put guidelines in place. decided not to have mass government has permitted meat tackle the second wave of the "You Must See Where Bodies Come From": Bihar Minister Tweets Centre Earlier this week, scores of bodies had washed up on the banks of river Ganga in Bihar, spreading shock and anger. It is suspected that the bodies are that of Covid patients.

consigning dead bodies into a place called Karmanasha, after bodies have been found in rivers in Bihar. You know that if a a net was used yesterday.Earlier Ghazipur, Uttar Pradesh, around body is thrown into a river, it first this week, scores of bodies had 55 km upriver from drowns and after a time comes washed up on the banks of river Buxar.Yesterday, the chief of to the surface and floats away. Ganga in Bihar, spreading shock National Mission of Clean Ganga These bodies have come from far and anger. It is suspected that issued an order barring the away. Doctors have said in the the bodies are that of Covid dumping of bodies into the river. postmortem that all the bodies patients. In Buxar district, 71 "Dumping of bodies/partially burnt (News Agencies)-Bihar definitely see where these bodies are 4-5 days old". bodies were retrieved from the bodies/decomposed corpses in has knocked at the Centre's door, have come from. The Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar is riverbank.Videos of a bridge near the rivers not only causes calling for an investigation into the government will cooperate in every hurt by the practice of dumping Bihar border in Saran district pollution in the river, but is also corpses flowing down the river way in its investigation," his tweet the bodies of suspected Covid doing the rounds on social media unhygienic and increases the risk Ganga, reiterating that they are read. patients into the river, which is showed bodies apparently being of spreading infections in the coming from Uttar Pradesh. Bihar In another of a series of tweets, "inhuman and insulting to Mother thrown into the river from communities inhabiting along the minister Sanjay Jha today Mr Jha -- who handles the state's Ganga", he posted.His tweet ambulances stopping at the spot. along the banks of the rivers, tweeted Jal Shakti Gajendra water resources portfolio -- said: was prompted by the recovery of Locals said the ambulances warranting emergency Singh Shekhawat. "You must "There is no practice of 10 bodies found at the border, at belonged to both states.More measures," the order read. Assam Police To File 'Attempt To Murder' Case Against Covid Rule Breakers Assam COVID-19 Restrictions: "Complete lockdown is an option, but we are going gradually in a phased manner. We hope these measures will work in the next two-three days," Jishnu Barua said. (News Agencies)-People to murder" case. gatherings," the police chief who violate COVID-19 rules may "Violating the government's added. face "attempt to murder" charges, orders and SOPs, if anyone or "No crowding would be tolerated the Assam Police said on any organisation organises any in public places, shopping Wednesday, as the state function or any event, it would be complexes, markets. Police will government announced new treated as a betrayal against the resort to lathi charge in such protocols to curb the alarming society. In that case, we would cases even during the curfew rise in coronavirus cases in the not apply the simple IPC (Indian relaxation period," he said. Wednesday ordered all offices, municipal areas, Chief Secretary state. Penal Code) or provision of the Mr Mahanta said that religious places and weekly Jishnu Barua said all standalone Urging people to strictly follow all Disaster Management Act, containment zones will be markets to be shut for 15 days in shops and commercial the provisions of the new strictest law would also be dealt with zero leniency. urban and semi-urban areas of establishments shall shut down Standard Operating Protocols or applied against them," Mr "If anyone tries to use COVID- the state, besides banning the at 1 pm on all days. There shall SOPs, Director General of Police Mahanta said. 19 excuses to come out and movement of people from 2 pm be a total ban on the movement Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said that "Attempt to murder case like is found violating the SOPs, to 5 am in the wake of rising of individuals from 2 pm to 5 am if anyone is found violating the charges would be brought against they will be put into jail," the COVID-19 cases. daily."A complete lockdown is an rules they will face the strictest those organising any function, senior IPS officer warned. Issuing a new set of guidelines option, but we are going gradually of actions including an "attempt party, get-together or any kind of The Assam government on in the periphery of 5 km of in a phased manner. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 INDIA-CURRENT AFFAIRS 9 Indian Army's MM Naravane Speaks To US Army Chief On Defence Cooperation Officials said General Naravane and General McConville discussed ways to expand cooperation between the two armies in specific areas in view of the evolving regional security scenario.

(News Agencies)-Chief of Army of the evolving regional security been on an upswing in the last Staff General MM Naravane held scenario. few years. a telephonic conversation with his They also deliberated on In October last year, India and American counterpart General effectively dealing with the the US sealed the BECA (Basic James C McConville on Tuesday, coronavirus pandemic. Exchange and Cooperation focusing on bilateral military "General MM Naravane COAS Agreement) agreement to further cooperation as well as effectively had telephonic interaction with boost bilateral defence ties. The dealing with the coronavirus General James C. McConville, pact provides for sharing of high- COMCASA (Communications designated India a "Major pandemic. Chief of Staff of the Army US end military technology, logistics Compatibility and Security Defence Partner" intending to Officials said General Naravane Army on Tuesday and discussed and geospatial maps between Agreement) that provides for elevate defence trade and and General McConville issues of bilateral defence the two countries. interoperability between the two technology sharing with India discussed ways to expand cooperation," the Indian Army The firming up of the BECA came militaries and provides for sale of to a level commensurate with cooperation between the two said in a tweet. two years after the two countries high end technology from the US that of its closest allies and armies in specific areas in view The Indo-US defence ties have signed another pact called to India.In June 2016, the US had partners. A joke on Covid victims: Rahul Gandhi attacks RSS-led positivity push Congress leader Rahul Gandhi has hit out at the 'positivity push' by an RSS-affiliate outfit amid the ongoing Covid crisis plaguing India and said it's a joke on those families who have lost loved ones.

thinking is a joke on those Team' (CRT), an outfit formed by to fight the pandemic, Lt Gen families and health workers who the RSS and its affiliates in (retd) Gurmit Singh, the convener have lost their loved ones and are association with various civil of CRT, said in a statement. suffering this crisis of oxygen, services groups. These talks would be telecast hospitals and medicines." RSS chief Mohan Bhagwat, live on the Facebook page of the He further added, "Burying one's Wipro Group founder Azim Sangh's communication arm head in the sand is not positivity, Premji and spiritual guru Jaggi Vishaw Samwad Kendra and its it is a betrayal of our citizens." Vasudev are among the YouTube page.India on Tuesday Rahul Gandhi was referring to the speakers of the positivity recorded over 4,200 Covid deaths (News Agencies)- India and said it's a joke on 'Positivity Unlimited' series of programme to boost citizens and over 3.48 lakh fresh Covid- Congress leader Rahul Gandhi those families who have lost lectures aimed at "infusing suffering in the pandemic. 19 cases. India's official Covid-19 has hit out at the 'positivity push' loved ones. confidence and positivity among This team is organising the death toll has now crossed the by an RSS-affiliate outfit amid In a tweet, Rahul Gandhi said, people" that are being lecture series to infuse 2.5-lakh mark while total cases the ongoing Covid crisis plaguing "The false assurance of positive coordinated by 'Covid Response confidence in the common man have gone past 2.33 crore. Record 4,205 Covid Deaths In India In 24 Hours, Total Crosses 2.5 Lakh Covid-19 Cases Updates: Even as experts stress stepping up vaccinations to fight the surge in cases, states have been scrambling to arrange enough doses (News Agencies)- India's 2. In the last 24 hours, 4. Hit hard by the second daily Covid death count hit a new 19,83,804 samples were wave, nearly 90 per cent of the grim record with 4,205 deaths in tested, the most in a day since country is witnessing a high the last 24 hours; 3,48,421 fresh the pandemic broke. Per positivity rate, the government cases have been added to the government data, 24,46,674 said on Tuesday, stressing that active caseload amid the battle vaccine doses were 640 districts out of the 734 are against the second wave, which administered in a new record above the national threshold level has raised global concern. since India began the world's of five per cent. bodies being tossed in to the the state, as of now, and with Here is your ten-point cheat largest vaccine drive on January 5. A variant of the virus - Ganga, leading to a blame more and more COVID-19 cases sheet on this big story: 16. B.1.617 - that has been linked game. Locals say ambulance coming up, their number would 1. Nearly 30 lakh 3. Even as experts stress to the explosion in cases in India drivers are throwing bodies of increase for sure," state Health infections have been recorded by stepping up vaccinations to fight has been found in 44 countries, Covid patients into the river. Minister Rajesh Tope said on the country since May 5. India's the surge in cases, states have the World Health Organization 7. Mucormycosis, a rare Tuesday, news agency PTI total death count passed the 2.5 been scrambling to arrange has said, days after labelling it but serious fungal infection now reported. lakh-mark this morning, Health doses. Delhi and some as "a variant of concern". The affecting coronavirus patients, 8. Bharat Biotech's Ministry data showed. The fresh southern Indian states are variant was first found in India in has raised huge concern in Covaxin has been recommended surge takes active cases to considering the global-tender October. Maharashtra, which has the for the next phase of trials by an 37,04,099; overall cases rose to route. Uttar Pradesh, 6. Shocking images have country's highest overall expert panel for the two-18 age 2.33 crore. The positivity rate Maharashtra and Odisha have emerged from areas near the caseload. "There could be over group, PTI reported citing stood at 17.56 per cent. already chosen this option. Uttar-Pradesh-Bihar border of 2,000 mucormycosis patients in sources. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 INDIA -CURRENT AFFAIRS 10 Transmission Of Coronavirus Through Water Not A Concern, Say Experts The Ganga and Yamuna are key sources of drinking water for many villages, local bodies along the rivers.

(News Agencies)-Experts on crisis. primarily leads to pollution of Wednesday said transmission of The Ganga and Yamuna are key rivers, he said. coronavirus through water is not sources of drinking water for Even if the bodies of suspected a concern, after bodies of many villages, local bodies along COVID-19 patients were fished suspected COVID-19 patients the rivers. out, there is a lot of dilution that were fished out of the Ganga and The professor, however, stressed happens (during the flow of water). Yamuna. that dumping of bodies will not The effect may not be significant," Satish Tare, professor at IIT- have a significant effect on he said. Kanpur, said dumping of dead transmission. "If the water is passed for water bodies in the Ganga or its Mr Tare said dumping bodies in supply, then it passes through the wastewater treatment.He, triggering suspicion that the tributaries or sub-tributaries is a the Ganga or its tributaries is not water supply system. Normal however, added that there are abandoned corpses could be serious matter, particularly at a new, but it has come down treatment takes care of it," said patches where people draw those of COVID-19 patients. time when the country is significantly in the last 10-15 Tare, who teaches environmental water directly from the river. But According to Ballia residents in grappling with the COVID-19 years. Dumping of bodies engineering, water quality and even during this people do Uttar Pradesh, at least 45 bodies exercise caution.Mr Tare is also were seen floating at the Ujiyar, Case Filed Against 125 For Religious associated with the National Kulhadia and Bharauli ghats in the Mission for Clean Ganga, the Narahi area. However, the district Procession Amid Pandemic In Gujarat apex body under the Jal Shakti authorities did not tell the exact Ministry that deals with the number of bodies found there.On (News Agencies)-The among rural people against order duly promulgated by public cleaning of Ganga, its tributaries Monday, residents in Hamirpur police today registered a case holding such prayers during the servant), 269 (act likely to spread and sub-tributaries.On Tuesday, district spotted five bodies floating against around 125 people for COVID-19 pandemic and despite the infection of any disease the Bihar government fished out in the Yamuna, creating a scare allegedly flouting COVID-19 the instructions to sarpanchs dangerous to life), and provisions 71 bodies from the Ganges in that these were of COVID guidelines after they took out a (village heads) to inform the police of the Epidemic Diseases Act, he Buxar district, where these were patients. The bodies were later religious procession at Palodiya about such gatherings, these said. found floating in the river, fished out and cremated. village in Gandhinagar district of people assembled at one place Gujarat, an official said. in a large numbers," Mr Solanki So far, 15 people have been said. arrested in connection with the The case against those who took incident that took place around part in the procession was 10 am on Tuesday in Kalol tehsil, registered at Santej police station Deputy Superintendent of Police on Wednesday. While 35 of the (Kalol division), VN Solanki, said. participants have been identified, Around 125 men and women had the remaining ones are yet to be taken part in the procession to identified, he said. offer prayers, he said. They were booked under IPC "Despite creating awareness sections 188 (disobedience to Travel Ban For Hospital Operator Upheld In Karnataka High Court

(News Agencies)-A February ruling by a single judge court on Wednesday refused to of the High Court in Karnataka. let BR Shetty, the founder of "We are yet to examine the troubled hospital operator NMC reasoned order in detail," Shetty's Health, travel to the United Arab lawyer, Zulfiquar Memon, told Emirates (UAE), as it upheld a Reuters. "However, there is no previous ruling. doubt that we will challenge it in Shetty's NMC, the UAE's biggest the Supreme Court." hospital group listed in London, Two sources directly aware of the went into administration in April matter have told Reuters that 2020 after months of turmoil over authorities acted against Shetty its finances and its disclosure of on the basis of a complaint by $6.6 billion in debt, well above state-run Bank of Baroda. The earlier estimates. lender did not immediately "The findings recorded...are respond to a Reuters request for based on sound appreciation of comment. facts and law," the two-judge Bank of Baroda is suing Shetty panel said in dismissing Shetty's for backing away from a collateral challenge of immigration officials' agreement for debts and decision to stop him from additional guarantees. But Shetty boarding a Nov. 14 flight to the has described the pact as a Middle Eastern nation. "fraudulent document" in a court He was appealing against a document seen by Reuters. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 EDITORIAL 11 America's gas panic has a long history Unclaimed Dead Bodies First the scramble for toilet paper, States in retaliation of the country's now the gas lines. That's how we know support of Israel. Prices at the pump Floating In the Ganges River Americans are in a panic. This past week, doubled, and then quadrupled. Just as As India is reeling from the massive Express: “The bodies have been found in fearing the fallout from the shutdown of scary to Americans were the "Sorry, No upsurge in Covid-19 cases, a new Bihar, and it is the responsibility of the Bihar the Colonial Pipeline that supplies the Gas Signs," that popped up at service horrifying event strikes. Dozens of bodies government to investigate them and take East Coast as a result of a cyberattack, stations everywhere.What seemed to of suspected COVID-19 victims washed further action. It is not right to blame UP.” drivers are tanking up by more than 40% scare Americans most was the up on the banks of the River Ganges in As per the Superintendent of Police, Vipin in states from Virginia to Florida. At the suddenness of the crisis. "An energy northern India. At least 45 bodies were Tada, the exact number of bodies same time, prices are shooting up, Pearl Harbor" was how one commentator seen floating in the Ganges in Uttar discovered was not yet known. He added Pradesh’s Ballia and Ghazipur regions. that seeing the wind direction, it looks like hovering around $3 a gallon, a price not put it. As the pollster Daniel Yankelovich Most of the bodies that are fished out from the bodies have come from Bihar. Tada seen in more than six years and likely to told former President Richard Nixon, who the river are decomposed and bloated. This said, "The bodies were old. In Bihar, rise in the days to come. Air travel is also then occupied the White House, "No led to triggering fears among the locals in there is a tradition of disposing dead bodies being disrupted. On Wednesday, Colonial issue has such a potential for producing Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. The local people in the river." On the other hand, Pipeline said it had restarted operations, social instability of the magnitude of the claimed that they had been complaining Buxar, Bihar’s SP Neeraj Kumar said but the panic buying is an important depression as does the energy crisis. about the smell for the past few days. But “Some of the bodies could have warning with a long history.Nothing This crisis entails a radical change ... authorities had only taken action upon floated in from UP. It is subject of hearing the news about the bodies found investigation for Bihar and UP police”. The seems to scare Americans more than the Their lives will be disrupted and altered downstream in the state of Bihar. A second central government has taken serious note fear of running out of gas. As a college at the gut level. wave of the Coronavirus is devastating of this issue. Union Jal (Water) Shakti student put it in Virginia, where at least "Residents of a small rural village everywhere in India and the death rates Minister Gajendra Singh Shekhawat seeks 8% of stations are shut down and the in eastern North Carolina wrote to Nixon, are rising significantly in recent weeks. an investigation by both the states. governor has declared a state of "People are spending every waking hour Most of the country’s Narendra Modi government is emergency, "There's no gas, and people worrying over the gasoline situation." Even crematoriums have run out of space. The committed to maintaining piousness and are getting frustrated." As she waited 45 as the Watergate scandal was unfolding, locals believe that the shortage of wood continuity of mother Ganges. The States for funeral pyres might be one of the [Bihar and UP] concerned must take minutes to tank up, she watched the polls reported that citizens cared far more reasons why corpses are being cognizance of the matter immediately,” he tension grow. "People are getting into about the energy shortage than they did abandoned in this manner. The authorities tweeted. The Uttar Pradesh government shouting matches," she said.We've seen about presidential wrongdoing.The story said that they haven’t yet determined the has already passed an order directing this dance before. replayed itself in the summer of 1979 cause of death of the victims. According people to stop Jal Samadhi – a ritual If you are of a certain age, you during the second oil shock when the to the officials in Bihar, the health followed by some communities in which surely recall sitting in the back of your Iranian Revolution reduced supply. As professionals who are working through the bodies are disposed of, throwing them in family's station wagon (with no seatbelts soon as the first shortage appeared, night retrieved 71 such bodies. the river. “This order is being followed Ballia, Uttar Pradesh District strictly in the state,” uttered ADG of course) waiting hours on end in the panic buying set in, with the average sale Magistrate Aditi Singh said that some Kumar. Experts have pointed out that 1970s to get a gallon of gas.Why the falling from eight gallons to three. The bodies have been found in very bad coronavirus transmission cannot deep-seated fear? At one level, Americans California Energy Commissioner reported condition under the Ballia-Buxar happen through water from the bodies love their cars -- they are a sign of freedom chaos: "People have got into fights. Bridge. She has also added that the of the suspected Covid-19 patients, and the open road. At another, we created Gasoline station attendants have been hit Sub divisional Magistrate and the circle fished out of the Ganges. Satish Tare, a suburban landscape that depends on with pipes." "If there was more order and officer are probing into this incident. professor at IIT-Kanpur, said that the driving everywhere. Americans drive more less fear, we'd be able to get by," he said. Singh further noted that funeral rites dumping of dead bodies in the Ganges or of the dead bodies will be performed its tributaries or sub- tributaries is a serious miles and do so alone more than citizens "But people are freaking out." with due respect. Neither Bihar nor matter, particularly at a time when the of any other country.And amid the In Levittown, Pennsylvania, Uttar Pradesh is willing to take the country is grappling with the 2nd wave of pandemic, today, Americans have even local residents staged a full-on riot, blame for these unclaimed dead COVID-19 crisis. more desire to take to the road. The chanting, "More gas! More gas!" outside bodies. Uttar Pradesh’s ADG (Law and Editorial Team postponement of family get togethers and of gas stations as they threw rocks, beer order) Prashant Kumar told The Indian The South Asian Insider Weekly the reduction in air travel has led to ever bottles, and cans at the local police and greater desires to travel by car. Gas prices set two cars on fire. "There is a panic at always go up in the summer. Now the idea the pumps," said a Miami service station that long anticipated travel might be further owner. "It's the worst it's ever been." "I delayed or interrupted feels intolerable.But had to step between two people," said ISSN No. 1554 06X the fear comes from something else, another owner, in New York. "After Editor in Chief & Publisher : something deeper. waiting on line they got into an argument Sharanjit Singh Thind In the 1970s, like today, there right at the pumps, about who was Editor (Political Affairs-India) : was a fundamental mistrust of cutting in front." At a local station in government. The Vietnam War and Brooklyn, a man shot and killed another Aruna Singh Watergate made Americans mistrustful of man in front of his pregnant wife.In both Susmita Ghosh Bureau Chief (India) their leaders, a situation made worse cases, like today, Americans' fear turned Chief Photographer : Vijay Shah when Jimmy Carter, who ran on a a small interruption in supply into a major Editorial Intern: Roubin Singh Thind campaign of his honesty, seemed unable crisis. In truth, the major oil companies Special Correspondents: to deliver on his promise to save were able to shift around distribution in Gagandeep Singh (India) Americans from the energy crisis. ways that should have minimized the Geeta Saxena, Insider Show Host Today, too, there is deep distrust impact in the 1970s. But panic took hold, Web Coordinator : Harpreet Singh of government, made worse by partisan and the rush to tank up compounded the A Publication of Media Partners Capital, Inc. divides. That was clear in the pandemic, situation. Despite exhortations to as it is too with the vaccine.The fears that conserve and save, drivers did the REGD & MAILING OFFICE : we can't count on our leaders to deliver a opposite. P.O Box 7005 Hicksville New York 11801 basic good magnifies any slight shortage. Topping off, as it was called, Phone: 917 612 3158 The first "oil shock" came in 1973 in meant that motorists were carrying nearly [email protected], [email protected] response to the embargo during the 1973 a month's supply of gasoline in their tanks www.thesouthasianinsider.com Israeli-Arab War, when Organization of rather than leaving it in the gas Disclaimer The South Asian Insider is a weekly newspaper published every week by The South Asian Insider. It's available in community & religious centers, ethnic grocery stores and also available by mail, email & online to subscribers. The opinions, beliefs and viewpoints the Petroleum Exporting Countries pumps.This current panic seems like it expressed by the various writers, authors and forum participants in The South Asian Insider do not necessarily reflect the opinions, beliefs and viewpoints of the Editor. All advertisers advertising in The South Asian Insider assume responsibility for accuracy of their advertisements. The South Asian Insider (OPEC) cut off exports to the United will be short-lived. and/or people associated with it are not responsible for any claims made by the advertisers and don't endorse any product or services advertised in The South Asian Insider. We strongly urge consulting your lawyer before buying/contracting /hiring through the ads published in the newspaper. We are in the business of selling space and claims made by the advertisers are not authenticated or confirmed by an independent source Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 OP-ED 12 Modi govt is in denial & India is back to being a flailing state Modi government didn't strengthen the foundations of basic governance in the last 7 years. Now, the PM has retreated and ministers are failing, adding to the Covid disaster.

Is India a failed state? Pritchett, currently Research believed him. Certainly news magazine India Director at Blavatnik School of Enough of an uncertain, Today thinks so. I would humbly Government, University of Oxford, dithering state, he promised in disagree. We aren't a failed state in his much-quoted 2009 paper at his new India. Through seven yet. For, if we were, the Harvard's Kennedy School, years of economic stall, his publication wouldn't have said so provocatively titled, 'Is India a voters kept their faith in him. on its cover, and I wouldn't be Flailing State: Detours on the four Until this virus came back and writing this article. lane highway to modernisation'. exposed the reality. That after If India was a failed state already, Important point is, he said this of seven years under Modi, India and the building of hard Menon and brought in Y.B. we might not have known how India in 2009, when the UPA was is an unprecedentedly infrastructure. But, the Chavan. Soon enough, the badly we were failing. As long as in its prime and the growth still dysfunctional, worse flailing foundations of basic governance Maratha strongman had initiated a nation's own media, civil red hot on top of a breathless state. were not strengthened. the Indian military's first five-year society, even individual citizens decade. What hadn't caught up The 'state', top leadership, its Institutions were weakened, modernisation plan. Results are free to bring the bad news to was the state capacity to improve institutions, including the none more so than the Union were visible in the 1965 war all, hold the mirror to the most governance, the quality of life of bureaucracy and scientific Cabinet. If this functioned like a against Pakistan. powerful ruler in at least four the vast majority of our people, establishment, are all either normal Cabinet institution, its From Nehru, Lal Bahadur Shastri decades, we are not a failed state and the ability to leverage growth missing in action, or scurrying most effective ministers would be inherited a humiliating crisis of yet. into wider prosperity and social about to cover up, somehow put in charge of this crisis food shortages. He took it head What are we then? I might have security. airbrush the image, not alter response. Those who failed on on and brought in C. a more apt description, a flailing Between 2009 and 2014, under a reality. the job, would have been shown Subramaniam as agriculture state. Writhing in pain, tossing confused UPA-2, the quality of Every leader has their key brand the door. In such a grave national minister, who Indira Gandhi about in desperation, confused, governance slid steeply. The propositions. Modi's, besides crisis, you don't put your politics continued with. By 1969, we had chaotic, poorly-led, on the verge government was paralysed with Hindutva and hard nationalism, ahead of the life-and-death the Green Revolution. of a disaster. But still looking for contradictions and indecision. As included administrative ability, issues. If we find the Gandhi dynasty answers. the state flailed even harder, execution and efficient delivery Iknow any mention of Jawaharlal troubling, go back to the near- Flailing state, therefore, is a Narendra Modi rose to seize the of welfare. We've seen some of Nehru is triggering for many. But default level economic crisis of better characterisation for India moment and promised to change that in the past seven years, after the debacle of 1962, he 1991. P.V. Narasimha Rao gave today, and it's such a pity I didn't it. Minimum government, especially with distribution of acknowledged failure, fired his finance to then non-politician invent it. It was economist Lant maximum governance. People welfare benefits to the poorest defence minister V.K. Krishna Manmohan Singh. It's time to crush Big Tech censorship before Facebook, Twitter and others crush us

Twitter permanently. Parler, a internet. There are several happen in a bipartisan way? In social network favored by options that must be seriously an honest world, the Biden conservatives, was cut off considered and acted on. administration would initiate and completely when Amazon The first option is for the lead such action. But it won't removed the site from its server, government to recognize that since Democrats, and Biden in while Google and Apple deleted these companies constitute particular, have been the great Parler's app from their app clear monopolies in their beneficiaries of tech censorship. stores. Digital platforms respective markets -social Their progressive views align increasingly dominate public networking, mobile content and perfectly with the liberal discourse in today's social apps, search and advertising, establishment that operate media environment. The and e-commerce. Their sheer today's technology companies. dissemination of speech and size, the tyranny they exert, Both have a common interest in information is concentrated in and their anti-competitive maintaining the status quo of Never before has so impunity and no regard for the the hands of a few private conduct makes this obvious exploiting unchecked power over much power been held by so public interest. Examples parties that control online under any antitrust analysis. public discourse. Manipulating few. And never before has that abound.In October of 2020, content and platforms. Today's As such, a bold move must be the narrative is their objective. power been so egregiously Facebook and Twitter shut down oligarchs enforce their vast and made to treat them as public And they're good at it. It is abused.The censorship applied the spread of a New York Post influential dominion with an iron utilities that are strictly therefore most likely up to the to American news consumers story revealing the incriminating grip. They argue that as private regulated such as electric, federal courts and, in the end, by Facebook, Twitter, Amazon, content of a laptop owned by companies they are not water, gas and the U.S. Supreme Court to Google, and Apple must be Hunter Biden. They blocked required to respect free speech telecommunications rectify the wrong. In an broken up. They have evolved millions of voters from reading an rights and may act as they companies. This will protect opinion last month involving into massive monopolies that accurate story of vital public please. In this they are correct the public from tech abuses Trump and Twitter that was pose a grave danger to interest. The move was inasmuch as the First and free speech repression. dismissed as moot, Justice democracy by suppressing instrumental in containing Amendment protects against Sen. Bill Hagerty, R-Tenn. has Clarence Thomas laid out a speech with which they damage to Joe Biden's campaign government interference, not introduced The 21st Century compelling argument that disagree. The staggering wealth just weeks before the presidential private action. Therein rests FREE Speech Act that takes could be used in a future case and unbridled power of these election. Since then, former the dilemma of what to do when aims to do just that. He before the high court to rein in tech giants allow them to punish president Donald Trump has private-sector behemoths described how it would work social media companies by political adversaries and protect been banned from Facebook repress speech and thought in recently in an op-ed for Fox treating them as "common partisan allies. They do so with indefinitely and banished from the era of the commanding News.So how does this carriers" akin to utilities. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 OPINION 13 Covid-19: Pay attention to rural India The battle against the coronavirus explanation for why this was the medical management of Covid- case, but this did not deter 19 is under great strain. Testing pandemic will have to be fought in the speculative, and clearly is hard, hospital admissions of misplaced, theories about the patients with serious symptoms villages of the Hindi heartland innate immunity of those in rural (with or without a test) are harder, India to resist the virus. It is now there is an acute shortage of clear that the biggest fear of 2020 medical supplies, contact- is the everyday reality of 2021. tracing is non-existent, There is, after all, no innate bureaucratic red tape has made immunity, and Sars-CoV-2 and its care even more difficult, and there variants are sweeping through the is little dignity in death. Given the villages and small towns of two dense networks that exist of India's most populous states. between cities and villages, UP reported 20,000 new cases continuous inter-state and over 300 deaths, and Bihar movement, the return of migrants had over 10,000 cases and 72 for Holi and the harvesting deaths on Tuesday. But season and in response to curbs anecdotal reports from local in bigger cities, the impact of communities, hospitals, Kumbh, and in the case of UP, emergency wards, crematoriums untimely panchayat elections, and graveyards; informal this surge is not unexpected. And admissions by district and health the pace of vaccination, the most authorities; pleas for help on effective way to fight the disease, social media (even though is much slower than needed. When Covid-19 first hit Uttar Pradesh (UP) and Bihar. transmit in these regions, this recourse to Twitter is not the Away from India's urban hubs, India, the biggest fear among both Given the size of the two states, fear was legitimate. And there natural default option for many in India's Covid-19 trajectory will be policymakers and public experts the density of population, the was palpable relief when the first these areas); and now the tragic decided by what happens in was that the pandemic would abysmal health care wave was, in hindsight, relatively sight of bodies floating in the Bihar and UP. The state travel to India's Hindi heartland - infrastructure, and the manner less destructive. There was never Ganga, confirm that the numbers governments, with help from the primarily across the rural belt of in which the virus could quickly any scientific and cogent are much higher. The process of Centre, must step up. 4 Routes For India Out Of The Covid Crisis

whether the top BJP leadership nationalistic government boasting number was .05%. exists in a bubble that neither about leading the fight against the In 2001, after the Bhuj internal warnings from scientists, epidemic and shipping millions of earthquake, I was India's or social media posts or stories vaccines to developing nations, ambassador in Abu Dhabi, and in respected international was reluctant to acknowledge and material collected by the journals, penetrate. Thus, accept a national crisis, community was flown to unsurprisingly, the situation especially in the mist of important Ahmedabad but got piled up swung quickly from the Prime state elections. and it was difficult to quickly Minister proclaiming India a Finally, US National Security disburse to the needy. India 'Vishwa Guru' or 'Thought Leader' Adviser Jake Sullivan tweeted on was now accepting aid after 17 to India becoming the global Covid April 25, promising America was years from 40 odd nations. hub. Countries began blocking "deploying more supplies and Each nation sends a different flights from India. QUAD partner resources". Other nations also mix of medical equipment and US President Joe debate amongst Hindu clerics, Australia added insult to injury by quickly rallied when they realised medicines, some with non- Biden convened the inaugural to April, coinciding with Election threatening to jail even their own that India was unprepared for the English etchings, difficult for summit of QUAD nations, Commission's irrational month- citizens if they returned from India Covid surge created by new end-users to read. consisting of Australia, India, long election jamboree. by surreptitious indirect travel. variants. Experts concede India Chinese ambassador Sun Japan and US, on March 12. Everything was in place for a Pictures and videos, many very had confirmation bias as the Weidong claimed 61 flights had Foreign Secretary Harsh perfect storm to hit India. disturbing, of ill and dying political leadership jumped to been sent in the past two Shringla said the other three Some epidemiologists now patients, unable to get admission accepted sero-surveys after the weeks carrying 5,000 agreed to finance a vaccine claim they had warned the to hospitals, or perishing in first wave last year. Estimates of ventilators, 21,569 oxygen initiative led by India. There was, government in writing that a hospitals when oxygen ran out, those exposed to the virus were producers and 3,800 tonnes of he cheerily added, "Wholesome massive second wave was upon spread across the globe. 20-30% in Delhi and 50-60% in medicines. Acknowledging appreciation of the Vaccine us. But the BJP was keen to Questions began being asked Mumbai, and were apparently such help from China which has Maitri Initiative". South Block's capture power in West Bengal, about India's partnership with US, wrong. And with vaccinations still not withdrawn its troops optimistic spin took the lead from the jewel of the East. The as not a vial of vaccine was commencing, Indian decision- from Indian areas in Ladakh, BJP's top leadership, which, Kumbh, if held next year, would promised despite millions of makers calculated they would presented Delhi with a instead of postponing the state have followed the state election doses of Astra Zeneca lying stay ahead of any fresh wave. But conundrum. China, in turn, was elections, were marshalling in Uttar Pradesh. The BJP could unused in US warehouses, or the as against World Health running down US assistance, forces for an all-out attack. not miss out on a crore-strong slightest public recognition of Organisation's norm for late in coming, as well as Additionally, the Kumbh dates religious gathering for political India's existential crisis. Some sequencing to be .3% of underscoring Indian weakness were preponed from 2022, after posturing.The question arises blame rests on India, as a confirmed cases, in India the for the world to see. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 ADVERTISEMENT 14 Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 OPINION 15

must be said that the response of the UP government has been shocking, arguably the worst response anywhere in the country. For the record, the government announced a slew of measures including steps to augment hospital beds and ICU facilities, oxygen supply, concentrators, availability of medicines and free treatment in private hospitals. Much of this remained on paper. The Allahabad High Court had to step in with strongly worded orders: "We will not tolerate your paper work anymore for tackling the situation. Now you do what we order." The situation on the ground kept worsening. Finally, the high court Numbers are clear. Saving rural UP from had to intervene once again. UP continues to have one of the lowest vaccination rates in the Covid catastrophe must be a national mission country. Instead of managing the situation, Chief Minister Yogi Ask a simple question entire state of Uttar Pradesh catastrophe, one of the worst this washing up along the banks of to anyone you meet from rural with a population of 23.5 crore, century. Ganga. Adityanath is fixated on managing perceptions and India: How many persons have about 4.7 lakh excess deaths Pandemic ravages UP Media reports suggest that images. In a video conference died in your village in the last 50 could have taken place during My colleagues Ravi Chopra, public as well as private health days? Don't bother to ask about this period. These excess Ankit Tyagi, Rajeev Dhyani, infrastructure in Uttar Pradesh with select journalists on 24 April, he asserted that there was the cause of death, just ask for deaths could be attributed to the Anmol, and I have also been began crumbling by the middle no shortage of oxygen in any the total number. Also ask: second wave of Covid pandemic. tracking media reports on how of April, just when the second What's the population of your Compare that to the official the pandemic is panning out in wave began. Newspapers are full Covid-19 hospital and that the real problem was hoarding and village? And then do a simple figures of Covid deaths: just 2.5 rural Uttar Pradesh. While we of reports of shortage and black black marketing. He reportedly calculation: If the number of lakhs for the entire country and work on a fuller report, our initial marketing of drugs like deaths, from all possible merely thousands for UP since impression is that at every stage remdesivir and equipment like asked officials to take action under the National Security Act causes, during this period the beginning of the pandemic of response to the Covid-19 oximeters, even in the big cities. and "seize the property" of those exceeds 1 per 1,000, you are last year. epidemic, from testing to Ambulances and hearses were looking at "excess deaths". If it Even the unofficial hard to find. who spread "rumours" and propaganda on social media and is more than 1.5, you can be projections don't Hospital beds try to "spoil the atmosphere". In sure this reflects a significant get the scale of were already deviation, a major disease. If it expected deaths. unavailable by one of the most brazen cases of Covid denial, the state is more than 2, more than The Institute for the third week government forced school double the number of deaths we Health Metrics and of April. And would normally expect, we are Evaluation (IHME), then, like teachers to conduct panchayat elections through the state. looking at a calamity. an independent everywhere More than 577 teachers I asked this question to a few global health else, there is friends from Uttar Pradesh and research centre at the oxygen reportedly died in the process. Despite Supreme Court orders requested them to call their the University of shortage. Lack not to harass whistleblowers and village. I got information from 14 Washington, of oxygen villages spread across the estimates that by leading to the critics, the UP government went ahead with booking those who districts of Varanasi, Unnao, Rae the end of August, UP may have cremation, people in UP are death of a hospitalised patient drew attention to the gravity of Bareli, Pratapgarh, Meerut and 1.7 lakh to 2.1 lakh deaths due facing desperation and defeat. was reported as early as 22 April Bulandshahr. This is not a to Covid. One thing is clear. Official from an Etawah district hospital the situation. Barring a few exceptions, the media in UP has scientific random sample, but it This looks like a gross statistics give you no idea of the (Amar Ujala, Agra edition, 23 limited itself to pointing out local not a sample of badly hit villages underestimate. Even if we take devastating pandemic that is April 2021). While the crisis of either. The proportion of deaths the ratio of deaths per thousand raging through rural UP. The state oxygen in the metros gets problems and has not questioned the state government was much higher in the poorer for last 50 days to be a is officially reporting about attention, the situation in the and the CM. and smaller villages of eastern conservative 2.5 (lower than the 20,000 cases per day now. This small towns of UP is infinitely and central UP than in the 3.0 that we found in our crude is a joke. Widespread ignorance, worse. There is rampant black The story of Uttar Pradesh is not unique. Now we know that this relatively prosperous areas of the survey) and project it to just the lack of nearby or adequate marketing of oxygen and even second wave of Covid has west. Ever since the beginning next 50 days as well, Uttar testing facilities, official and attempts to loot oxygen of the second wave of Covid in Pradesh is likely to witness at unofficial cap on testing and cylinders. spread deep and fast in rural India across the country. We the last week of March, these least 7 lakh additional deaths inordinate delays in test reports Shocking response hear similar stories of villages have recorded 101 due to Covid cumulatively in the have meant that in village after What was the response of the deaths against their combined months of April, May and June. village, virtually no one has been government? To be fair, a collapse of medical infrastructure in many poorer population of 33,600. That gives For the entire year, assuming tested, while scores of people pandemic like this one is a states. Attempts to a ratio of 3.005 per 1,000 that we don't have a lethal third complain of a 'strange fever'. challenge to any government. persons during this period, about wave, the figure could be well There is callous and deliberate The challenge is manifold in a invisibilise the number of cases and deaths have been three times what you would over 10 lakh deaths. This is not under-reporting of deaths. Then state like Uttar Pradesh with reported from many states, expect normally. just a calamity; we are in the there are the recent reports about dismal medical infrastructure. If this ratio is projected for the midst of a public health a large number of dead bodies Granting all these limitations, it including Gujarat and Delhi. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 OPINION 16 West Bengal violence shows how police act as a private army of politicians

West Bengal last week that the Election Commission was should be monitored by the high saw a number of incidents of post- in charge of the police during the court itself and exemplary poll violence - a Union minister's polls is only an alibi. The law punishments given to the vehicle attacked; some local doesn't stop functioning during defaulters. political leaders injured; properties elections. The explanation for There is going to be a serious damaged; women beaten up and inaction is simple. These officials, fallout of the Bengal violence, and thousands forced to leave their down to the SHO level, don't want it may become a threat to national homes, with many even going to to serve the common public but security - the increasing Assam. The violence is continuing work as per the wish of their communalism. With the minority and revenge politics seems to be political masters. population dominating several the main cause. The appeasement Such officials need to be constituencies, political pandering or aggression towards the minority punished. But who will bell the and opposition can only increase community has also played its cat? The political executive in the tensions in an altered political part. The goonda elements in the state, of which the police has scenario. A lot of vigil and proactive heading the chart. this is done, our dream of attaining state are emboldened with no fear become a private army with work is required by all The police in India have become fast economic prosperity and a of law because they are assured honourable exceptions, will not stakeholders to maintain worse than its colonial avatar - all healthy democracy is not likely to of political and police protection. punish but reward it for toing its communal harmony. the cries of even the Supreme be achieved anytime soon. The police and its political masters line. That leaves the matters into The second serious fallout is with Court on police reforms have been Second, there is a case to look have abdicated their responsibility the hands of the central the appeasement policy in West thrown by the political class into into the recruitment process and in enforcing the law and the government and the courts. Police Bengal. This, coupled with the dustbin. The politicians control training of IAS/IPS officers by the Constitution. In a free democratic being a state subject, the central unchecked migration of the police not only legally but Centre because it is these officers country, the hapless citizen has government, at best, has control Bangladeshis, can make matters administratively too through who provide the leadership when nowhere to go. They can flee but only over IAS and IPS officers, not worse. The state has become a various local orders that impact policing/administrative standards for how long should they stay the lower-ranking officials. The hub of illegal activities - smuggling recruitment, postings, transfers, dip.Third, India needs electoral displaced? There can't be a worse central government should set an of cattle and other items. punishments, rewards, among reforms that forbid the entry of indictment of any State. example by initiating action Police-politician nexus: An all- others.The following measures criminals in Parliament and state The police inaction against those not performing their India problem are suggested to improve policing legislatures. Today, politicians with The question arises as to why no duty. Let it also be added that the total in India.First, the pending police criminal records are present in preventive or punitive measures, Further, the Calcutta High Court political control of the police by reforms, as ordered by the large numbers in Parliament. If as prescribed by the law, have should take suo moto cognizance political masters is not peculiar to Supreme Court in 2006, should there is no check in another two been taken so far? What were/are of the violence and order a CBI West Bengal but extends to all immediately be implemented. elections, their numbers will only the District Magistrates, inquiry into the role of all states in varying degrees, and all The political control of the police go up. Then we will have to forget Superintendents of Police and concerned police and other political parties have to be equally should be removed and the forces about the police reforms forever Police Commissioners of the officials in the administration for blamed for it. However, West should remain answerable only to because the politicians will never violence-hit areas doing? To say dereliction of duty. These cases Bengal today seems to be the law and Parliament. Unless leave control of the former. The Congress must act, now The assembly election defeat and the success of defectors can lead to further erosion of the grand old party's base coming the third former Con- leader with the stature to openly, comes the face to take on gress leader (after N Biren successfully, challenge the lead- Narendra Modi in what will once Singh in Manipur and Pema ership of the Nehru-Gandhi fam- again be a presidential-style Khandu in Arunachal Pradesh) ily. contest in 2024 - the party's to take over as a BJP chief min- Through all of this, the Congress ability to rise is doubtful. ister. The setback also comes appears to sense an opportunity Supplement this with its weak at a time when the question of in the Centre's mixed record in organisation, the shift in incen- leadership remains unresolved. managing Covid-19. The fact tives for leaders and workers Sonia Gandhi is interim presi- that Rahul Gandhi gave obvious, who can sense political oppor- dent but wants to give way to but sensible, suggestions on the tunities elsewhere, and the ero- The Congress Working lost power in Puducherry before Rahul Gandhi. He doesn't want course of the disease, and that sion in states where the party's Committee (CWC) met on Mon- the polls and failed to regain it, to be president but is, for all ef- party organisations such as the base was strong, and the na- day to discuss the defeat in the and is a junior partner in the fective purposes, in-charge. A Indian Youth Congress have ture of the crisis in the Con- assembly elections, with party ruling coalition in Tamil Nadu. group of dissenters forced the done a stellar job in providing gress becomes clearer. With president Sonia Gandhi saying To add insult to injury, high-pro- party to commit to a timeline for relief to citizens, gives the party noise about a possible non- that if the party did not "face up file defectors who switched organisational elections - but hope that it can shape some of BJP, non-Congress grouping to reality", it would not draw the ranks have found leadership while slated for this summer, it the political narrative around the rising, India's grand old party is right lessons. Here is the real- oppor-tunities in the Bharatiya has now been deferred due to pandemic. But in the absence once again in a familiar place - ity. The Congress got deci- Janata Party (BJP) - with the second wave of the of a clear leadership - the key the crossroads. Mrs Gandhi's mated in Bengal, failed to cap- Himanta Biswa Sarma (who left coronavirus pandemic. And in question is not who becomes admission must be followed by ture power in Kerala and Assam, the Congress in 2015) now be- any case, the dissenters lack a party president but who be- action. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 OPINION 17 India's vaccine diplomacy is falling apart. Why PM Modi can't convince EU to waive patents

As External Affairs Minister S. concerns last week to support at EU negotiations on trade and Jaishankar returns home from the the WTO the waiver of intellectual investment, adding, "Our G-7 foreign ministerial meeting in property rights on Covid vaccines. collaboration is essential to London - where he was isolated US representative to the WTO stopping the Covid-19 pandemic over a false Covid alarm - the Katherine Tai tweeted that and ensuring a sustainable and news is that India will not be "extraordinary times and inclusive recovery in a more digital distracted by gloom-doom circumstances call for and greener world." coverage of the second wave of extraordinary measures." But the EU was not having any the pandemic in the Western Russian President Vladimir Putin of it.German Chancellor Angela press, whether in the prestigious approved the plan. His country Merkel, who first made her Lancet health journal, or in The has already registered four Covid dissatisfaction felt, pointed out New Yorker.In an editorial, the vaccines - one of which, Sputnik that even if there was a waiver of Lancet said that "Prime Minister V, has landed in India and is intellectual property rights for Narendra Modi's government has awaiting clearance for Covid vaccines, it would help the remove the export ban on abroad. India seemed so taken seemed more intent on removing manufacturing.Over the weekend, developing countries only in the vaccines. Despite denials by with its own efforts it seems criticism on Twitter than trying to though, all hell broke loose in long run.Vaccine production is British Prime Minister Boris unlikely that the Ministry of control the pandemic", while Europe. At a European Union costly and takes time. India, Johnson, Europeans insist the External Affairs even checked noted journalist Steve Coll wrote (EU) summit in Porto, Portugal, which needs the vaccines as UK has gone back on its promise with the Ministry of Health to ask in The New Yorker to say that several leaders expressed their soon as possible to protect its to export the Oxford-AstraZeneca how many doses India could "the coronavirus thrives off of unhappiness at being dragged by population, needs much more vaccine to the EU.Macron and spare.World has questions for complacent leaders, such as the US into supporting India's urgent measures, goes the Draghi are partially right. The US, India - Over the last few weeks, Prime Minister Narendra Modi". demand for patent waiver at the German argument.French which only recently promised to then, the world has been asking But this week, New Delhi has WTO.India-EU, not on the same President Emmanuel Macron, export some of the AstraZeneca one question: What has India more pressing issues at hand, page -Notably, PM Modi, also on whose government signed an stockpile that it is not using to done to contain the pandemic, especially at the World Trade the weekend, held a virtual agreement with India to sell 36 India, has invoked various even as it now demands the Organization (WTO). The news is summit with EU leaders, which Rafale fighter jets for Rs 59,000 domestic laws preventing its world move heaven and earth at that Europe is unhappy about included EU Commission crore, echoed Merkel. Accusing companies from exporting the the WTO? Apart from Modi following the United States' lead president Ursula von der Leyen, the US of not sharing its unused vaccines, and poured money into arrogantly declaring an early end in waiving Covid vaccine patents, European Council head Charles stockpile of AstraZeneca domestic pharma giants so as to of the pandemic, New Delhi did so that companies in developing Michel, and Portugal President vaccine, Macron said, "100 per fast-forward the production of not genome sequence enough countries can ramp up production Antonio Costa - who is of Indian cent of the vaccines produced in vaccines for its own population. samples, which would have given and protect people from the descent, from Goa, and the US are for the American India did nothing of the sort, and the information to enable the damaging effects of the rapidly occasionally known as the market."Italian Prime Minister exported 6.6 crore doses to 93 scientific tools to deal with the mutating coronavirus. 'Gandhi of Lisbon' because he Mario Draghi said bluntly, "The countries - enough to vaccinate mutating virus, nor did it ramp up Certainly, the US has kept its turned around a crime-ridden fact of liberalising the patents, the adult population of both Delhi vaccine production in time. word. Along with planeloads of neighbourhood when he was the even temporarily, does not and Mumbai - under its Vaccine Off the record, diplomats are now material aid to India, the Joe city's mayor. guarantee the production of the Maitri initiative, essentially an asking much more. Why is India Biden administration ignored its Over four tweets, Modi waxed vaccine."Both France and Italy effort to counter China's not buying vaccines from abroad, own pharma giant Pfizer's eloquent about the revival of India- asked the US and the UK to expanding vaccine influence when, for example, the EU has just signed a deal with Pfizer to buy 1.8 billion doses, at $23 a dose? Is that too expensive for India? Second, how much money has Don't dilute green safeguards India allocated for purchasing vaccines? The answer, only Rs Economic growth is a key national imperative. But it will 35,000 crore, is just for states to manage their "vaccination drive" not be possible to sustain high growth by using short-cuts. and none for the Centre. Finance Last week, the environ- ties had a chance to voice their Minister Nirmala Sitharaman is ment ministry allowed compa- opinions. An example is the now saying that the corpus could nies in several industries to ex- Andaman water aerodrome go up according to the demand. pand capacity, based on a self- project. The green assessment Fact is, India has recently changed certification that their operations of this new project has estab- its policy for importing vaccines, will not increase the pollution lished that the site for the con- except that it is still hampered by load. This is in line with the struction of the terminal build- too many ifs and buts - including amendments in the Environmen- ing and associate infrastruc- the precondition that imported tal Impact Assessment (EIA) no- ture will impact mangroves, vaccines will not be used by the tification, 2006, in 2016 and which are natural green barri- government and all authorisations 2020, which introduced the prin- ers, and that the local admin- for approvals and licenses will be ciples of "no increase in pollu- istration has no mitigation the responsibility of the importer. tion load", and exemption from plan. A ministry panel has Dr Reddy's Labs, so far, is the seeking environment clearance processing, pesticides, hoods. Prior to these exemp- now raised questions, based only Indian company to have if the resultant increase of pro- fertilisers, and synthetic chemi- tions, an EIA could systemati- on this EIA. Economic growth signed on with Russia's RDIF for duction capacity was less than cals such as paint, cement, pet- cally examine both beneficial is a key national imperative. Sputnik V.As India logs in more 50%. This was expanded in a rochemicals, and sugar, which and adverse consequences But it will not be possible to than 4,000 deaths a day and March 2021 notification, which already have a gigantic environ- of the project and plan for sustain high growth by using infections cross 400,000 on a allowed any amount of expan- mental footprint. This fast-track mitigation in the project- short-cuts. The economy and regular basis, there's perhaps sion - applicable to industries clearance can harm the environ- planning cycle. Impor- the environment are interlinked just one more question left: How such as coal-washing, mineral ment as well as lives and liveli- tantly, the local communi- in more ways than one. much worse can it get? Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 OPINION 18

Republic TV has become a channel ofOne doctor calm on Zee News tells and India Today asking 'where's my vaccine?' News channels are looking all over the place, trying to make sense of the second Covid wave. Fact is, nobody quite knows.

It's a measure of how allegedly, investigated India Today interviewed people of vaccines", and had "floated Meanwhile, ABP News is in a confused everyone is about weaponising coronaviruses. who had tried and failed to obtain tenders to procure 4 crore celebratory mood: 'Covid will everything related to the According to one Captain (retd) a vaccine slot. doses". lose and lose very soon,' it coronavirus 'catastrophe' (Mirror Alok Bansal, the expert chosen Aaj Tak found people queuing up Cut to Zee News and a village prophesied, adding that India had Now) in India that news channels by the channel, India's Covid for vaccination at a Jaipur near Baghpat, UP, where the vaccinated more people and are not merely 'gasping' at what numbers were under control until hospital where no vaccines were reporter found no hospitals, faster than the US, UK and they behold, but they're also the India-China standoff at the available. government or private. "There is China.What solace is that to the grasping at straws. Line of Actual Control (LAC) last Earlier Wednesday, channels only death," mourned one woman who has spent five days Perhaps they reflect the June. Then the graph began to had Delhi's deputy chief minister villager. trying to book a vaccine slot but unorganised-disorganised rise, 'not a natural phenomenon' Manish Sisodia telling us the Cut to Republic TV: 'WHO to no avail (News 24), or to the response of the authorities to - apparently, China unleashed capital had all but run out of praises UP for Covid grey-haired wife who is making what is a petrifying human bio-warfare on India and vaccines. management'. CNN News18 the rounds of Mumbai to get her tragedy - you have only to watch presumably continues to do so. A case of vaccines, vaccines quotes the UP Chief Minister husband vaccinated-he took the news to see what India Today Channels like Zee News and everywhere, but not a jab to get? saying 'Tackled second wave'. Covaxin and is already 12 days calls the 'chaos'. CNN News 18 also broadcast the (Apologies, Coleridge). Or, as Then switch back to Mirror Now late for the second dose (India And in the middle of all the news but without the LAC India Today said, 'Chaos'. where people on the streets in TV)? 'Chaos'. - So too is the mayhem, Republic TV has conspiracy theory. Onto the bodies Ayodhya, UP complained that medical advice that is being become a channel of calm. Given This is just one example of how And then there were the bodies. the medical infrastructure is freely dispensed across news its history of vitriolic broadcasts, channels are looking hither and Times Now asked, 'Who is to "shoddy". channels, daily. It is so this is a warning that something thither, all over the place, trying blame for the indignity?' as it Confused? So you should be. confusing. News 24 told us the is wrong, very wrong. to make sense of what is screened images of bodies in Vaccination story is no different Goa government has said every Republic TV has been reporting happening. Fact is, nobody quite rivers at five different places in The same confusion visits the adult should take the drug the news, not airing its views: knows. Bihar, Uttar Pradesh and vaccination story. One moment ivermectin. Dr. D.N. Rana at 'Surge in cases in Tripura', 'PM Take a look at a random choice Madhya Pradesh. CNN News 18 is telling us how Delhi's Sir Ganga Ram Hospital speaks to 4 CMs', 'Aid arrives of Wednesday afternoon stories 'Rivers of life now channels of Covaxin is set for trials on says he took it - he still got the from S. Korea', 'Covid treatment- at approximately 2.30 pm. despair' was its epitaph. On Aaj children and in the other it corona. Did it help, asks the effect and impact', 'Metro in Delhi On Mirror Now, a video of police Tak, we saw the naked bodies informs that states say they have anchor, "Can't say," replied the stopped' - that's a sample of its beating up a man who stepped bobbing up and down quite no vaccines. good doctor.Story after story on bland, straightforward headlines out to buy medicines for a clearly despite the mosaic film India Today asks "Where's my channel after channel showed us this week. patient. covering them. vaccine?'' The channel features people lining up to buy remdesivir And then, this happened: on Republic TV said WHO had Bharat Samachar claimed there adults aged above 45 years who - the drug was being sold in the Monday afternoon, the channel issued a clarification on the were 1,200 to 1,400-plus bodies try to be vaccinated in Mumbai black too, just like oxygen. discovered the real cause and 'Indian' variant - now, there is no floating in the river - the 'stench' and Delhi and come a cropper. But doctors in TV studios, like culprit of the deadly surge of such thing. from them intolerable to those If there are no vaccines for the Dr M.C. Mishra, formerly virus: China's 'biological warfare', CNN News 18 considered the living by the river bed. 60-plus age group, what will we AIIMS, tell us remdesivir is not attributed to a 2015 report by possibility of vaccines for Switch to News X - it said Uttar do for the children - even if part of Corona protocol (Zee Chinese military scientists who, youngsters. Pradesh had the "Highest stock Covaxin is approved for them? News). Huh? Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 VIEW POINT 19 A Faulty System And Beloved Ranjana's Death On a really hot summer is the highest in the world. admit her. So, no hospital - day, in May 1980, a group of Millions of families in India Covid or non-Covid - could take women were marching down a are touched by the dark shadow here. Many patients we were small, dusty lane in a workers' of Covid. A son, a daughter, a told faced the same problem colony in Faridabad, enthusias- parent, a sibling, a friend, a because of the inaccuracy of tically shouting slogans as part partner, a colleague in a fac- tests. Either way, the patient of a campaign against dowry. tory, a neighbour in a village - suffers. There are patients who They were undeterred that there lost, sometimes in a matter of may be treated at home through was not a person to be seen days. A collective mourning tele-consultation and a provision except when a window, shut- spreads across India. Many of oxygen supply. That is what tered to keep out the searing have written about the terrible experts constantly say on na- heat, would open slightly through experience of a personal trag- tional television. Don't panic. the march, and a woman would edy relating it to the wider is- True. But what about those who peak her head out to see what sue of policy. So it is with like Ranjana need urgent hos- the noisy slogans were about. Ranjana too. Questions which pitalization? A second RT-PCR neously said she did not have but not a Covid positive report. Ranjana and I paused, looked at need answers and solutions to test was conducted, but the re- Covid, she would not be admit- They had a very limited num- each other and laughed out help cut the suffering of others port was delayed. Meanwhile, ted. It was only a week later that ber of beds and we were fortu- aloud with the same thought in affected. the Covid effects worsened and the Health Ministry's expert nate that a bed did become our minds - a thought which she What happens when a pa- her oxygen level plummeted. panel woke up to the court or- available. Only a few hospitals voiced. "Only crazy women and tient has Covid symptoms but Coincidentally, around the der to issue guidelines that lack have such wards. Surely many Communists out in the noon day the RT-PCR test is negative? same time as our desperate of a positive test should not more hospitals should also sun!" This is the question we faced. search for a hospital, the Delhi hamper admission, but whether start such facilities of a SARI Ranjana Nirula. Age 75. Com- The CT scan Ranjana had for High Court was hearing a peti- anything has changed on the ward, which serves as a tier of munist. Trade union and her lungs after she developed tion on exactly this issue. It di- ground is doubtful. treatment for patients sus- women's rights activist. Covid-like symptoms showed a rected the Delhi Government What if the test had not been pected of Covid but without a Convenor of the All India ASHA score of 12/25. Ranjana's doc- that patients with Covid symp- wrong, what if hospitals had not positive report. Workers' Union. Editor of the tor advised hospital admission toms must be admitted without denied Ranjana admission? Did Within two or three days, the journal "Voice of the Working because of serious a positive PCR report. But we the delay affect her condition test done by the hospital Woman". Beloved friend to comorbidities. But because her found, to our dismay, the order irreversibly? showed that Ranjana was in- many, comrade, mentor to hun- RT-PCR test was negative, no made not a jot of difference to The government-run Ram deed positive for Covid. She dreds of young people, fifty years Covid-designated hospital the admission protocols being Manohar Lohia hospital became was shifted to the Covid ward devoted to the struggle for jus- would admit her. The private followed. After the High Court's our lifeline. Here, a most hu- from the SARI ward.This is tice. Full of fun and humour, with hospital where she had earlier order, a senior doctor at AIIMS mane and helpful senior doctor where we faced the second is- a dazzling smile, always opti- been treated for other ailments messaged me saying, "Bring informed us that the hospital sue which is perhaps common mistic even in the worst of times. was not a Covid hospital. They patient to emergency for help, had a SARI ward. This is the to all Covid-affected hospital- Ranjana died last night of Covid. held that even though she had but for admission, will require acronym for "Severe Acute Res- ized patients and their families: She is one of the 4,000, the av- tested negative, since her CT antigen test." This meant that piratory Illness". To this ward, the almost impenetrable wall of erage number of deaths in India scan showed typical Covid lung if the antigen test, known for of- the hospital was admitting pa- separation around a Covid ward in a single day, a death toll that damage of 30%, they could not ten giving false negatives, erro- tients who had Covid symptoms or ICU. Congress Has To Quickly Flank RG With Manmohan Singh PM Modi has never been more politically campaigns. The second is that India's corporates have suming middle-classes. The consistent bad press vulnerable. Even the proverbial uncles in family a huge influence over a large part of our national me- that Rahul Gandhi has got over the years has a lot WhatsApp groups aren't standing up for him any- dia, partly through ownership and partly through to do with his perceived 'left-wing' tendencies. more. Some say this is the Modi government's 'Anna advertising.Let us begin with the issue of campaign There is little doubt that the Congress is the only moment'. That agitation cost the UPA its street-cred finance. India had about 91 crore eligible voters in pan-national party that can challenge the BJP. It won within just two years of returning to power with a 2019. This is likely to rise to about 96 crore by 2024. close to 20 percent of the popular vote in 2019. The bigger mandate. Now, exactly two years after Modi If one assumes a similar turnout, we can assume closest that any other non-BJP party came to that seemed invincible, his poor handling of Covid has that about 64 crore people will actually vote in the was the Trinamool with 4 percent. There is equally opened up a chink in the BJP's armour. If India was next Lok Sabha elections. If the Congress wants to little doubt that the Congress will find it very tough against corruption in 2011, today it is united against lead a coalition government at the centre, it will need to cross 100 seats. So, it needs to position itself incompetence.Till now the PM has ridden on his at least 100 seats and a 25 percent vote-share. That as the leader of a new opposition alliance that can TINA factor - There is No Alternative. This had kept means getting about 16 crore people to vote for the together win a majority.The problem with the Con- fence-sitters, especially amongst India's affluent party.Let's look at the math: In 2019, the BJP spent gress is that the Gandhis are its only pan- middle-class, on the BJP's side in 2019. Now these an estimated Rs 27,000 crore and won about 23 crore India brand. Rahul is both the party's best people are beginning to question their choice. Rahul votes. That means it spent about Rs 1,200 per vote. bet and its biggest liability. If the Congress Gandhi is suddenly getting good press from liber- That's equal to roughly Rs 1,500 per voter in 2024 wants support from India's ruling elite and a als who considered him a ninny. The political at- prices. So, to keep pace, the Congress will need about section of the country's big business houses, mosphere is such that there have been no calls for Rs 24,000 crore to get 25 percent votes in the next it will have to ring-fence Rahul with a set of the Gandhis to quit the Congress, despite the party's election. All it managed to spend in 2019 was Rs 10- faces that are more acceptable to those who abysmal performance in the recent assembly 12,000 crore, less than half of what the BJP spent. hold money and power. The crucial face here polls.However, just a sudden anti-Modi tide is not This is because India's moneybags did not trust Rahul is that of Manmohan Singh. Ever since the sec- enough. Several other things have to turn in the Gandhi's politics. His anti-corporate and overtly so- ond wave began, social media has been full of memes opposition's favour for it to put up any serious chal- cialist rhetoric wasn't going to win him any fans in propagating the virtues of the former PM. In any case, lenge. The most crucial among these is India Inc. FICCI or CII. This also alienated India's ruling elite - even in 2014, India's middle class did not dislike the There are two reasons for this. The first, and most from opinion-builders such as journalists, columnists, 'accidental Prime Minister'. They only faulted him for crucial, is that they provide the funds for election lawyers and public intellectuals, to the opinion-con- being too gentle and timid. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 PERSPECTIVE 20 Congress Proves It Has Zero Interest In Really Changing it failed in its bid to retain the continues to call the shots. The the West Bengal polls even government. In Kerala, it failed to party has failed in persuading him though the Congress was build on the promise of its to take up the responsibility once contesting the state elections in performance of the 2019 Lok again, and in finding a alliance with the Left parties. Sabha elections where it won 15 replacement. Sonia Gandhi For a party that once ruled the of the 20 Lok Sabha seats from continues interim chief. The length and breadth of the country, the state. Not only did it fail to situation is unlikely to be the Congress appears to have prevent the LDF from forming the resolved anytime soon with the forgotten how to win elections. government for a second party having decided at today's The party's dismal showing has consecutive term, but for the first session to postpone the coincided with the rise and time in several decades, its elections that were slated for emergence of regional parties showing was as poor as landing June 23 to elect the new party and leaders like Mamata 21 of the 140 assembly seats. chief and members of the CWC. Banerjee. In 2004 and This despite a vigorous campaign So far, the 'G-23 rebel' have kept subsequent general election, the The more things change, headed by veteran party leader AK by Rahul Gandhi. their powder dry after the election Congress continued to be the the more they remain the same - Antony. Little is known of its In West Bengal, it had to face results with leaders liked Ghulam core around which anti-BJP certainly in the Congress party. findings or its recommendations. the ignominy of not winning a Nabi Azad stressing that what the forces coalesced. That situation The party has decided to set up A similar exercise was single assembly seat, taking the party needs right now is unity. could change now. The yet another committee to look undertaken again after the 2019 tally of states where the once The ground is slipping rapidly Congress, given its dismal into its rout in the recent round of polls, but nothing has changed in mighty party has no from under the Congress party's electoral performance, can no assembly elections. Interim party the functioning of the party to representation at all to six - feet. Its political footprint across longer claim the right to lead the chief Sonia Gandhi told the suggest that any lessons were Andhra Pradesh, Delhi, Tripura, the country has shrunk even Opposition challenge to Modi in Congress Working Committee learnt. Nagaland, Sikkim, and now further, and it is in power on its 2024. Mamata Banerjee, by (CWC), the party's apex decision- The party certainly has a lot to Bengal. The only consolation for own only in Punjab, Rajasthan virtue of being a three-time Chief making body, that she expected worry about. In the past seven the party to chew on was the fact and Chhattisgarh. The party is no Minister, has emerged as a senior party leaders from Assam, years, out of a total of 39 state that it was a part of the winning longer in a position to deal with powerful claimant to that Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Bengal and assembly elections, it has won alliance in Tamil Nadu. its allies from a position of position. Puducherry to explain why the only five assembly elections on Apart from its dismal electoral strength, with allies like the DMK Sonia Gandhi was extremely party had performed so poorly. its own. Its performance in the record, what appears to worry the now dictating terms when it forthright in her opening remarks This is not the first time that the states that went to the polls average the Congress worker is comes to seat-sharing. saying that "the results clearly party chief has commissioned recently was downright poor. In the seeming inability of its leaders The first signs of restiveness tell us that we need to put our such an exercise. In the Assam, its audacious gamble of to learn from their mistakes and amongst allies have begun to house in order". It will require a aftermath of the 2014 Lok Sabha aligning with the AUDF failed to apply correctives. Though two appear. Lalu Yadav's RJD and lot more than mere plain speaking debacle, a similar exercise was prevent the BJP from coming years have passed since Rahul Sharad Pawar's NCP rallied for the party to come out of the undertaken by a committee back to power; and in Puducherry, Gandhi resigned as President, he behind Mamata Banerjee during situation it finds itself in. Jugaad Can't Fix A Broken System. Time To Rebuild Health Care

Covid-19 related deaths others, including the self- working paper by Duke University in India are expected to double employed, pay for their own researchers. To begin with, the in the coming weeks. People treatment. Costs are rising eligibility criteria rely on a 10- across socioeconomic classes because of a growing year-old census, and exclude are being cremated en masse in dependence on private hospitals many potential participants large holes in the ground. The and clinics. because of inconsistent data. ordeal doesn't even end with Two years ago, after several failed What's more, outpatient services, death. Medical bills are piling up, attempts at universal coverage, which account for 60% of out-of- a burden large enough to tip Prime Minister Narendra Modi's pocket expenditure, aren't working-class families into multi- administration unveiled what it included. Another area of generational poverty. Younger called the world's largest health concern is the program's adults desperate for vaccines are insurance plan, targeting over 107 dependence on private hospitals. effectively being forced to pay for million people - the poorest 40% Finally, if the insurance did fully them, while those most at risk of the population. It was meant to cover its intended beneficiaries, aren't adequately insured. The be a better version of a decade- the cost would far exceed budget serious about a minimum - and insurance. Co-payments on state's threadbare safety net has old policy that fell short in terms allocations.For a country battling rising - standard of care for prescriptions as well as all but collapsed. of the amount reimbursed and its the most severe surge of the everyone.As an alternative physician visits are reasonable, In normal times, most Indians cap on the number of people pandemic the world has seen, it's model, Taiwan stands out, and and capped at about $7 and $14, use savings, borrow and call on enrolled from one household. hard to start thinking about long- not just because of its globally respectively. Hospital stays, too, friends and family to pay for Under the new plan, families are term changes. India is now acknowledged success in fighting have cost limits. It wasn't always health care, assuming it's covered for up to 500,000 rupees considering setting up a fund the Covid-19 pandemic. Although like this. Before 1995, four out of accessible. Out-of-pocket ($6,670) for medical procedures. worth at least 1 trillion rupees to its population of 23 million isn't 10 people in Taiwan didn't have any expenses are among the highest Eligibility was widened and is support the uninsured, the comparable to India's 1.4 billion, medical insurance. For all its in the world. More than 60% of based on several "deprivation" Hindustan Times reported last Taiwan's fundamentally strong export-powered boom in the the population isn't covered by criteria in rural and urban areas. week. Helping the population health care holds valuable preceding decades, the capitalist insurance. Government workers Yet the new policy hasn't through a third wave is the lessons. All long-term residents society's score in treating can get some protection under a "effectively improved" access to obvious priority. But now is the are covered under a preventable deaths was worse than few different plans, but most health care, according to a time for policy makers to get comprehensive national countries behind the Iron Curtain. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 ADVERTISEMENT 21 Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 NEWS ANALYSIS 22 US Looking At Joint Production Of Johnson And Johnson's In India Last month, the White House said that the US plans to share 60 million doses of AstraZeneca's vaccine globally as soon as they become available, and India expected a significant chunk of the total stockpile.

(News Agencies)-The vaccine globally as soon as they Administration of the US has not US is looking at joint production become available, and India certified that these vaccines are of Johnson and Johnson's expected a significant chunk of available for anyone''s use; for COVID-19 vaccine in India and the total stockpile. export or not," he said. ways to help manufacturers like At a media briefing, Smith said "So I cannot say when that will the Serum Institute of India (SII) the US was concerned over the happen or what will be done to boost production, Daniel B current course of the pandemic exactly as we go forward on this," Smith, the Charge D'Affaires of in India, not simply because of Smith said when asked whether the US embassy, said on the humanitarian catastrophe but the US was going to make the pandemic. that are underway from Tuesday. also due to the fact that it has available the AstraZeneca vaccine To a question on joint production pharmaceutical companies to Smith also said that the efficacy global implications, noting that doses to India on an urgent basis. of coronavirus vaccines, Smith pharmaceutical companies," he of AstraZeneca's COVID-19 the Biden administration was He said the US was eager to said the setting up of joint said."We are determined to do all vaccine manufactured at a standing with New Delhi to help supply the vaccine doses to the productions takes time and that we can as a government to production facility in Baltimore is deal with the crisis. world but not before it is sure that the US was looking at how it can encourage licensing and not yet clear and the Food and "I know that there are a number they are safe and effective. invest in boosting production. encourage more production and Drug Administration has not yet of doses of the AstraZeneca Smith, who recently served as "Our development finance if there is a need for capital, we certified that the doses are vaccine (with the US). They were acting Secretary of State and cooperation is looking at how we will look at what we can provide available for anyone's use or for manufactured in the US. They acting Deputy Secretary of State, can invest so that we can help and whether we can provide export. were manufactured at a plant was appointed as Charge produce the Johnson and assistance," he said. Last month, the White House outside of Baltimore but there d''Affaires primarily to oversee Johnson''s vaccine here in India. Smith said India's role in the said that the US plans to share were problems with this plant. So and coordinate the US' And I know that there are some production of COVID-19 vaccines 60 million doses of AstraZeneca's far the Food and Drug assistance to India in dealing with private sector production talks at the global stage is critical. Why India ran out of oxygen despite boosting capacity more than 125% Although the Indian government has claimed a 129 per cent increase in oxygen production since August 2020, the country faced an acute shortage of medical oxygen during the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic.

weeks is linked to the ferocious 70 days for the pandemic to cubic metres on May 5, the second wave that began on infect 11.5 million, or 12 per cent PATH tracker shows.September March 1.According to WHO more, in only 70 days since 2020 is when India had fresh estimates, nearly 15 per cent of March 1, 2021, available data cases spiking. And the second Covid-19 patients are required to show.The vertical rise in the wave took an ominous turn after have oxygen therapy. number of daily cases in the the third week of April this year. So, sample these statistics: In country now is, therefore, Oxygen Outlook in India its first phase starting March proportionate to the number of Mohammad Ameel, who heads (News Agencies)-India's 73,295 and India 4,12,431 new 2020, the pandemic took almost patients requiring oxygen therapy. PATH India's Primary Health demand for medical oxygen cases. ten months to infect more than Oxygen Demand in India and Care, Technology and Innovations surpassed Brazil's six-fold on The Indian government claims to ten million people in India. But in elsewhere - PATH, which tracks section, is hopeful that the May 5. have increased oxygen the second, the disease took just oxygen demand on the basis of country's "severe medical The difference was perhaps production by 129 per cent since ten weeks to sicken more than WHO data, reckons that the oxygen supply crisis is expected reflective of the huge gap in August 2020. 11 million in the country. demand in September 2020 was to ease by mid-May with output number of fresh Covid-19 cases Oxygen Therapy for Covid-19 Precisely, India added 10.2 close to four million cubic metres rising by 25 per cent and in the two countries. Patients million Covid-19 cases in around in India. transport infrastructure ready to On May 5, Brazil recorded But the unmet demand in the past 296 days in 2020. And it took only It jumped to nearly 17 million cope with a surge in demand". Bodies found floating in Ganga. Can rivers spread Covid-19? The images of bodies floating in There is lack of clarity whether a dead equipment (PPE) including masks and happen in the case of the deceased whose the Ganga river are disturbing. More than body is infectious for Covid-19. Many eyewear, hand sanitisation and also bodies were found floating in Ganga in 70 bodies have been recovered from the experts dismiss the possibility of a dead disinfecting of bag containing the dead Bihar and Uttar Pradesh."People who river in Bihar and Uttar Pradesh. Local body posing a Covid-19 risk. However, body. In the UK, the guidance for care of need to come into contact with the reports claim more than 100 bodies have authorities continue to have body disposal the deceased with suspected or deceased or who work in services been dumped into the river. protocol for Covid-19 cases. confirmed coronavirus (Covid-19), updated providing care for the deceased are The discovery of bodies has triggered Health agencies in India prescribe utmost on April 22 this year, provide more protected from infection". In the US, panic over the spread of Covid-19 through care in the handling of the bodies of elaborate protocols for different group of however, the protocol is little different. It Ganga river water. Can rivers spread people succumbing to Covid-19. The handlers including health workers, makes a distinction from highly infectious Covid-19? guidelines issued by the Union health municipal professionals and family Ebola in the cases of deaths occurring This question involves answer to two other ministry and the All India Institute of members or relatives. from Covid-19. The US Centers for critical questions: Does Covid-19 spread Medical Sciences (AIIMS) suggest there It declares its objective as two-pronged Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) from a dead body? Does Covid-19 spread is a possibility of coronavirus infection in to ensure that: says, "Based on what we know now, it is through water? handling dead bodies. "The deceased are treated with sensitivity, believed there is little risk of getting Does Covid-19 spread from a dead body? They prescribe use of personal protective dignity and respect" - which did not COVID-19 from a dead body." Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 NEWS ANALYSIS 23 Why WHO called Indian variant How IAF, Navy have pressed transport planes, ships to bring Covid relief to India of SARS-CoV-2 a global concern (News Agencies)-The hours as of May 12. Indian Air Force (IAF) has flown The IAF's C17 and IL76 transport (News Agencies)-Launching a Reduced neutralization by Covid-19 vaccine Covaxin - had 732 sorties with a flying time of aircraft, crucial for heavy lift "Together for India" campaign, the antibodies said in April that its jab over 1400 hours shuttling across capabilities, have been pressed World Health Organisation Reduced efficacy of drugs and neutralised UK, Brazil and Indian the world and within the country into action to ensure quick airlift (WHO) on Monday upgraded its treatment Covid-19 variants. There are three transporting Covid relief material of bulky oxygen containers and concern over the Indian variant of Reduced efficacy of vaccines or lineages or versions of the Indian over the past month as the oxygen generation plants to the SARS-CoV-2, the coronavirus vaccine escape ability Covid-19 variant - B.1.617.1, country battles the ravaging augment the supply of liquid that causes Covid-19. The WHO The WHO said preliminary B.1.617.2 and B.1.617.3. Of second wave of infections. medical oxygen in the country. has dubbed the Indian Covid-19 studies showed that the Indian these, the B.1.617.2 has been In the 98 sorties abroad, flying The acute shortage of medical variant as a "variant of found to be of most 480 hours, the IAF airlifted 95 oxygen had led to a major crisis global concern". concern because of its oxygen containers that have a across states, that have caused It is the same variant increasedcapacity of 793 metric tons and deaths of critical Covid patients that was detected in transmissibility. The US's other relief material like oxygen over the past weeks. This Maharashtra with health agency, Centers generators and concentrators prompted IAF to launch a war-like double mutations. It for Disease Control and from UAE, Thailand, Singapore, mission to airlift oxygen is now in the same Prevention (CDC) has Germany, Australia, Indonesia, containers. category as the classified all three variants Israel and UK. The Indian Navy has also been variants detected in as VOCs. In India, IAF has flown 634 part of operations to bring Covid the United Kingdom, Classifying a variant as sorties, carrying 403 empty relief material from abroad. Nine South Africa and Brazil. variant - identified as B.1.617 - a VOC is the second stage oxygen containers with a warships have been a pressed into Earlier, the Indian Covid-19 variant spreads easily compared to other of categorisation a capacity of 6856.2 metric ton action and four have till now was a "variant of interest" (VOI). variants. WHO epidemiologist threatening strain. The third along with other equipment. The reached home with oxygen The elevation from VOI to "variant Maria Van Kerkhove said the stage is 'Variant of High IAF operations to airlift material tankers and other material. of concern" (VOC) is done when Indian variant also showed a Consequence' (VOHC). A started April 16 and it was on April Three Indian Navy Ships reached a SARS-CoV-2 mutant shows higher resistance to vaccine- variant is put in this category 24 that the IAF made its first Visakhapatnam, Mumbai and evidence of fulfilling at least one enabled immunity. when it is proven that the sortie abroad to pick up oxygen New Mangalore on May 10 with of the following criteria: The Indian Council of Medical virus strain is immune to both tankers from Singapore. Covid relief supplies from different Easier transmission Research (ICMR) - which was a treatment protocol and vaccines or Within a week, the flying hours countries to be distributed in Increased severity of illness partner in the development of the preventive protocol. have increased from 500 to 1400 various Indian cities. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 SOUTH ASIA 24 Maldives Bans Travellers From India, 6 Other South Asian Nations one month ago. Indians have been the largest Neighbouring Sri Lanka has also Authorities said tourist arrivals single group of visitors to the announced a night curfew until from the key Indian market and Maldives this year. Bollywood the end of the month and ordered other South Asian countries stars such as Alia Bhatt and her a three-day shutdown from Friday would stop from Thursday. They partner Ranbir Kapoor are among as part of its anti-virus campaign. have already banned the entry of celebrities to have been pictured People have been banned from foreign labourers from around using the country as an escape travelling outside of their home South Asia except health from the pandemic. provinces after medical experts workers. Travellers from other countries are warned Sri Lanka's healthcare "These restrictions apply to still permitted to travel to the system could collapse unless travellers originating from Maldives with a negative immediate lockdown measures Afghanistan, Bangladesh, coronavirus test but are not were implemented. Bhutan, India, Nepal, Pakistan allowed to have contact with the About 60 percent of the Maldives' and Sri Lanka," Maldives local population. resident population of 515,000 (News Agencies)-The Maldives on more than three months last Immigration said in a statement. A curfew from 9 pm to 4 am has has received a shot -- one of the Wednesday banned travellers year, saw a record single-day rise Anyone who has only transited been extended to start at 4 pm world's highest figures -- but less from across South Asia in a bid of 1,500 cases on Tuesday -- through South Asia would also be as part of measures to counter than a quarter have had two to contain surging Covid-19 compared with less than 100 just included, it added. the virus. injections, a top UN official said. infections despite having one of the world's most successful vaccination roll-outs. PM Modi Speaks With Bhutanese Counterpart, Discusses COVID-19 Situation Sri Lanka and other countries in (News Agencies)-Prime Minister He also appreciated the leadership of the region have also imposed Narendra Modi held a telephonic conversation Bhutan's King Jigme Khesar Namgyel travel restrictions as they battle with his Bhutanese counterpart Lotay Tshering Wangchuck in managing Bhutan's fight a new wave of the virus that has on Tuesday as the two leaders noted that the against the pandemic, and extended his best hit India and its neighbours. coronavirus crisis has further highlighted the wishes to the prime minister for the continuing The Maldives, whose economy special friendship between the two countries. efforts. The leaders noted that the present relies on tourists visiting its The Bhutanese Prime Minister expressed crisis situation has served to further pristine atolls, has suffered a solidarity with the government and the people highlight the special friendship between more than 15-fold increase in of India in their efforts against the recent wave India and Bhutan, anchored in mutual daily infections in the past week. of the COVID-19 pandemic, a statement from thanks to the people and the government of understanding and respect, shared The Indian Ocean nation, which the Prime Minister's Office (PMO) said. Bhutan for their good wishes and support, it cultural heritage, and strong people to halted international flights for Prime Minister Modi conveyed his sincere said. people links, the statement said. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 ADVERTISEMEMT 25 Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 SOUTH ASIA 26 On 5G, India's message to China In Kathmandu, a political twist While maintaining a functional and working relationship with Nepal's Prime Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli has lost China is important, India cannot allow a potential adversary to gain a foothold in its digital and communication infrastructure the confidence of Nepal's Parliament (News Agencies)-Last undermine India's influence, and (News Agencies)-Nepal's Prime policy of equidistance from both largest party - to continue as week, India decided not to include of course, most significantly, Minister (PM) KP Sharma Oli Mr Oli and Mr Deuba (who would PM. All of this is happening when Chinese telecom companies in military incursions across the Line has lost the confidence of Nepal's be PM if the NC formed the next Nepal is going through a the 5G trials. This is the beginning of Actual Control. Don't forget, Parliament. With the Sher government), claiming that devastating wave of Covid-19, of a process to slow down and halt Chinese troops are still in territory Bahadur Deuba-led Nepali neither serve Madhesi interests. with its health care infrastructure China's creeping influence over India considers its own, and the Congress (NC), Prachanda-led This is widely attributed to India's under tremendous strain. Mr Oli India's vital communication disengagement process has Maoist Centre, a faction of Mr advice to Mr Thakur to stay wrote a piece in The Guardian networks. Predictably, Beijing has halted after the Pangong Tso deal. Oli's party led by Madhav Nepal, neutral, since Mr Oli still has desperately seeking objected - but the Government of In this context, while maintaining and the Janata international India's decision, largely driven by a functional and working Samajwadi Party assistance. Nepal's China's unthinking belligerence, is relationship with China is (JSP) - a largely vaccination plans the right step. In recent years, it important, India cannot allow a Madhesi formation - have also slowed has become clear that China potential adversary - which has either opposing the down because of wants a unipolar Asia. This has shown both the intention and PM or abstaining India's own internal not only resulted in Beijing actively capability of undermining India - from Monday's vote, vaccine shortage, blocking the rise of other regional to gain a foothold in its digital and Mr Oli is now a resulting in powers in the continent through communication infrastructure. caretaker PM. But restrictions on diplomatic means, but India is better served being aligned this does not mean outside supplies. For undertaking aggressive military with western democracies on the that the political Nepal to focus on the measures. India has been a victim issue - and it is no surprise that turmoil in Nepal is over; in fact, New Delhi's support. Another emergency at hand, the first step of this mindset on a range of fronts there has been a vibrant debate it may just mark the beginning faction, led by another Madhesi is having a legitimate and fully - be it through Beijing's alliance in Washington and European of another round of volatility. To leader Upendra Yadav and former functional government with Pakistan and the China- capitals on the pitfalls of giving form an alternative government, PM Baburam Bhattarai, is keen immediately. India's support, the Pakistan Economic Corridor, its China such access to its the NC, Maoists, Mr Nepal's to oust Mr Oli from power - on resultant division in the JSP, and opposition to India's entry in the networks. India, as a close faction, and the JSP now have the grounds that democracy is the indifference of Mr Deuba Nuclear Suppliers Group, its neighbour, has the most at stake. to come together - but the JSP at stake. If a new government himself (he isn't fully sure if active campaign at the United And the message to China is is torn. One faction led by isn't formed, Nepal's president assuming leadership at this time Nations against India's moves on consistent and clear - if you veteran Madhesi leader Mahant will eventually invite Mr Oli again is politically beneficial) may still Kashmir, its explicit interference remain geopolitically hostile, don't Thakur is keen to maintain a - as the leader of the single help Mr Oli stay in power. in neighbouring countries to expect business concessions. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 SOUTH ASIA 27 Pakistan: No More Military China's population growth is slowing. And that Bases for US Afghan Mission can be a problem for the rest of the world (News Agencies)-Pakistan ruled officials have not named (News Agencies)- 70% a decade ago, while the resisted prodding by officials to out Tuesday the possibility of Pakistan, which shares a China's slowest population growth share of residents aged 60 and churn out more kids. Yet each has again providing its military bases nearly 2,600-kilometers border in decades may be felt more above jumped. More than half of first-class infrastructure, great to the United States for future with Afghanistan, nor have they acutely beyond its borders than Chinese citizens now live in cities. schools, high standards of living counterterrorism operations in commented on media within them. The economy will While it's possible that China's and a niche in technology supply Afghanistan after U.S. troops speculation that the subject of keep humming and incomes can headcount will actually decline in chains that gives them a shot at leave the conflict-torn neighbor by bases might be under bilateral continue to climb, albeit at a slower a few years, that doesn't mean a long-term prosperity in the September 11. Foreign Minister discussions. Qureshi noted rate. The rest of us, however, will crisis is looming. Some of the pandemic era. Shah Mehmood Qureshi made that Pakistan has also been need to adjust to a persistently world's wealthiest economies have China need not fear for its the remarks to reporters in consistently using its leverage slacker pace of global commercial viability Islamabad, explaining that his over the Taliban, who have been expansion and the just because this government has adopted a policy waging a deadly insurgency prospective ebbing of inevitable byproduct of that allows it to become "only against the U.S.-backed Afghan deflationary pressure. progress has caught partners in peace" and not join government, to encourage them The caricature of up with it. After all, it's any future U.S. war."No sir, we to stop their violent campaign China as an unlimited a relatively common do not intend to allow boots on and negotiate a political supplier of cheap labor pattern of economic the ground and no [U.S.] bases sattlement with Afghan rivals. holding down the cost development: Living are being transferred to The foreign minister said "we of everything from standards rise, people Pakistan," Qureshi said when feel" the Taliban's engagement dishwashers to dolls spend more time in asked whether his government is in the Afghan peace process should be consigned school, get married under pressure to give military would bring and enhance the to the history books. wrestled with population retreat - later, wrestle with more expensive bases to the U.S.President Joe "international respectability and Beijing's once-in-a-decade census or something close to it. Japan's living costs and want to spend Biden's administration has recognition" that the group showed there were 1.412 billion population peaked in 2010 and more on the children they do have. acknowledged it is in talks with required."If they want to be people in China last year. The South Korea logged its first dip in Even if Beijing has taken steps to several Central Asian neighbors acceptable, if they want delisting annual average growth of 0.53% 2020. Singapore reported its first reverse the damaging one-child of Afghanistan to examine where to take place, if they want in the past decade was the decline since 2003 last year. Each policy imposed under Mao it can reposition troops to prevent recognition then engagement, slowest since 1953. Longstanding of these nations has long Zedong, I doubt it will make much the landlocked country from once giving up violence and looking for trends became more pronounced: contended with an aging society difference. The broader global again becoming a terrorist base a political solution is in their The working-age population and a diminished fertility rate, trend may be too entrenched for for groups like al-Qaida.But U.S. political interest," he said. slumped to 63.4% from more than while citizens have consistently even Beijing's state muscle. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 SOUTH ASIA 28 Japan to bar entry of foreigners from India, Nepal, Pakistan Pakistani PM: No talks until India restores Kashmir autonomy (News Agencies)-Pakistan's Prime Minister on Tuesday ruled out talks with neighboring nuclear-rival India, saying they cannot happen until New Delhi restores the semi-autonomous status of the disputed Himalayan region of Kashmir. Imran Khan's remarks were apparently meant to suppress recent speculation of secret (News Agencies)-The permission will be exempted from talks between the two sides. Japanese government said the measure.Foreign nationals They were fueled by local media Wednesday it will bar the entry with special permanent resident reports claiming that secret of foreign nationals who have status will also be exempted from Pakistan-India negotiations had been in India, Nepal or Pakistan the entry ban covering the three resulted in the February in the 14 days prior to their arrival South Asian countries.At present, announcement when the two gaining independence from There was no immediate in Japan, amid the spread of more Japanese nationals and foreign sides pledged to adhere to a Britain in 1947. comment from India. contagious variants of the novel residents arriving from about 35 2003 cease-fire agreement on Khan was responding to a Though there have been no coronavirus.The measure, countries and regions, including the divided Kashmir. question in a live tele-chat dubbed public talks, the militaries of effective Friday, comes as India India, Nepal and Pakistan, are Since then, Pakistan's "Prime Minister On Call With Pakistan and India in February continues to struggle with a required to submit proof of opposition had demanded Khan You." He said he wanted to pledged to adhere to a 2003 surge of infections due to negative COVID-19 tests taken publicly explain his policy on assure the Kashmiri people that cease-fire agreement. It coronavirus variants, sparking before, upon and after arrival. India and state whether his there will be no talks between remained a mystery how the fears they may have spread to People arriving from the three government was engaged in any Pakistan and India until New announcement came about until neighboring countries such as countries are also required to secret talks on the divided Delhi reverses a 2019 step under the United Arab Emirates Nepal and Pakistan.Permanent quarantine for six days at region. Kashmir is split between which Kashmir was stripped of acknowledged it played a role in residents and their families, as designated facilities, while those Pakistan and India and claimed its semi-autonomy status. India's getting the two sides to agree to well as the spouses or children arriving from the rest of the listed by both in its entirety. The two move to take direct control of the the truce amid escalating of Japanese nationals who leave countries and regions are required sides have fought two of their Indian-administered sector of tensions. Since then, the cease- Japan by Thursday with re-entry to do so for three days. three wars over Kashmir since Kashmir sparked unrest. fire has largely been holding. As India surges, Bangladesh COVID-19 claims 40 more, lacks jabs, faces virus variants infects 1,140 in Bangladesh (News Agencies)- India's early April - for reasons that aren't million doses and has surge in coronavirus cases is fully understood - provided the suspended further shipments having a dangerous effect on perfect opportunity for the nation since February."It's caused a neighboring Bangladesh, with to scale up vaccinations."This is real problem," said Dr. A.S.M. health experts warning of the time to vaccinate, keep Alamgir, a scientist with the imminent vaccine shortages just infections low and make sure that government's Institute of as the country should be new variants don't emerge here," Epidemiology, Disease Control stepping up jabs and as more said Senjuti Saha, a scientist at and Research.Fearing contagious virus shortages, the variants are beginning government late last to be detected.On month stopped Saturday, health allowing people to authorities said that register for a first for the first time, a vaccine dose, and the coronavirus variant administration of originally identified in second doses is also India was found in being hampered.The (News Agencies)-Bangladesh were tested in the timeline. Bangladesh, without densely populated logged an additional 40 deaths Bangladesh had tested a total providing further country of 160 million and 1,140 infections from COVID- of 56,77,222 specimens as of details. For weeks, South African the Child Health Research is desperately seeking new 19 in the past 24 hours on May 12. variants have dominated the Foundation in Bangladesh, who avenues for vaccines other than Wednesday, counting the death A total of 2,928 patients were samples sequenced in is also sequencing the India, and is attempting to toll to 12,045 and infections to declared free from novel Bangladesh. There are concerns virus.However, India has banned produce Russian and Chinese 7,77,397. coronavirus infection in the past that these versions spread more the export of vaccines as it vaccines at home by bringing Among the deceased, 27 24 hours totalling the recovery to easily and that first-generation grapples with the crisis at home. technology from both countries. were male and 13 female 7,18,249. vaccines could be less effective The Serum Institute of India was Bangladesh is expecting patients. Bangladesh on March 8, against them.Experts say that supposed to supply 30 million 500,000 doses of Chinese A Directorate General of 2020 reported the first COVID-19 declining infections in doses - 5 million a month - to vaccines next week as a gift from Health Services release came up positive cases while the first Bangladesh over the last two Bangladesh by June. But the Beijing, and has also sought with the latest COVID-19 data. death was logged ten days later weeks compared to March and institute has only supplied 7 help from the United States. Some 15,296 specimens on March 18, 2020. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 US & THE WORLD 29 67 killed in Gaza, 7 killed in Israel as UN warns conflict could turn into 'full-scale war' (News Agencies)-The worst "The cost of war in Gaza is air defense system, but several violence in years between devastating & is being paid by struck Tel Aviv, setting a bus Israelis and Palestinians showed ordinary people. UN is working ablaze and killing one Israeli no signs of letting up w/ all sides to restore calm. Stop woman. Thousands of Israelis Wednesday, as continued Israeli the violence now." spent the night in bomb shelters. airstrikes and Hamas rocket fire Militants in Gaza have fired An Israeli soldier was also prompted the United Nations to more than 1,000 rockets into killed on Wednesday when warn the conflict could Israel since the latest flareup Palestinian militants fired an anti- mushroom into "full-scale war." began Monday afternoon, injuring tank missile from Gaza, the Israel's bombing campaign in more than 200 Israeli civilians, Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said Gaza has now killed at least 67 the Israeli military said in a statement. Two soldiers were people, including 17 children, Wednesday. A six-year-old boy injured in the same incident, the and injured more than 388 more, became the seventh Israeli IDF said.In Gaza, which has few according to the Gaza-based fatality when a rocket fired from bomb shelters and no air defense days. The IDF said the tower said Ashraf al-Qidra, the Palestinian health ministry. Israel Gaza struck a residential building system, several buildings and housed Hamas military Palestinian health ministry says at least 15 of the dead were in Sderot, according to an apartments were damaged by intelligence offices, as well as spokesman in Gaza.Al-Qidra Hamas militants. emergency responder. Around Israeli airstrikes. One of those infrastructure used by "the terror said Israel had deliberately "Stop the fire immediately. 130 rockets hit Tel Aviv last night, strikes destroyed Al-Shorouk organizations to communicate targeted civilian homes and We're escalating towards a full- forcing Israel's main international Tower, a 14-storey building in the tactical-military information." crowded residential scale war," tweeted UN Special airport, Ben Gurion to close. southern Gaza strip on People in Gaza were in a neighborhoods, adding that 43% Coordinator for the Middle East Many of the rockets were Wednesday evening, the third "state of panic" due to the of the victims of strikes in Gaza Peace Process Tor Wennesland. intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome high-rise to be targeted in recent ongoing Israeli bombardment, were children and women. California to effectively end mask mandate when state fully reopens next month, Gov. Newsom says we'll make guidance California's mask mandate, continue to wear masks inside. recommendations, but no however, would remain in place The guidance says unvaccinated mandates and no restrictions on at least "in the short run," people should wear masks in businesses large and small." Newsom said at the time. almost all situations where other California currently requires Spokespersons for the unvaccinated people may be the use of masks in indoor governor's office and California present. settings outside of one's home, Department of Public Health did However, Dr. Jonathan Reiner, including on public not respond to CNN requests for CNN medical analyst and transportation, regardless of comment Wednesday. professor of medicine and vaccination status. Fully About 52% of California's surgery at George Washington vaccinated people, however, are population has had at least one University, said Sunday he thinks not required to wear masks dose of a Covid-19 vaccine, the CDC has been too cautious outdoors, except when attending including 89% of those over age in continuing restrictions on (News Agencies)-Gov. Gavin "Are we looking at masks after crowded events. 65, according to CDC data. After vaccinated people, who are far Newsom said California will June 15?" Last month, state health a startling outbreak in December less likely to get infected, spread effectively end its mask mandate "No. Only in those settings officials announced the June 15 and January, the state has had the virus or require next month when the state plans that are indoor -- only in those target date to fully reopen the a 7-day average of less than hospitalization. to fully reopen after more than a massively large settings where state amid falling Covid-19 2,000 new daily coronavirus "It's time for the CDC to start year of Covid-19 restrictions. people around the world, not just infection rates and low cases for the past two weeks. embracing this kind of bifurcated In an on-camera interview around the country, are hospitalizations, shelving its Current CDC guidance is that strategy and perhaps giving the with KTTV Los Angeles reporter convening, and when people are color-coded tier system that vaccinated people do not need unvaccinated a hint of what life Elex Michaelson posted on mixing in real dense spaces," dictates re-opening by county to wear masks outdoors, except can be like if they become Twitter, the governor was asked, Newsom replied. "Otherwise, based on infection rates. in large gatherings, but should vaccinated," he said. A tiger seen roaming a Houston yard is nowhere to be found 3 days later. A 'Tiger King' star says she's extremely worried

(News Agencies)-A Bengal of Houston law, but it is legal as he shot photos and video. The then straddled and grabbed the Cuevas was soon arrested, tiger named India still hasn't under Texas state law with tiger "was making full eye tiger and tried to move it away Houston police tweeted been found, three days after it certain restrictions. contact with me," Ramos had from others, cell phone video Monday, adding: "The was spotted in a Houston When Jose Antonio Ramos earlier told CNN. taken by Maria Torres and whereabouts of the tiger are not neighborhood and taken away discovered the tiger Sunday on After posting photos on a provided to CNN affiliate KTRK yet known."The deputy may by a man accused of murder. his front yard, he thought it was neighborhood email forum, shows. have averted a tragedy, Baskin "I am extremely worried part of a TV commercial -- with Ramos said an off-duty deputy When other officers arrived at says Baskin commended the about what happens with this ample security and safety who lives nearby showed up and the scene, Cuevas -- who off-duty deputy who kept his tiger and the people around it," measures nearby. kept his weapon trained on the happened to be free on bond for gun pointed at the tiger but said Carole Baskin, founder of But it wasn't. tiger. a murder charge -- put the tiger did not shoot."I was so Big Cat Rescue and star of the Ramos gingerly stepped That's when a neighbor came in a white SUV and drove off, impressed with the deputy Netflix series, "Tiger King." outside "just to really make sure out of a house and pleaded with Houston Police Commander Ron that showed up on the scene "This has become that what I was seeing was the deputy not to shoot the tiger, Borza said. because he did exactly the commonplace in Texas," she accurate, and basically to take Ramos said. Cuevas, 26, then fled with the right thing, and he showed told CNN on Wednesday. a snapshot of it and alert That neighbor, identified by tiger, authorities said. He is not amazing restraint in not Owning a tiger is a violation authorities." His hands trembled police as Victor Hugo Cuevas, India's owner, his attorney said. shooting that tiger," Baskin said. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 US & THE WORLD 30 Yang, Gibson and Torres Team Up to Build Next-Generation Coalition of Bronx Leaders at Borough Hall Campaign Rally New York, NY -- Today, at a joint- gotten us through this Said Congressman Ritchie campaign rally on the steps of pandemic." Torrres, "Andrew Yang and Bronx Borough Hall, New York Said Andrew Yang, "Anyone who Vanessa Gibson are two political City Council Member Vanessa has spent even just five minutes leaders who understand that it's Gibson announced her with Vanessa Gibson can feel her going to take audacious thinking endorsement of Andrew Yang for incredible passion for improving and serious policy proposals to mayor of New York City, as he the lives of New Yorkers -- a help bring back the City from the endorsed her for Bronx Borough passion we bonded over depths of the pandemic. They're President. instantly. Her work as chair of the a dynamic duo who will work Said Vanessa Gibson, "Andrew Council Public Safety together to ensure that City Hall Yang has the bold and creative Committee, advocacy for a addresses the needs of Bronx ideas we need to get our City tenant's right to counsel, and residents, many of whom are back on track and ensure that the deep love of the Bronx are essential workers who kept the Congressman Ritchie Torres, Chair of the Council's Committee Bronx is not left behind in the unparalleled. I'm so proud to be City running in order for New Yang for NY campaign Co-Chair, on Public Safety, Council City's economic recovery. He is partnering with Vanessa as our Yorkers to quarantine at home. I in support of the Yang campaign. Member Gibson, the first woman not beholden to anyone but New coalition of next generation am proud to endorse Vanessa Raised in Morris Heights, Council and first person of color to hold, Yorkers, and has proven he is leaders continues to grow Gibson for Bronx Borough Member Gibson has represented handled oversight of the willing to do what is necessary stronger everyday. She is exactly President and to be the Co-Chair The Bronx's 16th Council District operations and budget of New to rebuild our city. I am deeply what the Bronx needs in its next of Andrew Yang's Mayoral since 2014 advocating for York Police Department, the inspired by his vision for our City Borough President and I cannot campaign." affordable housing, low income Civilian Complaint Review Board, and this borough, and through a wait to work with her in City Hall Gibson's endorsement comes families, seniors, LGBTQ rights, the District Attorneys offices and strong partnership, together we to bring cash relief to New just after NYS Assemblyman gender equity, employment the Special Narcotics prosecutor, will uplift Bronx working families Yorkers, create a People's Bank, Kenny Burgos recently endorsed access, and meaningful and Mayor's Office of Criminal and essential workers who have and so much more." Yang's candidacy, and she joins opportunities for our youth. As Justice. Patzer Organized 2nd Annual Chinese Food Crawl in Bensonhurst business down to almost The second food crawl was share information, Patzer said. nothing,” Patzer said. “Even coordinated with the NYC We could eat indoors, and both takeout business was dismal, Restaurants Open Facebook restaurant owners and complete partly due to prejudice against the group. Michael Quinn, co-owner strangers would buy food, coffee, Chinese community.” of Feltman’s hot dogs, started and tea for us. They were just “People thought we were nuts for the group to showcase so grateful we were showing organizing the first food crawl at restaurants trying to survive our support for local the beginning of the pandemic, amidst the COVID pandemic. businesses in the Asian but we knew our Chinese “We cannot take the restaurant community. neighbors needed our support,” industry for granted,” says Michael Quinn filmed most said Patzer. “We watched Quinn. “It’s a harsh industry restaurants for Facebook Live (By a staff reporter) Bensonhurst.He organized last carefully how long we were in which faces many challenges and Patzer encourages Brooklyn, New York- Recently year’s food crawl in March, 2020 each business, ate mainly including high rents and the cost everyone to join Quinn’s group community leader Steven Patzer after seeing hateful messages on outside, and required all of employees. They need support to look for local restaurants to hosted his second annual Facebook and hearing about participants to hand sanitize from our government and our support. Chinese Food Crawl beginning at rocks being thrown through before each course.“ community.” “This year’s food was crawl was 86 Best Bakery at 12n located windows of Asian businesses, We’re happy to report the same We had a wide showing of humbling,” says Patzer. “Support at 1957 86th Street for coffee/ says Patzer. 6 Chinese restaurants are still support from EMTs, for the Asian community is here tea. Each restaurant was picked “Some of the businesses didn’t open. Mr. Bun was just voted communities from Coney Island and we all have to do our part, by Eater as one of the best believe they would last 6 weeks number 6 in NYC for soup to Bay Ridge, and local especially when it involves Chinese restaurants in with the dramatic drop in dumplings by Secret NYC. community advocates ready to dumplings from Mr. Bun.” Chickens are in short supply. Blame Tyson's roosters

(News Agencies)- year because of the type of swapped out. There are other Chickens are in short supply. roosters it used, King explained. reasons for the tight US chicken Part of the blame goes to Tyson chose the type because market. One is that demand for Tyson's roosters. of certain characteristics that chicken sandwiches is The meat processor, which sells improved its offspring chicken's growing. As Americans reveal poultry along with beef and pork, quality for meat, Gary their appetite for chicken by said that its chicken volumes Mickelson, a spokesperson for buying more sandwiches, have been low in part because Tyson, told CNN Business in an more chain restaurants add the roosters it uses for breeding email. But, he noted, it led to the item to their menus or are not meeting expectations. fewer eggs and lower hatch rates expand their offerings. "We're changing out a male that, than the one Tyson used to Another: A February winter storm quite frankly, we made a bad employ. that devastated Texas and decision on," said Donnie King, To increase its chicken supply, "affected our operations broadly," Tyson's chief operating officer and Tyson (TSN) is switching back, said King. "We essentially lost group president of poultry, during a process that takes some time. a week across our entire poultry Tyson's plants emerged as an analyst call on Monday.The The company declined to share enterprise."The business is also Covid-19 hotspots during the company had an "unexpected what will happen to the rejected seeing turnover and absenteeism pandemic. decline" in hatchings earlier this roosters, or how many are being at its plants, he said. Some of Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 US & THE WORLD 31 What to know about the political drama raising fears over El Salvador's democracy (News Agencies)-The future of Ideas party of El Salvador's ordering the removal of the El Salvador's democracy is president Nayib Bukele, which country's attorney general Raul under global scrutiny after has held a strong majority of 56 Melara. lawmakers teamed up with out of 84 seats since a landslide Eventually, the legislative branch populist president Nayib Bukele victory in legislative elections prevailed: Melara presented his over the weekend to replace last March. resignation shortly afterwards, every judge on the Lawmakers from New Ideas and on Monday, five new judges Constitutional Court, the alleged the constitutional court took office in the Constitutional highest branch of the country's was impeding the president's Court.Questions remain over the judiciary system. ability to confront the Covid-19 legality of the weekend's events, Here's everything you need to pandemic. Bukele's critics, but the reshuffle has effectively know about what's happening in however, say he has veered into placed put the president firmly in the Central American nation, authoritarian rule.In March last control of all the country's highest the international community to conservative ARENA party and and Washington's close eye on year the Constitutional Court public institutions. stay out of the strife. "We are the leftwing, former guerrilla the situation.What happened in ruled that it was illegal to Who is Nayib Bukele? cleaning house," he wrote. movement, FMLN.In his El Salvador?Drama unfolded in incarcerate citizens who had Shortly after the congressional Bukele, a right-wing populist, presidential campaign and first the halls of power in capital city defied lockdown orders, a court vote, the 39-year-old Bukele rose to power in 2019 on an anti- year of his presidency, Bukele San Salvador late Saturday, rule the president publicly celebrated by tweeting "FIRED" corruption platform, promising to presented himself as an admirer when the country's Legislative rejected. The institutional clash in all caps, followed by five "drain the swamp" of and close ally of former Assembly voted to dismiss the re-emerged this week as the five clapping hands emojis. Across Salvadorean politics. He is the president Donald Trump, who five judges who form the judges ruled the vote on their the weekend, the President took first president since 1989 not to tweeted praises of the young Constitutional Court.The motion firing unconstitutional. to Twitter to defend the come from one of the country's leader for "working well with us had been proposed by the New Lawmakers responded by congressional decision, urging two main political parties, the on immigration." Colombia's bloody protests could be a warning to the region regional effects.An economic to maintain vital social programs vast informal labor market. More cautionary tale - Duque was the like cash support for the than 3.6 million Colombians fell first president in the region to unemployed and credit lines to back into poverty during the launch a tax overhaul to help his businesses struggling with the pandemic according to recent country's pandemic-ravaged pandemic. figures released by the country's economy get back in shape. But Before he withdrew his tax reform statistics authority, while the rigid opposition from Colombia's plan, Duque stressed it was of number of families that cannot workers' unions and social pivotal importance for the state afford to eat three times a day movements is a cautionary tale to increase its fiscal revenues. tripled in the same period of time. for any other president who plans "The reform is not a whim, it's a But the now-withdrawn tax hike to follow a similar route. necessity to keep the social will leave a big hole in the state While both the European Union programs going," he said. finances, and Duque's and the United States have But critics argued the tax hikes government will have to look for (News Agencies)-Tensions have Thousands of people are still pursued enormous investment -- like a proposed VAT increase alternatives to try and pass hardly dissipated in Colombia taking to the streets to protest plans to rebuild their economies on everyday goods -- would reforms to repair the very after President Ivan Duque against police brutality and the post-pandemic, many countries disproportionally impact middle inequality that currently fuels withdrew a controversial fiscal economic cost of the pandemic like Colombia, where the and working classes and much discontent. reform proposal this weekend. amid Colombia's extreme economy is dependent on escalate inequality even more. Human rights concerns More than a week of violent inequality. And with both issues exports and already burdened by Their concerns took root in an Colombia's ongoing protests protests have seen at least 24 common across South America a ballooning foreign debt, do not economy already decimated by have also prompted fear and people killed, the country's -- and exacerbated by the have the capacity to undertake Covid-19, where frustration has outrage at law enforcement's Ombudsman Office reported pandemic -- many international a similar expansion plan. been mounting as record handling of demonstrators -- a Wednesday, and the observers are watching Such countries need to increase increases in cases and deaths concern echoed by rights demonstrations have evolved into Colombia's cycle of protest revenues through taxes in order prompt authorities to impose new organizations and foreign a broader popular show of anger. closely for signs of deeper to be able to spend -- and even lockdowns, stifling the country's observers. Covid-19 outbreak reported near Laos casino run by alleged crime boss (News Agencies)-Authorities in bringing foreigners into Laos from country, including 730 in transporting a small number of playing music loud enough that Laos have reported a significant neighboring Myanmar and Vientiane and 284 in Bokeo tourists and Thai casino it could be heard in Chiang Rai Covid-19 outbreak near the Thailand. Coronavirus cases province, which is home to employees from Thailand across province, across the Mekong notorious Kings Romans casino, have been spiking in landlocked Tonpheung district and the Kings the Mekong River into Laos.The River in Thailand. Neither country whose Chinese owner is accused Laos and the rest of Southeast Romans casino. Of the agent, who requested anonymity had major Covid-19 outbreaks at by the United States of trafficking Asia in recent weeks. A surge of nationwide cases, 1,088 are to discuss sensitive and illegal the time. Entertainment venues people, wildlife and drugs. cases that emerged in Laos' active.Laos' borders have been activity, said casino employees in Laos were ordered to close on Officials said a cluster of cases capital, Vientiane, was tied to officially closed since last year based in Thailand have stopped April 12, according to the US in Tonpheung district was traced festivities during the traditional as part of the country's efforts to traveling to work and "won't come Embassy in Laos.Kings Romans to people who illegally entered religious new year holiday stop Covid-19 from spreading. back until the Covid situation and Tonpheung are both located the area, ignoring lockdown rules, celebrated throughout Southeast However, sources told CNN that improves.""They still want to in a 100-square-kilometer (39- according to the Vientiane Asia, in mid-April.Laos' first couriers continued to ferry people keep their job at the casino," the square-mile) area called the Times, a state-run English- official Covid-19-related death illegally into the country.One agent said.Another source told Golden Triangle Special Economic language newspaper.The paper was reported Sunday. To date, former travel agent said, though CNN bars and nightclubs next to Zone (GTSEZ), a swathe of also reported that a district task authorities have identified at least crossings are officially the casino appeared open as territory managed by a Chinese force accused locals of illegally 1,327 Covid-19 cases in the suspended, people were illegally recently as January, and were national named Zhao Wei. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 US & THE WORLD 32 MAori leader removed from New Zealand parliament after performing haka dance including New Zealand rugby February, he was ordered to he has a point of order, it is a matches, is intended as a leave after refusing to wear a fresh and different one," the challenge to opponents and a necktie. The politician argued the Speaker later added, as Waititi rallying cry before heading into requirement suppressed refused to take his seat. battle. indigenous culture, and "Fresh and different point of order, The interruption came while parliament subsequently dropped Mr. Speaker," the M?ori Party co- Judith Collins, the leader of the the rule."Over the past two leader replied. right-wing opposition New weeks, there has been racist "When it comes to views of Zealand National Party, was propaganda and rhetoric towards indigenous rights and indigenous putting questions to Ardern on tangata whenua," Waititi said peoples, those views must be indigenous sovereignty. during his first point of order on from indigenous people ... they Collins' party has been critical of Wednesday, using a M?ori term can't be determined by people (News Agencies)-The co-leader accusing the country's Ardern over the issue and has that refers to New Zealand's who are not indigenous," he said, of New Zealand's M?ori Party has opposition party of "racist opposed the recently announced indigenous population. "That not criticizing a "constant barrage of been removed from parliament for propaganda and rhetoric."After a M?ori Health Authority -- which only is insulting, but diminishes insults" toward the population. the second time this year, after tense exchange with the Ardern's government created to the manner of this House." During that exchange, Waititi's performing a ceremonial dance Speaker, which resulted in his redress inequalities in the The Speaker responded that he microphone was turned off. "The during a debate about indigenous microphone being turned off, nation's healthcare service -- felt nothing out of order had been member's mic is off so he will rights.Rawiri Waititi interjected Waititi began the traditional according to CNN affiliate RNZ. said during the weekly Question resume his seat," the Speaker while Prime Minister Jacinda M?ori haka and was asked to It is the second time in a matter Time debate, in which Collins said. In response, the politician Ardern was taking questions leave.The haka, a ceremonial war of months that Waititi has been was quizzing Ardern. "I'm asking began the haka before quickly from lawmakers on Wednesday, dance performed before events ejected from parliament. In the member to make sure that if being ordered to leave. Death toll rises to 85 in Afghanistan girls' school bomb attack (News Agencies)-The combat with the Taliban, who rule. Some of the girls 'could not death toll in a bomb attack that have waged war to overthrow the be found' targeted schoolgirls in Kabul on foreign-backed government since The area where the blasts Saturday has risen to 85, Afghan they were ousted from power in happened is home to a large officials told CNN on Monday. Kabul in 2001. community of Shiites from the Another 147 people were Although the United States did Hazara ethnic minority, which has wounded in the attack in front of not meet a May 1 withdrawal been targeted in the past by the Sayed Al-Shuhada school, deadline agreed in talks with the Islamic State, a Sunni militant said Danish Hedayat, head of Taliban last year, its military group. media for the second vice pullout has begun, with President Officials said most of those killed president of Afghanistan. Joe Biden announcing that all were schoolgirls. Some families A car bomb was detonated in the troops will be gone by September were still searching hospitals for neighborhood of Dasht-e-Barchi, 11. their children on Sunday. and two more bombs exploded But the foreign troop withdrawal "The first blast was powerful and blood-stained road now busy with on the walls, and checking when students rushed out in has led to a surge in fighting happened so close to the shoppers ahead of celebrations morgues. panic. between Afghan security forces children that some of them could for Eid al-Fitr next week. "The entire night we carried There has been no official claim and Taliban insurgents. Critics of not be found," an Afghan official, Bodies were still being collected bodies of young girls and boys of responsibility yet. The Taliban the decision say the Islamist requesting anonymity, told from morgues as the first burials to a graveyard and prayed for has denied being behind Saturday militants will make a grab for Reuters. were conducted in the west of the everyone wounded in the attack," evening's blasts. power and civilians live in fear of On Sunday, civilians and city. Some families were still said Mohammed Reza Ali, who Conflict is raging in Afghanistan, being subjected once more to policemen collected books and gathering Sunday outside has been helping families of the with security forces in daily brutal and oppressive Taliban school bags strewn across a hospitals to read names posted victims at a private hospital. 25 killed in Rio de Janeiro drug raid (News Agencies)-Twenty-five of 17 million that in 2020 alone Specialized Police information on police attempts to The deadly raid provoked people, including one police tallied 1,239 people killed by the said.According to the Civil arrest them. widespread outcry among Rio officer, were killed in a police police, according to the state Police, 200 officers took part in Curi also claimed the raid did not de Janeiro civil society, with anti-drug raid in a slum on government's Institute for Public the operation authorities said violate the ban because the many labeling it online as Thursday in Rio de Janeiro, Security (ISP.) followed months of investigation Public Ministry, a prosecutorial #ChacinaDoJacarezinho, or, according to state police, In a press conference late and aimed to prevent drug body, had been notified #TheJacarezinhoMassacre, a despite a Supreme Court order Thursday, a spokesman for the traffickers from forcing minors to beforehand, something the court reference to the low-income banning such operations other Rio de Janeiro Civil Police said join gangs. The raid led to the said police departments must do community where it took than in "absolutely exceptional" the purpose of the operation was arrest of six people and the if they are to carry out place. circumstances during the to prevent drug traffickers from seizure of 20 guns, in addition extraordinary raids. Marcelo Freixo, a pandemic. forcing minors to join gangs. "We to what the police called However, the Public Ministry said congressman representing Human rights groups and went to that community to "abundant amounts of drugs." in an official statement that it Rio for the Socialism and academic researchers say the guarantee the rights of that Curi said that 24 of the dead was notified of the operation after Liberty Party, condemned the widely criticized raid in the population that lives under the were criminals and drug dealers it was already underway. The operation on his Twitter Jacarezinho favela was among dictatorship of drug trafficking," who attempted to kill the police ministry also said it will account. "This public security the deadliest operations in the Felipe Curi, director of the officers, though he did not offer investigate any alleged abuses policy is INSANITY that needs history of Rio de Janeiro, a state General Department of evidence to back that claim nor committed during the raid. to be stopped. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 CONTD. 33 Why the world needs to help Modi govt figure out the risk from Covid variant B.1.617 menace. Out of pure The efficacy of vaccines in "breakthrough infections" in later discharged, I learned from projects for global corporations: self-interest.Of the many dealing with variants isn't a new Israel, or vaccinated people one of the researchers. It's not Their engineering teams in India changes in the pathogen, the concern. Researchers have being struck by the new variant, known if this group was exposed are in disarray. Or take last two of greatest concern affect a fretted about everything from as Fazeli notes, we shouldn't to B.1.617.That's just one more week's Group of Seven meetings portion of the spike protein, B.1.1.7 in the U.K. and B.1.351 worry too much as long as thing we don't know amid the in London, billed as the first called the receptor binding in South Africa to P.1 in Brazil symptoms are mild or reigning chaos in India. People face-to-face powwow in two domain, that's key to the virus and B.1.429 and B.1.232 in nonexistent and hospitalization are scrambling to find a hospital years. Two members of the getting into human cells. A new California. (Yes, the naming isn't required. bed or an oxygen cylinder. Or - Indian contingent, invited as study has found that an entry system is completely bonkers.) A small-scale study of 123 if they're well - a vaccine shot. guests, tested positive, leading driven by the B.1.617 spike So far, the news has been doctors, nurses and other Crematoriums are full, and to self-isolation for protein was "partially resistant scared villagers are dumping Subrahmanyam Jaishankar, against neutralization by bodies into the river, just as their the foreign minister. A PR antibodies elicited upon forefathers did during the 1918 disaster for the host, but also infection or vaccination with the Spanish Flu, a scene economic a reminder that it can't be Comirnaty/BNT162b2 vaccine." historian Chinmay Tumbe business as usual for the That's the official name for the describes in his book, The Age world until the Indian situation Pfizer-BioNTech shot. Although of Pandemics. comes under control. not in use in India, it's one of Simply allowing the coronavirus the main lines of defense in to run its course in a population For neighboring Asian developed countries. of 1.4 billion would be morally economies, the risk is far India, too, needs to do its part. reprehensible. It would also be greater. Thailand has extended Even as it struggles to provide dangerous: The longer it takes its ban on travelers from India to hospital beds, oxygen and to tame India's second wave, Bangladesh, Nepal and antivirals to its gasping citizens, mostly good. As Sam Fazeli, a medical staff at a specialized the higher the risk of a variant Pakistan. Australia was so New Delhi must step up genome pharmaceuticals analyst for diabetes treatment center in New that does escape vaccine alarmed it controversially surveillance to figure out - for Bloomberg Intelligence, recently Delhi discovered that of the 113 protection.One-sixth of humanity refused entry for even its own itself and the rest of the world - noted, there is some evidence employees vaccinated (107 with can't be ignored without a citizens coming home from what exactly is going on. Plans from nonhuman studies that the required two doses), 18 got massive hit to a global economy India. Hong Kong got spooked being laid for reopening and booster shots will neutralize both infected with Covid-19, though that's impatient to reopen. Ask when 51 passengers on a single economic recovery everywhere the original virus and its altered only one person had to be Silicon Valley managers flight from New Delhi early last could depend on it. version. As for reports of hospitalized. The individual was supervising large software month tested positive - for 43% of them, the disease showed up two weeks into their mandatory hotel quarantine. The city Secret Service recovers $2 billion in decided to conduct genome sequencing to gauge the threat. More recently, a 29-year-old fraudulently obtained Covid-19 relief funds Indian engineer coming into Hong Kong from Dubai was charged by authorities for to go away. The size of these allegedly giving misleading packages are so notable and the information after 1,200 residents opportunities that exist are going had to be quarantined because to be persistent, we're going to of the variant threat he be addressing Covid fraud for represented. many years to come." Singapore's largest active In March, the Justice cluster, at one of the city's big Department announced federal hospitals, is being chalked up investigators identified more than to B.1.617.2. This sub-lineage $500 million in fraud and of the Indian variant is more charged 474 people with crimes infectious and "causing larger related to stealing from Covid- clusters than before," the Straits relief designated funding. Times reported Education Among the top targets by Minister Lawrence Wong as prosecutors were fraudsters saying.As countries help India trying to steal from the with everything from vaccine Paycheck Protection Program, stocks to oxygen, they with people running schemes should in return ask for ranging from exaggerating their honest reporting of case and year into the pandemic, the nation's unemployment stolen funds has evolved over the business expenses to fatality data - and much the Secret Service has opened insurance system," said Larry last year from stopping scams concocting fake companies to greater genomic scrutiny of 690 cases regarding Turner, the acting inspector to building robust prosecutions. get funding. In one Texas the emerging variants than is unemployment insurance fraud, general for the Labor Murray also noted the size of the case, a man pleaded guilty currently being conducted. In on top of another 720 Economic Department. "Unfortunately, the Covid-relief packages from to seeking $24.8 million in a country that takes pride in Injury Disaster Loan and significant increase in benefits Congress are extraordinary and PPP loans using the names being the world's Paycheck Protection Program made the program a target for the work to root out fraud will of 11 different companies to pharmaceutical capital, local fraud investigations and those seeking to defraud continue long after the virus make loan applications to 11 labs are more than capable. inquiries. "The amount of government programs." In a slows. lenders. He managed to But they simply can't assess unemployment insurance recent hearing in front of House "We've probably made more obtain $17.3 million in the threat by sequencing a little benefits provided in response to lawmakers, Secret Service than 120 arrests specific only to forgivable loans and used the more than 11,000 samples out the COVID-19 pandemic is Director James Murray said the Covid fraud," Murray said. "This money to buy homes, jewelry of 22 million-plus cases. unprecedented in the history of agency's approach to recovering is not something that is going and luxury cars. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 CONTD. 34 Reason That India Is In Dire Straits...": What Dr Fauci Told US Senate

happened, they opened up global fight by rejoining the World preparedness, which we, as a prematurely and wind up having Health Organization and funding lesson learned for future a surge right now that we're all global vaccine efforts and pandemics, have to realise that very well aware of is extremely committing to donate 60 million we need to continue to build up devastating," Dr Fauci told the AstraZeneca vaccines to other our local public health US Senate Health, Education, countries by July 4," she infrastructure, which over the last Labour and Pensions Committee said."India's outbreak decades we have let actually in during a hearing on Tuesday on underscores the need for a robust many respects go into disarray, the COVID-19 Response.Dr public health infrastructure in the likely because of our successes Fauci, who is the Director of the US to respond appropriately to in controlling so many US National Institute of Allergy this pandemic and future diseases," Dr Fauci said."The and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), outbreaks, as well," Senator other lesson that is learned is (SAI Bureau)-"India second wave of the coronavirus is also the chief medical advisor Murray said as she asked Dr that this is a global pandemic made the "incorrect assumption" and hospitals in several states to President Joe Biden. Fauci what can the US learn from that requires a global response, that it was finished with the are reeling under the shortage of Chairing the hearing, Senator India's outbreak."One of the and one has to pay attention to COVID-19 pandemic and opened health workers, vaccines, Patty Murray said that the surge important things is don't ever the responsibility that we have, up prematurely that has left the oxygen, drugs and beds. "The of COVID-19 that is devastating underestimate the situation," Dr not only for our own country but country in such "dire straits", reason that India is in such dire India is a painful reminder really Fauci said as he referred to to join with other countries to America's top infectious disease straits now is that they had an that the US can't end the India's incorrect assumption and make sure that we have the expert Dr Anthony Fauci has told original surge and made the pandemic in America until it ends premature opening up."The access to interventions, senators.India has been severely incorrect assumption that they it everywhere."I'm glad the Biden second thing is preparedness particularly vaccines throughout affected by the unprecedented were finished with it, and what administration is leading that with regard to public health, the world," he said. India's New Covid Cases Have Peaked, Shows Cambridge Tracker 32% higher than the operations and offering situation in India conducted by world's previous peak reported by employees time off "to heal." WHO found that resurgence and the U.S. last year but with just a A variant of the virus first identified acceleration of COVID-19 fraction of the testing and vast in India appears to have higher transmission in India had undercounting -- and official data rates of transmission and several potential contributing suggest daily deaths could preliminary evidence suggests factors, including increase in continue near the unprecedented potentially reduced effectiveness the proportion of cases of 4,000-level. of certain antibodies, the World SARS-CoV-2 variants with Health services remain Health Organization said in its potentially increased overwhelmed and several latest report. transmissibility; several hospitals face a shortage in The nation has reported more than religious and political mass oxygen supplies. With the state 300,000 new infections for more gathering events which being criticized for failing to than 20 straight days. The increased social mixing; and, ensure critical needs including numbers are probably vastly underuse of and reduced oxygen and medicines, undercounted, experts say. adherence to public health and businesses are suspending A recent risk assessment of the social measures," it said. Meet the workers who put food on America's tables - but can't afford groceries on the amount of orders from the friend buys from a cheap Even before the pandemic, where water leaks in through the everywhere else that these bodegas - packaging pharmacy across the border, farms were among the most mouldy roof. The eldest, a 16- essential workers, who kept warehouses which supply the rather than take time off to dangerous workplaces in the year-old who wants to be a toiling throughout the pandemic, country's supermarkets with attend a nonprofit local health country, where low paid workers nurse, and her six-month old are not safe.Last summer, fruits and vegetables harvested clinic. It's the wrong dose, but have little protection from long baby sleep in a room with Villarreal (and her three teenage by crews of undocumented better than nothing she reckons. hours, repetitive strain injuries, cindered walls. The house is a daughters) contracted Covid-19, mostly Mexican farmworkers. "I feel like I'm from here, my exposures to pesticides, wreck, but there's no spare which left her struggling to Villarreal works six days a children are all American, but I dangerous machinery, extreme money for repairs. breathe. Rather than risk going week, sometimes seven, putting don't have the paperwork, and heat and animal waste. Food Many undocumented to an emergency room, a relative food on Americans' tables but that makes everything hard," insecurity, poor housing, farmworkers have been toiling in with legal immigration status earns barely enough to cover the said Villarreal, 45, wiping the language barriers and the fields for years, pay taxes crossed the border to Reynosa bills and depends on food sweat on her long sleeved discrimination also contribute to and have American children, yet and purchased a small tank of stamps to feed her own family. hoodie which offers some dire health outcomes for enjoy few labor rights, have oxygen. In the end, Villarreal Every day is a hustle: she gets protection from the harsh sun farmworkers, according to extremely limited access to was off work sick for a month up at 4.30am to make packed rays. research by John Hopkins occupational health services without pay, used up all her lunches for her colleagues, About half of the 2.5m farm Centre for a Livable Future. and live under the constant threat savings and took out a loan. charging them $5 each for hands in the US are After long days in the fields, of deportation. "I should take better care of homemade tacos, before undocumented immigrants, Villarreal sleeps on an old couch In truth, farmworkers here are myself but I don't have the time heading to the fields for a 7 according to the US Department in the kitchen-lounge as part of never harassed while working in and I can't afford to lose wages." o'clock start. She skips of Agriculture (USDA), though the house was left uninhabitable the fields, which advocates say Villarreal has lived in the Rio breakfast. growers and labor contractors by a fire and a hurricane. Her suggests a tacit agreement with Grande Valley for 26 years and Healthcare is a major struggle reckon the figure is closer to 11-year-old son, who has ADHD, growers to ensure America's hasn't stepped foot in Mexico for for farmworkers: Villarreal takes 75%. sleeps on the other couch, while food supply chain isn't disrupted the past 19. She's never had a diabetes medication a 'legal' Advertisement two daughters share a bedroom by immigration crackdowns. It's mammogram or a pap smear. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 CONTD. 35 Colonial hack: How did cyber-attackers shut off pipeline? cyber-attack, then the pipeline criminals have cause mayhem to outward facing IT."However, itself is vulnerable to malicious after finding their way into the the nature of the changing world attacks."How did the hackers software programs responsible now means more things are break in? for operational technology. reliant on connectivity." Direct attacks on operational In February, a hacker gained Who are the hackers? technology are rare because access to the water system of The FBI has confirmed these systems are usually Florida city and tried to pump in DarkSide, a relatively new but better protected, experts say. a "dangerous" amount of a prolific ransomware gang So it's more likely the hackers chemical.A worker saw it thought to be based in Russia, gained access to Colonial's happening on his screen and was responsible. computer system through the stopped the attack in its tracks. It is unusual for criminal groups administrative side of the Similarly, in winter 2015-16, to attack "critical national business. hackers in Ukraine were able to infrastructure" - but experts How can a pipeline be hacked? gauge) robot that scurries "Some of the biggest attacks flick digital switches in a power such as Andy Norton, from For many people, the image of through its pipes checking for we've seen all started with an plant, causing cuts affecting cyber-defender Armis, says it is the oil industry is one of pipes, anomalies. email," Mr Niccolls says. hundreds of thousands of a growing concern."What we're pumps and greasy black liquid. All this operational technology "An employee may have been people.How can this be seeing now is the ransomware In truth, the type of modern is connected to a central tricked into downloading some stopped? The simplest way to gangs are maturing," he says. operation Colonial Pipeline runs system. malware, for example. protect operational technology is "Where there is critical public is extremely digital. And as cyber-experts such as "We've also seen recent to keep it offline, with no link to service on the line, there is more " US pipeline hackers Jon Niccolls, from CheckPoint, examples of hackers getting in the internet at all.But this is chance of them getting the 'didn't mean to create explain, where there is using weaknesses or becoming harder for businesses, ransom paid."Interestingly, problems'The ransomware surge connectivity, there is risk of compromise of a third-party as they increasingly rely on the group posted something ruining lives cyber-attack: software."Hackers will use any connected devices to improve of an apology for the hack on Pressure sensors, thermostats, "All the devices used to run a chance they get to gain a efficiency."Traditionally, its darknet website.Although valves and pumps are used to modern pipeline are controlled foothold in a network." organisations did something not directly referencing monitor and control the flow of by computers, rather than being Hackers could potentially have known as 'air gapping'," cyber- Colonial, it referred to diesel, petrol and jet fuel across controlled physically by people," been inside Colonial's IT security expert Kevin Beaumont "today's news", saying: "Our hundreds of miles of piping. he says."If they are connected network for weeks or even says."They would make sure goal is to make money and Colonial even has a high-tech to an organisation's internal months before launching their that critical systems were run not creating problems for "smart pig" (pipeline inspection network and it gets hit with a ransomware attack.In the past, on separate networks not linked society. Chainsaw massacre: tree poaching hits Canada amid lumber shortage Two tree stumps signaled to mountain bikers, is also home While Douglas fir are often taken "It'd be illegal, but if someone video surveillance. Police have Larry Pynn that something was to the endangered coastal as firewood, he speculates had a sawmill set up on their also been made aware of the wrong. Douglas fir ecosystem, which is poachers could be targeting property and someone said, issue. In recent weeks, the Jutting from a mossy forest floor on the verge of vanishing after cedar because of high lumber 'Hey, I could get some cedar, municipality has received in western Canada, the fresh centuries of logging and urban prices, which have nearly tripled would you mill it for me? You dozens of tips from residents. stumps were the final remnants development. over the last year - but has no know, obviously, it's not on the While the spike in poaching has of two western red cedars that Days after discovering the two firm evidence. up and up, but it definitely could centred on the small municipal had been chopped down by stumps, Pynn take place," said reserve, Mason says the issue chainsaw. Nearby, a set of deep spotted more trees in Mason. is probably far more widespread tire tracks ran for nearly a another section of the The poachers have on Vancouver Island. kilometer in the mud before municipal forest used a number of tricks "It's happening all over the place. terminating at the main road. reserve that had to hide their work, We just happen to have un- "I immediately suspected that suffered a similar fate including placing moss gated, unfettered access, not this is the work of poachers," - and a menacing face over fresh stumps and that far from a main road or said Pynn, a journalist who lives carved into one of the covering tracks of their highway," he said. "So we tend nearby. "These are clearly stumps. vehicles into the forest. to be the easiest targets." valuable trees and they were The first trees he Pynn suspects the For Jens Wieting of British likely cut because of that." spotted in the forest culprits are operating Columbia's Sierra Club, the Since January, local officials on were probably worth under the cover of spate of felled trees speaks to central Vancouver Island say at close to C$1,000 darkness. a broader crisis within the least 100 trees have been ($824) each for the The brazen thefts have province. He points out that on illegally chopped down. As raw wood. But the left residents outraged Vancouver Island, the scale of lumber prices across the current fine for and some have legal old-growth logging still far continent soar - prompting a removing wood from suggested banding outstrips recent poaching. If flurry of memes and conspiracy the forest stands at together to patrol the governments want to shift theories - ecosystems full of C$200. "It's the same area at night - a move behaviour, far steeper fines are valuable old growth trees have fine if you litter - Pynn says is probably needed, he says. increasingly become a target for there's no deterrence," said Timber marking systems are too risky."I'm not sure it's a great "Maybe, with a change in poachers. Pynn. widely used to track the idea for people to be out in these perspective, people who might The section of forest Pynn found Poaching isn't new to the area, provenance of wood - and as a areas at three in the morning," be tempted to make an extra the stumps in is part of a but the scope and frequency rule, mills won't accept timber he says.In response to the buck by poaching trees won't do municipally owned 5,000 have worsened in recent months, that hasn't been marked. If the thefts, the municipality has put it because they get a sense that hectare swath of woods known says Shaun Mason, a forester wood is milled down into up new signage, is patrolling the it would be wrong - and that the locally as Six Mountains. The with the municipality. boards, tracing its origins is area daily and is looking at how consequences could be bigger area, popular with hikers and nearly impossible. to increase fines and installing and more serious." Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 FRONT PAGE FEATURE 36 Israel and Palestine: What is the history of the conflict between them in the Middle East The dispute goes back pendent Palestinian state and thousands of years and a freeze on Jewish settlements encompasses a basic, but in the West Bank. ancient point of conten- In September 2005, all Jewish tion. settlers and military personnel On one side is Palestine which were withdrawn from Gaza. sits along the Mediterranean In 2006, clashes with Hamas coast, a 140-mile stretch of and Lebanon drew Israeli at- land north of Egypt and west tacks and escalated into the of the country it considers its Second Lebanon War. most hated enemy. In November 2007, the Annapo- On the other side is the state lis Conference proposed a "two- of Israel, created by an agree- state solution" for the first time. ment between a collection of In December 2008, Israel nations following the Second launched a month-long invasion World War, and carved out of of Gaza to prevent rockets from the ancestral lands of the Pal- being launched. estinian people. 2010s From the time of the beginning In May 2010, pro-Palestinian of the Israeli state, Arabs in the pendent Jewish state waned. years and in 1972, Palestinian conference brought Israel, Leba- Turkish activists were killed as Middle East have decried the 1940s "Black September" gunmen non, Syria, Jordan and Pales- Israelis boarded a ship while try- actions of the United Nations A year after World War II took the Israeli Olympic athletes tinian representatives together ing to break a blockade of in the formation of the Jewish ended, Britain granted Jordan hostage at the Munich Olym- for the first time since 1949 to Gaza. homeland. While Israel held independence. The United pics. Two of the athletes are talk about the region and its fu- In November 2012, Israel fast to its claim to the region Kingdom declared that it would murdered initially, and seven oth- ture. launched a seven-day military around the holy city of Jerusa- terminate the mandate in Pal- ers died during a failed rescue In 1992, Prime Minister Yitzhak campaign against Gaza-based lem, Arabs claimed the land estine on May 14, 1948. attempt by German authorities. Rabin vowed to stop the settle- groups that had for months was theirs and had always The United Nations, which had A year later, in October 1973, ment expansion program. Rabin launched rocket attacks been, including Jerusalem, been formed after the end of Egypt and Syria launch a coor- opened secret talks with the against Israeli cities. which is central to the tenets WWII, took up the "Question of dinated attack against Israeli PLO to work toward an agree- In July and August of 2014, Is- of Islam. Palestine." The body drafted a forces in the occupied Sinai and ment. The meetings with PLO rael responded to attacks by Here is a look at the past 100 Plan of Partition that was ap- Golan Heights. Israel was able leader Yasser Arafat led to the armed groups in Gaza with a years of turmoil in the Middle proved by its General Assem- to repel Egypt and Syria. Oslo Declaration. The Declara- military campaign by air and East between Palestinians and bly on Nov. 29, 1947. In May 1977, Menachem Begin tion aimed to create a plan for land. Israelis. The United Nations plan called was elected prime minister. By Palestinian self-government. In September 2016, the U.S. 1910-1923 for a partition of Palestine into November of that year, he and In the spring and early summer provided Israel with a military At the end of the First World two sections: an independent Egyptian President Anwar of 1994, Israel withdrew from aid package worth $38 billion. War in 1918, Britain was put in Jewish state and an indepen- Sadat, along with American most of Gaza and the West In February 2017, the Israeli charge of the area. The League dent Arab state. Jerusalem was mediators and President Jimmy Bank city of Jericho. The PLO Parliament passed a law that of Nations, a precursor to the carved out of the partition and Carter, were working together to administration moved in and set retroactively legalized dozens United Nations, issued a man- made an internationalized ter- craft the Camp David Accords. up the Palestinian National Au- of Jewish settlements that had date which formalized British ritory. The peace plan saw Israel's thority. been built on private Palestin- rule over parts of the Levant, While the diplomats at the U.N. withdrawal from Sinai and In September 1995, Rabin and ian land in the West Bank, and which was the region that com- and Jewish immigrants to the Egypt's recognition of Israel. Arafat signed an agreement for four months later, work began prises countries to the east of region signed on to the plan, it The accords also pledged Israel transfer of further territory to the on the first new Jewish settle- the Mediterranean. Part of the was rejected by most of the to expand Palestinian self-gov- Palestinian National Authority. ment in the West Bank in more mandate called on Britain to Arab world. ernment in the West Bank and By May 1996, Prime Minister than 25 years. establish a Jewish national One day after the partition, war Gaza. Benjamin Netanyahu pledged to President Donald Trump recog- homeland there. The mandate broke out between Israel and 1980s halt further concessions to Pal- nized Jerusalem as the capital went into effect in 1923 and es- five Arab countries: Jordan, In June 1982, Israeli forces in- estinians. Netanyahu went on to of Israel in December 2017. tablished an area called Man- Iraq, Syria, Egypt and Leba- vaded Lebanon in order to ex- sign the Hebron Protocol and Palestine and the rest of the datory Palestine. non. When the fighting, which pel the Palestine Liberation Or- Wye River Memorandum, which Arab world signaled their dis- Britain was given this duty at became known as the 1948 ganization. The PLO had tried removed troops from the West approval. Trump recognized Is- the end of World War I when Arab-Israeli War, ended, Israel to assassinate the Israeli am- Bank.2000s In May 2000, Is- raeli sovereignty over the Golan the winning European and re- had more territory than envis- bassador to Britain. rael withdrew from southern Heights. gional powers divided up what aged under the Partition Plan, Three years later, in 1985, Is- Lebanon.In March 2002, Op- In 2019, the US said it no was the former Ottoman Em- Egypt was given control of the rael withdrew from Lebanon eration Defensive Shield was longer considered Israeli settle- pire. Britain was given the area Gaza Strip and Jordan annexed while remaining in a narrow "se- launched on the West Bank af- ments in the West Bank to be known as Mesopotamia (mod- the West Bank and eastern curity zone" along the country's ter an increase in Palestinian illegal. ern-day Iraq) and Palestine Jerusalem. border. suicide bombings in Israel. 2020s (modern-day Israel, Palestine That arrangement lasted for In December 1987, the Hamas Three months later, Israel began On August 13, 2020, Israel and and Jordan). nearly 20 years and saw up to movement was born. Hamas di- building a wall in and around the the United Arab Emirates Following the mandate, Jewish a million Jewish refugees come rected violent attacks against West Bank. reached a peace deal that will migrants headed to Mandatory to the new state of Israel. Isreal. Once again, world powers inter- lead to full normalization of dip- Palestine and began populat- 1960s 1990s vened to work for peace in the lomatic relations between the ing the area. Tensions arose in In 1967 the Six-Day War broke In 1990, the area became more Middle East when the United two nations and calls for Israel the area as Jewish institutions out. At the end of that war, Is- crowded when Jews were al- States, the European Union, to suspend its plans to annex were established. rael occupied East Jerusalem lowed to emigrate from Russia Russia and the United Nations large parts of the occupied Over the next 20 years, British and has kept it since then. to Israel. Some one million Rus- proposed a road map to resolve West Bank. support for the mandate and 1970s sian Jews moved to the region. the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Curtesy the establishment of an inde- Tension grew in the ensuing In October 1991, the Madrid The proposal included an inde- By Debbie Lord, Cox Media Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 FRONT PAGE FEATURE 37 Dozens killed in conflict between Israel and Hamas fueled by airstrikes and rocket barrages Israel killed a string of senior located on the busiest shopping tower next door. She and her Hamas military figures street in the Roman children, ages 3 to 14, ran Wednesday and pounded three neighborhood, housed down the stairway of their multistory towers as it businesses in addition to offices apartment block along with hammered the Gaza Strip with for Hamas' Al-Aqsa satellite other residents, many of them airstrikes and militants in the channel.Airstrikes also brought screaming and crying. territory fired rocket barrages. down a 12-story office building "There is almost no safe place Dozens have died in the worst that housed Hamas offices as in Gaza," she said.One strike violence since a 2014 war, with well as other businesses, and hit a taxi in Gaza City, killing no resolution in sight. heavily damaged a nine-story a man, woman and driver The fighting has taken on many building with residential insider, and a second strike hallmarks of that devastating 50- apartments, medical killed two men nearby on the day conflict between Israel and companies, a dental clinic and, street, witnesses who brought Hamas, but with a startling new Israel said, Hamas intelligence the bodies told The factor: a burst of fury from Israel's offices. In both cases, Israel Associated Press at the Palestinian citizens in support of Israeli military says at least 30 involved in rocket production. fired warning shots, allowing hospital. Several other those living in the territories as Palestinians killed so far were Israel has struck 350 targets and people to flee.Soon after, bystanders were wounded.In well as counterviolence by militants.There was no sign that killed at least 30 militants since Hamas fired 100 rockets at the Israeli city of Lod, a 52- Jewish Israelis. either side is willing to back Monday night, 14 of them on the Israeli desert town of year-old Arab Israeli citizen In response, Israel deployed down. Prime Minister Benjamin Wednesday, Israeli military Beersheba in what it said and his 16-year-old border guards in two mixed Arab- Netanyahu has vowed to expand spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan was retaliation.Samah daughter were killed when a Jewish cities that saw unrest in the offensive, saying it "will take Conricus said.In one of the Haboub, a mother of four in rocket from Gaza hit the previous days, including the time." Hamas has called for a fiercest attacks, Israeli fighter Gaza, said she was thrown courtyard of their home. An burning of a Jewish-owned full-scale intifada, or uprising. jets dropped two bombs on a 14- across her bedroom in a Israeli soldier was killed in a restaurant and a synagogue, the The last such uprising began in story building in Gaza City, "moment of horror" by an strike by an anti-tank missile fatal shooting of an Arab man 2000 and lasted more than five collapsing it. The building, airstrike on an apartment from Gaza. and attacks on Arab-owned cars. years.The latest eruption of It was a rare use of the violence began a month ago in paramilitary force, which Jerusalem, where heavy-handed normally puts down protests by police tactics during the Muslim Palestinians in the West Bank holy month of Ramadan and the and east Jerusalem. threatened eviction of dozens of Palls of gray smoke rose in Palestinian families by Jewish Gaza, as Israeli airstrikes struck settlers ignited protests and apartment towers and blasted clashes with police. A focal point multiple Hamas security was the Al-Aqsa Mosque installations. In Israel, hundreds compound, a site sacred to Jews of rockets fired by Gaza's and Muslims. Hamas rulers and other militants Hamas, claiming to be defending at times overwhelmed missile Jerusalem, launched a barrage defenses and sent air-raid sirens of rockets at the city late and explosions echoing across Monday, escalating the ground Tel Aviv, Israel's biggest tensions into a new Israel-Hamas metropolitan area, and other punching match. cities. Since then, militants have fired The death toll in Gaza rose to more 1,050 rockets from Gaza, 65 Palestinians, including 16 according to the Israeli military, children and five women, and Israel has conducted according to the Health Ministry. hundreds of strikes in the tiny At least 365 have been territory where 2 million wounded, including 86 children Palestinians have lived under a and 39 women. Seven have been crippling Israeli-Egyptian killed on the Israeli side by blockade since Hamas took rocket fire, including the first power in 2007. Two infantry death of an Israeli soldier in this brigades were sent to the area, round of conflict. The other indicating preparations for a deaths have been civilians, possible ground invasion. including three women and two On Wednesday, Israel stepped children, one of them a 6-year- up its targeting of Hamas' old killed in a rocket strike on military wing. The military and an apartment building in the city internal security agency said of Sderot. Dozens in Israel have they carried out a "complex and been wounded. first-of-its-kind operation" that Islamic Jihad confirmed the killed the Hamas commander in deaths of seven members, and charge of Gaza City, the highest- Hamas confirmed the death of a ranking Hamas military figure top commander and an killed by Israel since 2014, and unspecific number of others. The several other senior militants Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 FRONT PAGE FEATURE 38 US funds make Israel's bombardment of Gaza possible. When will they be halted? The headlines speak mainly of nizations - funded significantly by Ameri- particularly in Sheikh Jarrah provided the march through the streets of Jerusalem "clashes", "conflict", and "casualties on can Jewish donors - are claiming that spark for the latest uprising. But it was chanting, "Death to Arabs!"). both sides". The politicians recite bro- because such homes were once owned not only in Sheikh Jarrah where Pales- Like in 2017, Palestinian access to the mides about Israel's "right to defend it- by Jewish groups, the Palestinian fami- tinians have also resisted other Israeli Al Aqsa Mosque has also been a focal self"- a right that Palestinians seemingly lies must be forced out. Yet no recipro- efforts to excise them from the city land- point of the protests. Over the past week do not have. The US government calls cal right exists for Palestinians seeking scape. After Israeli forces set up barri- and a half, Israeli police have repeatedly for "all parties to deescalate", with no restitution for properties they left behind cades at the Damascus Gate esplanade stormed the Haram al-Sherif/Temple acknowledgment that it is US funds - Mount complex, firing rubber-coated $3.8bn a year - that, in part, make Israel's bullets, tear gas, and stun grenades at bombardment of Gaza possible. This is Muslim worshipers: videos on social the familiar American routine when Is- media show Israeli forces shooting rael goes to war. flashbangs and less-lethal rounds di- Yet before Israeli airstrikes and Hamas rectly at people praying. Israeli police rockets came to dominate the news, violence has injured several hundred what happened over the last week in people during these nightly raids, which Jerusalem was perhaps the most sub- have also taken place on some of the stantial Palestinian mass uprising in the holiest nights of Ramadan. Elsewhere city since 2017 - when Palestinian dem- in East Jerusalem, Israeli police have onstrations led Israeli police to abandon soaked the streets and buildings with their attempt to install metal detectors foul-smelling "Skunk" water, a chemical at the entrance to the Al Aqsa Mosque crowd dispersal tool. And under the tol- in occupied East Jerusalem. Then, as erant eye of the Israeli police, Jewish now, it was an uprising centered in settlers and far-right activists have at- Jerusalem but about much more. And tacked Palestinian protesters, going so though US public attention has been di- during the Nakba, when roughly 700,000 - a popular place for Palestinians to far as to open fire on them with live verted, the Jerusalem uprising is still Palestinians were expelled or fled their gather, especially during Ramadan, and ammunition.It was the repeated Israeli ongoing. That is important not to forget. homes during the 1948 war. Under a main point of access to Jerusalem's police incursions into the Al Aqsa It was not a coincidence that the upris- Israel's Absentee Property Law, the prop- Old City - successive nights of largely Mosque, combined with rising settler vio- ing began in Jerusalem. Occupied East erty of Palestinian refugees is controlled youth-led demonstrations eventually led lence in Sheikh Jarrah and other East Jerusalem exemplifies in miniature the by the Israeli state. the Israeli police to remove the metal Jerusalem neighborhoods, that prompted Israeli government's endeavor to secure The ongoing Israeli efforts to cleanse gates (though not before Israeli police a response from Hamas, the Islamist "maximum territory, minimum Arabs", as Jerusalem of a Palestinian presence, allowed far-right Jewish extremists to group that rules the Gaza Strip. David Ben-Gurion saw the goals of the Zionist movement. Israel has pursued this goal in East Jerusalem - which it Israel draws up plan for Gaza ground attack as mob violence spreads occupied in 1967 and formally annexed in 1980 - by making it nearly impossible Israel’s military is drafting a plan Netanyahu, told cabinet colleagues the Sderot. for Palestinians to obtain permits to build for a possible ground operation in Gaza, country had rejected a Hamas proposal As the crisis continued to worsen, the homes, leaving thousands of people vul- as it presses ahead with a fierce air for a ceasefire. The offer of a truce was US energy corporation Chevron said it nerable to displacement and their homes offensive on the enclave and as Hamas, made on Wednesday via the Russian had shut down the Tamar natural gas slated for demolition. East the militant group that runs Gaza, fires foreign ministry, which quoted a senior platform off the Israeli coast as a Jerusalemites, who are not citizens of volleys of rockets deep into Israel. Hamas official as saying that the precaution. Israel said its energy needs Israel but legal residents, face stringent Meanwhile, racist mob attacks have Islamist group was ready to halt attacks would continue to be met. residency requirements that make their continued to spread through Israel in the on a “mutual basis”, Ynetnews reported. While the conflict raged, Israel appeared legal status precarious. The Israeli gov- worst Arab-Jewish chaos for years. Early on Thursday, thousands of Israelis on the brink of losing control of its ernment has also empowered Jewish set- Overnight on Wednesday, far-right Jewish went into shelters after warning sirens mixed cities. Netanyahu has called on tlers to seize properties inside Palestin- mobs took to the streets across the sounded in Tel Aviv, the economic capital Jews and Arabs to cease attacks on ian neighborhoods such as Silwan, Abu country searching for Arabs, while there in the middle of the country, and also - each other. “It doesn’t matter to me that Dis, a-Tur, and Sheikh Jarrah - part of were reports of attempted shootings as for the first time since the unrest your blood is boiling. You can’t take the an explicit strategy to "Judaize" the east- Palestinian citizens of Israel clashed with escalated this week - in the Jezreel law in your hands,” he said. However, ern part of the city. police. valley in the north. Netanyahu previously pledged to restore Israeli officials are increasingly bold British Airways joined several US airlines There was no immediate word of any order “with an iron fist if needed”, and about telegraphing these goals to the in suspending flights to Ben Gurion airport casualties from the pre-dawn salvo, and his public security minister, Amir global public. "This is a Jewish coun- on the outskirts of Tel Aviv. “The safety later reports suggested the sirens in the Ohana, has appeared to encourage try," said Fleur Hassan-Nahoum, British- and security of our colleagues and north were false alarms. The Israeli mob violence. born deputy mayor of Jerusalem, to the customers is always our top priority, and military has carried out hundreds of On Wednesday, Ohana called for the New York Times, "[o]f course there are we continue to monitor the situation airstrikes in Gaza since Monday, killing release of a Jewish man arrested in laws that some people may consider as closely,” BA said. Other flights to Israel four senior Hamas commanders and a connection with a fatal shooting of an favoring Jews - it's a Jewish state." But were cancelled or diverted to an airport dozen more Hamas operatives. Two Arab man in the city of Lod, after a if Israeli officials are open about the dis- near Eilat in the south of the country. It high-rise buildings containing flats and synagogue and other Jewish criminatory logic at Zionism's core, most appeared to be the first time Israel had offices in Gaza City were targeted. More property was torched. Ohana said, US politicians continue to deny it. used Ramon as an alternative to Ben than 1,500 rockets have been launched without providing evidence, that the Indeed, that discriminatory logic is on Gurion due to conflict. from Gaza, according to the Israeli shooter “acted in self-defence”. He full display especially in Sheikh Jarrah, The ground attack plans, which are in their military. added that “law-abiding citizens the East Jerusalem neighborhood where initial stages and have not been approved, More than 80 Palestinians have now carrying weapons” were an aid to Israeli settlers are trying to evict several would be presented on Thursday to the been killed, including 17 children, authorities. Palestinian families from their houses. military heads, who would consider according to the Gaza health ministry. Later on Wednesday, a mob of far- These eight families, who fled their origi- whether to submit them to Israel’s Seven people had been killed in Israel, right Israelis dragged a man they nal homes during the war of 1948, have government, an army spokesperson said. medical officials said, including a five- thought was an Arab from his car and lived in the neighborhood for more than Plans to intensify the operation came as year-old boy killed by shrapnel on beat him until he lay on the ground half a century. Now, Israeli settler orga- Israel’s prime minister, Benjamin Wednesday in the frontier town of motionless and bloodied. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 FRONT PAGE FEATURE 39 Heavy artillery fire on Gaza escalates violence as clashes between Arabs and Jews rock Israeli cities

Gaza came under heavy take the law into your own artillery fire early Friday morning, hands," Netanyahu added. "You amid reports -- later conclusively cannot grab an ordinary Arab denied -- that the Israeli army had citizen and try to lynch him -- just launched a possible ground as we cannot watch Arab citizens invasion of the Strip. do this to Jewish citizens." An army tweet, which said "We are very, very worried about simply "IDF air and ground this deterioration," Israeli troops are currently attacking in lawmaker Aida Touma-Suleiman the Gaza Strip" -- which in Acre told CNN's Hala Gorani coincided with the start of a in a live interview late Wednesday sustained new round of artillery evening local time. and airstrikes -- led many news "The tear gas is filling the houses, organizations to report that a and the situation is insecure. ground war, much-discussed in There has been attacks on Arab Israeli media on Thursday, was citizens in different cities today," underway. she said. "I'm really, really worried A clarification came about an about this city (Acre). The same hour or so later. "There are is happening in Haifa. The same currently no IDF ground troops airstrikes in Gaza. according to Israeli police. A Asked on whether any mediating is happening in Lod. There are inside the Gaza Strip," army Israel's bombing campaign in police spokesman said the mob countries have sent different attacks on different spokesman Lt. Col. Jonathan Gaza has now killed at least 109 attacked police officers with representatives to Israel, Haiat citizens." Conricus told CNN early Friday people, including 28 children and stones before attacking the said "he does not have this The Israeli-Arab lawmaker went local time. 15 women, the Gaza-based victim with stones and iron bars. information ... but a ceasefire is on to say: "I'm not sure that the A CNN producer inside Gaza Palestinian Health Ministry Israel's Ambassador to the UN, not on the table for Israel now." police is able or even willing to reported heavy incoming artillery reported Thursday. At least 621 Gilad Erdan, wrote to the A senior Hamas official, Izzat Al control the situation." fire from Israeli forces as well as people have sustained injuries as Security Council on Thursday Rishq, told CNN earlier Thursday Decades of coexistence dozens of airstrikes. a result of Israeli airstrikes this urging it to strongly condemn that Egypt, Qatar and the United 'trampled' United Nations officials inside week, the Health Ministry added. what he called terrorist attacks Nations were communicating Fury over the situation has fueled Gaza said dozens of people had Seven Israelis have been killed from Gaza, as well as to support with Hamas over mediation to fierce protests in the central fled their homes in the north and and more than 200 have been Israel's "right to defend itself," end the fighting. Israeli city of Lod, where Israeli east of the enclave to seek injured since Monday, the Israeli according to a statement. "We in Hamas have told them police reported Wednesday that refuge in schools -- belonging to military said. A six-year-old boy A day earlier, the Palestinians that they should speak to the people were throwing rocks at the United Nations relief agency was killed Wednesday when a wrote to the UN Security Council enemy to stop the aggression passing cars and blocking roads for Palestinian refugees -- which rocket fired from Gaza struck a President and the General first and after that, Hamas will into the early hours. are considered designated residential building in Sderot, Assembly President appealing decide," Al Rishq said. The mayor of Lod, Yair Revivo, emergency shelters. according to an emergency for the Council to live up to its "We stress that we have the said decades of coexistence had Just a few kilometres away, responder. responsibility to maintain ability to sustain ourselves for been "trampled." residents in the Israeli town of Addressing Israeli troops international peace and security. the long haul and respond to the He said Arab-Israeli rioters had Ashkelon were fleeing to their Thursday, Gantz said: "I say The United States has objected aggression (for) as long as it been "burning synagogues, bomb shelters again, as sirens explicitly: we will continue to to a proposed Security Council takes." Talmud Torah, dozens of vehicles, wailed warning of a fresh barrage defend and continue to attack statement and has so far Fueled by controversy over burning garbage containers, of rockets. until the fire is stopped and we blocked any action by the body, planned evictions of Palestinian destroying Israeli flags and worse, Earlier in the day, Israel's will ensure long-term silence." instead preferring more direct families in Jerusalem, and lowering the Israeli flag and defense minister Benny Gantz Rioting and violent clashes diplomacy. A requested Security restrictions at a popular East hoisting the Palestinian flag, on warned that Israel has "many, between Arab and Jewish Council meeting on the crisis will Jerusalem meeting point as a night of riots that injured many more targets" and no time citizens also swept across not take place Friday because Ramadan began, conflict policemen and residents who limit on its military operations several Israeli cities this week, the US blocked the session, between Israelis and found themselves against Gaza, as the Israeli leading Israeli Prime Minister according to two UN diplomats. Palestinians boiled over this besieged."Meanwhile an Arab- military and Palestinian militants Benjamin Netanyahu to warn The US indicated it might accept week, escalating rapidly into one Israeli resident of Lod, Wael continued to exchange deadly against "lynching" by either a meeting next week, said one of the worst rounds of violence Essawi, told CNN that a mosque airstrikes and rocket community. UN diplomat. between the two sides in the last was stormed by Israeli police and bombardments. In Bat Yam, south of Jaffa, No ceasefire for now several years.Netanyahu Jewish residents during prayers Israel has called up 7,000 army graphic video Wednesday night An Israeli foreign ministry slammed the communal on Tuesday night before tear gas reservists so far, he added. Most showed a Jewish right-wing mob spokesperson ruled out a violence in Israeli cities was fired and cars were set analysts believe that the current trying to lynch an Arab driver. ceasefire with Hamas in Gaza Wednesday as "unacceptable" ablaze."We couldn't do anything build-up of a single division's Police say the man was dragged on Thursday. and said he had ordered the but we opened the windows so worth of armor and infantry is not from his car before the assault "We don't think this is the right police to adopt emergency we can breathe... it was very sufficient to conduct such a began. Video shows about 20 time for a ceasefire," Lior Haiat powers, to reinforce with Border intense," Essawi said.Another major incursion. people hitting him with metal told CNN. "This is the time where Police units, and to impose resident, Khaled Zabarqah, said Militants in Gaza have fired more objects and kicking him in the Israel should defend itself and curfews where that following a Palestinian than 1,750 rockets toward Israel head repeatedly. He was taken attack the terror infrastructure of necessary."Nothing justifies the demonstration on Monday since the latest flareup began to hospital where his injuries Hamas... and we will get to a lynching of Jews by Arabs and against Israeli policies in Monday afternoon, of which were described by police as point where Hamas will nothing justifies the lynching of Jerusalem, thousands were hit hundreds have failed or been moderate. understand that launching this Arabs by Jews," he said in a with tear gas, stun grenades and intercepted by Israel's Iron Dome In Acre, north of Haifa, a lynching kind terror attack on Israeli statement."To the citizens of rubber bullets before Israelis defense system. Israel has attempt by an Arab mob left a civilians is not effective for the Israel I say that I do not care if started throwing stones and responded with devastating Jewish man critically wounded, future." your blood is boiling. You cannot beating the group. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 SPECIAL REPORT 40 "A Hell Out Here": COVID-19 Ravages Rural India Boosted by highly infectious variants, the second wave erupted in February to inundate hospitals and medical staff, as well as crematoriums and mortuaries. Experts still cannot say for sure when the figures will peak.

India's coronavirus death short of the millions of doses two-thirds in the most populous, count crossed 2,50,000 on required. and mainly rural, state of Uttar Wednesday in the deadliest 24 The country accounts for half of Pradesh, government data hours since the pandemic began, COVID-19 cases and 30% of showed.Television showed as the disease rampaged through deaths worldwide, the World images of people weeping over the countryside, leaving families Health Organization said in its the bodies of loved ones in to weep over the dead in rural latest weekly report. ramshackle rural hospitals while hospitals or camp in wards to The full impact of the B.1.617 others camped in wards tending tend the sick. variant found in India, which the to the sick.A pregnant woman Boosted by highly infectious WHO has designated as being was taking care of her husband variants, the second wave erupted of global concern, is not yet who had breathing difficulties in in February to inundate hospitals clear, it added. a hospital in Bhagalpur in the and medical staff, as well as British Prime Minister Boris eastern state of Bihar, which is crematoriums and mortuaries. Johnson said his government seeing a case surge its health Experts still cannot say for sure holy river Ganges, having been the Indian Express newspaper was looking at all possible system could barely have when the figures will peak. immersed by relatives whose quoted him as saying. "It is still solutions to tackle a surge in handled at the best of times. State leaders clamoured for villages were stripped bare of the too early to say whether we have cases of the coronavirus variant "There is no doctor here, she vaccines to stop the second wave wood needed for cremations. reached the peak." first detected in India, including sleeps the whole night here, and the devastation that it has Lacking beds, drugs and Indians need vaccines "here and in the northern English town of taking care of her husband," the wrought, urging Prime Minister oxygen, many hospitals in the now", West Bengal Chief Bolton."It may be more woman's brother told India Today Narendra Modi to help them world's second-most populous Minister Mamata Banerjee, said transmissible ... maybe even television.In a corridor outside, two procure urgent supplies from nation have been forced to turn in a letter to PM Narendra Modi. considerably more sons were wailing over the body of overseas. away droves of sufferers, while India has fully vaccinated barely transmissible," he told their father, saying repeatedly that Deaths grew by a record 4,205 tales of desperate relatives 2.5% of the population. parliament. he could have been saved if only while infections rose 3,48,421 in searching for someone to treat Delhi had run out of its reserves Rural Spread he had been given a bed in an the 24 hours to Wednesday, dying loved ones have become of shots and had to close down Daily infections are shooting up intensive care unit.At the general taking the tally past 23 million, sickeningly commonplace. several centres, Deputy Chief in the Indian countryside in hospital in Bijnor, a town in health ministry data showed. Although the infection curve may Minister Manish Sisodia told comparison to big towns, where northern Uttar Pradesh, a woman Experts believe the actual be showing early signs of reporters. they have slowed after last lay in a cot next to a garbage can numbers could be five to 10 times flattening, new cases are likely India is using the AstraZeneca month's surge, experts say. and medical waste.How can higher. to fall off slowly, according to vaccine made at the Serum More than half the cases this someone get treated if the Funeral pyres have blazed in city virologist Shahid Jameel. Institute in the western city of week in Maharashtra were in situation is like this?" asked her parking lots, and bodies have "We seem to be plateauing Pune and Covaxin by Bharat rural areas, up from a third a son, Sudesh Tyagi. "It is a hell washed up on the banks of the around 400,000 cases a day," Biotech but production is well month ago. That share is nearly out here." Parshuram Jayanti 2021: 10 Interesting Things To Know About Parshuram Here are 10 interesting things to know about Lord Parshuram. The day coincides with Akshay Tritiya on April 14 Parshuram Jayanti in devotee of Lord Shiva on April 14. Lord Parshuram or 2. He had received a Parshuram avatar, the sixth in- Parshu or an axe-like weapon carnation and the warrior form from Lord Shiva as a boon of Lord Vishnu, is believed to 3. According to legends, be immortal. According to my- Lord Shiva also tought thology, Parshuram, the son of Parshuram the art of warfare sage Jamadagni and Renuka, 4. Parshuram's father was was born on this day. Rishi Jamadgani and he is Parshuram Jayanti coincides known to be the first warrior with the auspicious Akshaya Brahmin Tritiya and falls on the third day 5. Legends say, of the Full Moon phase or Parshuram could not be de- Shukla Paksha in the month of feated in warfare after he was Vaishakh. Legends say, Lord blessed with Lord Shiva's Parshuram descended on weapon earth to remove the evil. This 6. Parshuram is believed avatar of Lord Vishnu is be- to have tought the skills of using lieved to be an aggressive one weapons to famous characters and an expert in warfare. of the Mahabharata like teach warfare to Kalki, the tenth 9. He is believed to be worshipped Lord Shiva. Parshuram Jayanti: 10 interest- Bhishma, Dronacharya and even form of Lord Vishnu born at the Janapav hills in Indore 10. Legends about ing things to know about Lord Karana. 8. Like Lord Shiva, Lord and there is still a Shiva temple Parasurama often talk about Parshuram 7. It is even believed that Rama, Krishna and other gods, on the hilltop where Parshuram anger and violence, and the ill 1. Parshuram was a he still lives on the earth and will Parshuram is not worshipped. is believed to have meditated and effects of anger. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 SPECIAL REPORT 41

Covid'sCovid's secondsecond wavewave exposesexposes thethe abjectabject failurefailure ofof thethe IndianIndian statestate

Massed pyres and ser- friends, or friends of friends, four months between that mo- a once-in-a-lifetime Himalayan breaking. The narcissism that pentine queues of shrouded bod- pleading for a hospital bed, an ment of monumental hubris and Blunder kind of way. However, it enabled our leadership to ignore ies. Gasping, terrified men and oxygen cylinder, Remdesivir, today's 380,000 new infections still exists, with all its branches the warnings of expert groups. women pleading to be accepted more oxygen. Expressing our and 4,000 daily deaths lies a quite intact and we must rely on Their inability to form bipartisan as patients. The broken and be- sympathies on Facebook and chronicle of missed opportuni- it to rise to the challenge of quell- alliances between the Centre and reaved mourning their dead. In WhatsApp. The second wave of ties. This despite the central gov- ing the current surge and prevent- the states in the middle of a na- New Delhi today, as in any Indian Covid-19 is still cresting but by ernment having a phalanx of em- ing a threatened third wave of tional calamity. Now that some metro, the roads are silent, the now we have all been touched by powered groups and task forces Covid-19 infections. That's a pro- of the loudest voices in the bazaars are shuttered. But ap- its terrors, and all too many of us comprising top officials and ex- cess that should begin by taking land have gone quiet, the proach any hospital and you'll by its sorrows-and the dismal perts for Covid management (see stock of just where and how it government's silence over the rediscover the familiar clamour of realisation that we are in the accompanying graphic). It was a failed. anguished and angry questions the Indian street, rising to a cre- midst of a recurring nightmare, a time for action, for prioritising the In the following pages, we expose being raised over its manage- scendo in the once hushed ICUs- tragedy foretold. We have bitter obvious: doctors, hospital beds, the sorry tale of neglect, apathy ment of Covid's second wave now rent with the shouts and memories of the days when we Covid medicines and vaccines, and failure of our political leader- can be deafening. Our re- moans of the desperate and the were lulled by bromides of idiocy- oxygen, viral research and Cen- ship. The institutional collapse ports offer some answers to dying. Of course most of us are remember the one about Indians' tre-state coordination. You could and bureaucratic cowardice that these questions and sugges- hunkered in our homes, carpeing superhuman immunity? Remem- say the Indian state is Covid's facilitated super-spreader reli- tions from experts on how to our diems and visiting such ber clanging steel utensils? Re- biggest victim but that would be gious festivals and the political find a way out of this continu- scenes through our screens when member telling the world that In- a stretch. carnival of an eight-phase elec- ing tragedy of errors. Most of we're not fielding calls and text dia had beaten Covid-19? The fact is that the state and tion campaign even as the sec- all, we need action from the messages from family and That was in January, and in the those who run it have failed us-in ond wave of a pandemic was government-and fast. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 SPECIAL REPORT 42 'Black fungus' is appearing more frequently among COVID-19 patients in India. What to know about the deadly infection.

A rare but serious fungal infection seen among COVID-19 patients health experts say, immune- is appearing more frequently in India is rhinocerebral suppressing steroids prescribed among COVID-19 patients in mucormycosis, an infection that to control inflammation from India as coronavirus cases soar starts in the sinuses and can COVID-19 create an opportunity to more than 350,000 per day, spread to the brain. Symptoms for fungal infections to take hold. according to Johns Hopkins include one-sided facial "That's the goal of going on University data. swelling, headache, nasal or steroids, to turn down the Mucormycosis, also known as sinus congestion, black lesions volume on the immune system," "black fungus," is caused by a on the nasal bridge or upper said Dr. Michael Angarone, group of molds called inside of the mouth, and fever, associate professor of medicine mucormycetes, which tend to according to the CDC. at Northwestern Medicine. live in soil and decaying organic Symptoms of mucormycosis Protection against COVID- matter, according to the Centers tend to appear two to three 19:What level of antibodies for Disease Control and weeks after COVID-19 infection, protect against the coronavirus? pharmacy in the mall and ask patients in India haverequired Prevention. It's a life-threatening Hansoti said. Researchers are rushing to find what you need." surgery to stop the spread of infection with a mortality rate This type of mucormycosis out.Another COVID-19 The structural integrity of the infectionto the brain. In some between 46% among people occurs more frequently among vaccine?:Novavax plans to lungs also can be compromised cases, an eye has had to be with sinus infections and 96% patients with diabetes, which is present US data on its COVID- by the coronavirus and removed, Hansoti said. with spread disease. why health experts say cases 19 vaccine as soon as this ventilators, making it harder to Fungal infections are cropping In the past decade, doctors have are spiking in India where one in month, but manufacturing will fight off fungal infections, up not only in India but in seen only a handful of cases in six people have the chronic delay deliveries Angarone said. Europe, South America and the India. But in the past month, disease, according to the Many COVID-19 patients in India "Once it starts to grow inside the United States, as well. However, they're reporting tens of International Diabetes with breathing difficulties are lung, it becomes very difficult for instead of mucormycosis, thousands of cases, said Dr. Federation Diabetes Atlas being prescribed steroids as our anti-fungal therapies," which is less common outside Bhakti Hansoti, associate published in 2019. oxygen becomes a scarce Angarone said. "(Mucormycosis) of India, doctors are seeing professor in the department of "Diabetes is the No. 1 risk factor resource, Hansoti said. infections to the lung tend to be cases of emergency medicine and for this," Hansoti said. Up to 75% Additionally, people therecan harder to treat in that the anti- aspergillosis.spergillosis is international health at the Johns of mucormycosis cases occur bypass doctors and obtain fungals that we have to use may caused by aspergillus, a Hopkins Bloomberg School of among COVID-19 patients with steroids through a pharmacy not work as well as an anti- common mold that lives indoors Public Health."We've seen this diabetes, she added, with as without a prescription. bacterial for bacteria." and outdoors. According to the skyrocket in recent weeks," she many as 45% undiagnosed until "Some of it is the doctors Fungal infections tend to be CDC, this type of fungal said. "It consumes a lot of they show up to the hospital. throwing (steroids) at patients more aggressive and destructive, infection is not as life- resources especially during this The Indian population has a high because there's a critical need creating big cavities in the lungs, threatening as mucormycosis. pandemic right now in India prevalence of uncontrolled for oxygen," she said. "And … and can take up to weeks to A 2018 study found the one- where health care resources are diabetes due to the lack of the health system isn't built to treat, he said. In some year survival for people who stretched at the limit."The most routine screening," she said. monitor and report across the instances, they can spread to had invasive aspergillosis was common form of the infection In addition to this risk factor, country. You can go to any the liver, brain and eyes.Many 59%. The black fungus nightmare facing India's coronavirus patients cases too.Dr Bradoo, who recovering from the virus, they 50 per cent.On May 12, heads the ear, nose and throat are discharged and go home Maharashtra's Health Minister (ENT) department at Sion only to find, a few days later, Rajesth Tope said the state had Hospital, said there had been an one or two strange, but not too recorded up to 2,000 cases of "exponential" rise in cases of alarming, symptoms - a slight mucormycosis.Speaking from the fungal infection, calling it "an discharge from the nose, a Pune, ENT surgeon Dr Murarji epidemic within a pandemic". headache, a slight numbness Ghadge, sounded emotionally Bradoo's colleague, eye in the cheekbone. The infection drained. The outbreak was surgeon Dr Akshay Nair, said he starts in the sinuses. In two to "rampant and devastating", he had scooped out more eyes four days, it can invade the said."Last night, I had to than he ever thought possible eyes. If not caught at this operate to remove a since the second wave erupted stage, it can reach the brain. patient's eye at midnight at the start of April. "It's a Since the early symptoms are before the infection nightmare inside a nightmare," not too alarming, patients reached the brain. At 3am he said.Normally, usually consult a doctor fairly I was operating on another On being told, on a went quiet," said Dr Renuka mucormycosis affects patients late, when they find it hard to patient," he said."Today I recent sultry morning in Bradoo, the specialist treating who are immunocompromised open or move their eye. It is will be removing the entire Mumbai, that both her eyes Bakshi. owing to uncontrolled diabetes often a week or longer before upper jaw and cheek of a would need to be removed, The deadly and often disfiguring or certain cancers. The current they finally see an ENT doctor young woman. It is Neelam Bakshi, 47, could not disease is usually exceedingly outbreak, though, has attacked who can diagnose it.By this mutilating. I have never cry. Her eyes were too stiff, dry, rare. But as a second wave of Covid-19 patients with diabetes time, the only treatment is seen anything like it."In and swollen from the 'black coronavirus infections sweep who have been put on steroids aggressive surgery requiring the neighbouring Gujarat, ENT fungus', mucormycosis. India, Maharashtra - the state to control the virus which in turn removal of one or both eyes or doctors who previously saw one "It took a while for my words to worst affected by Covid-19 - has pushed up their sugar the upper jaw. Once it has or two cases of the infection a sink in. Then she said simply 'I must now cope with an levels and compromised their spread to the brain, nothing can year are now seeing six to eight won't see my children again' and explosion of mucormycosis immune systems.After be done. The mortality rate is cases per day. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 ADVERTISEMEMT 43 Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 SPECIAL REPORT 44 Iron ore is saving Australia's trade with China. How long can it last? Wine and wheat. Lob- The Chinese government said trade in raw resources, espe- sters and logs. Beef and bar- Morrison's request was "politi- cially iron ore and coal. ley. If Australia exports it, China cal manipulation," and since In 2000, at the beginning of has likely put up barriers to en- then Australian exports to China China's economic boom, Aus- try over the past year, as diplo- have faced growing barriers to tralian exports to the country matic relations between the two entry. were just over 6 billion Austra- countries rapidly deteriorated. Overall Chinese investment in lian dollars ($3.6 billion). Fifteen Now, one commodity is almost Australia plunged 62% in 2020. years later, China is Australia's single-handedly keeping the And tensions are still getting largest trading partner by far in trade relationship afloat: iron worse. On Thursday, Beijing an- terms of exports and total value ore. nounced the "indefinite suspen- of trade -- overtaking Japan, the Australia is the world's largest sion" of the China-Australia US, South Korea and New producer of iron ore, mining more Strategic Economic Dialogue, Zealand -- with exports of al- than 910 million metric tonnes which only met for the first time most 92 billion Australian dol- Australia's entire exports in be much more difficult for China in the 2019-2020 financial year, in 2014. lars ($74 billion). 2019, 81.7% of which went to to find new sources of iron ore according to the Australian gov- But experts said that unlike wine Some economists claim the China. to power its economy. ernment, almost twice as much and coal, it would be tough for mining boom in Australia helped The lack of diversity in Alternate sources as its nearest competitor Bra- China to find new sources of iron the country avoid recession dur- Australia's exports leaves it vul- Experts said Australia's iron ore zil. ore any time soon. That means ing the global financial crisis in nerable to any major impact on has two main advantages for Iron ore is a vital component in Australia's largest source of 2008. its main sources of revenue, Chinese buyers: it is high qual- the production of steel, and with trade revenue may be secure. The trade has remained strong experts said. And while there ity and reliable. China embarking on a $500 bil- "Australia is the largest iron ore over the years, despite rising could be other markets for the Australia produces a higher lion infrastructure spending producer in the world and on the political tensions between country's iron ore, they might amount of hematite iron ore than spree to help the economy re- other hand China is the largest Beijing and Canberra - includ- take time to develop. any other country, which con- cover from the pandemic, steel producer in the world," ing new legislation designed to "China's making up around four- tains a larger quantity of usable Beijing's need for it has never said Heiwai Tang, professor of limit foreign interference, intro- fifths of Australian iron ore ex- iron than itabirite or magnetite. been greater. economics at Hong Kong Uni- duced by Australia in 2017. ports, so what that tells me is According to lobbying group the Diplomatic relations between versity Business School. By 2019, almost two-thirds of we don't have too many other Minerals Council of Australia, Australia and China fell into a "It isn't that easy for them to get China's iron ore came from Aus- destinations that we do busi- hematite usually contains more deep chill one year ago, after into a new round of trade wars tralia, more than it imported ness with in a big way," said than 50% iron compared to as Prime Minister Scott Morrison over this particular product." from Brazil, South Africa and Sean Langcake, principal low as 16% in magnetite. called for an independent inves- The mining boom India combined, according to economist at BIS Oxford Eco- Economist Langcake said it was tigation into the origins of the For more than two decades, the Observatory of Economic nomics in Sydney. easier and cheaper to process Covid-19 pandemic which China and Australia have helped Complexity. But economists said while Aus- ore with a higher iron content, threatened to challenge Beijing's rapidly grow each others' At the same time, iron ore tralia may eventually locate new making it more attractive to narrative of the viral outbreak. economies through a soaring made up almost a quarter of buyers for its iron ore, it would steel producers. Why the Congress sees a revival opportunity in the Covid crisis they believe that the current blank in West Bengal. These will question the leadership crisis may give Rahul Gandhi yield uncomfortable lessons, but credentials of Rahul. "Who do you another opportunity to return to if we do not face up to the reality, blame for the rout the party faced the helm of Congress affairs in if we do not look the facts in the in Kerala where Rahul led from the an official capacity, despite the face, we will not draw the right front?" asks one of the 'G23' party's continuing electoral lessons." Sonia even announced leaders who had earlier demanded debacles. Since 2014, when that a committee will be formed- an election to the post of the Modi first stormed into power, the within 48 hours, as later revealed Congress president, since Sonia Congress has witnessed a series by party general secretary has been functioning as interim of reverses, the latest being the (organisation) K.C. Venugopal-to president. Responding to their disastrous performance in four of examine the reasons behind the demands, the CWC had asked the five assembly elections held losses.This is a welcome step, the party's Central Election hile the Covid pandemic "Gandhi family-run" party, are recently-in Assam, West Bengal, but the 'G23' leaders believe that Authority (CEC) to make has emerged as the biggest now relenting that the pandemic Tamil Nadu, Puducherry and Gandhi family loyalists are not arrangements to elect the next challenge to the Narendra Modi- may give the party another Kerala. Even in Tamil Nadu, ready to learn any lessons and president. The CEC accordingly led BJP government at the chance of revival without having where the party is a junior ally of that this is yet another step to submitted a plan, scheduling the Centre, the principal opposition to do any hard work towards the DMK, which dethroned the deflect attention from the real election on June 23. However, in party, the Congress, is looking at revamping and restructuring the incumbent AIADMK government, issues. They claim that until and the May 10 CWC meeting, all this crisis as a catalyst to revive party. "In India, people vote to the credit for the party's success- unless the Congress settles the members unanimously agreed to itself. If Congress insiders are to throw someone out of power. winning 18 of the 25 seats it issue of central leadership, the defer the election process be believed, this crisis has given When they are angry, they don't contested-went to the DMK's party cannot revive the state units. considering the current the party an opportunity to really see who they are voting for. popularity and performance. While Sonia is the president, pandemic.The 'G23' leaders, who connect with the people and So, any non-BJP force may get Taking note of these serious Rahul Gandhi, the Lok Sabha MP also argued that this is not the present it as an alternative to lucky," says one of the senior setbacks, in the Congress from Kerala's Wayanad, remains right time to hold an election, Modi and the BJP, at a time when Congress leaders in the group of Working Committee (CWC) the de-facto leader and face of the however, say that Gandhi family the prime minister's popularity 23 leaders-popularly known as meeting held on May 10, party party even though he quit as loyalists deliberately proposed a has taken a hit because of the 'G23'-that had written a letter to president Sonia Gandhi said: "We Congress president two years ago, date knowing well that others mishandling of the Covid crisis. party chief Sonia Gandhi last need to candidly understand why owning responsibility for the 2019 would not have any option other Even dissenters within the August and sought an we failed to dislodge the Lok Sabha election debacle.Since than rejecting the idea of Congress, who had been warning organisational overhaul and incumbent governments in Kerala then, several electoral setbacks holding elections in the middle about the decimation of the accountable leadership. In fact, and Assam, and why we drew a have led many within the party to of a raging pandemic. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 BUSINESS 45 Covid-19: Top economist says India might face 'serious livelihood crisis'

Noted economist Jean Dreze has warned that India might face a 'serious livelihood crisis' due to the impact of the second Covid-19 wave. He added that the working class population may suffer more this time in comparison to the situation last year.

India might be heading the Indian elite. said the fear of infection is more towards a "serious livelihood About the impact of the second widespread and that will make it crisis" as the situation seems to wave of COVID on the Indian hard to revive economic activity. be worse this time for the working economy, the eminent economist "Despite mass vaccination, there class amid the COVID crisis and said the situation today is not is a serious possibility that local restrictions by states very different from what it was intermittent crises will continue already add up to something around this time last year as far for a long time, perhaps years. close to a nationwide lockdown, as working people are Compared with last year, many according to noted economist concerned. people have depleted savings and Jean Dreze. "The economic consequences of larger debts. Those who borrowed and today relief measures are not wide lockdown. In short, we are In an interview, he also said the local lockdowns may not be as their way through last year's even being discussed. heading towards a serious government's target to make destructive as those of a national crisis may not be able to do it "On top of all this, local livelihood crisis," he said. India a USD 5 trillion economy lockdown. But in some respects, again this time," he observed. lockdowns may give way to a Also Read | National lockdown, by 2024-25 was never a "feasible things are worse this time for the SERIOUS LIVELIHOOD CRISIS' national lockdown relatively soon. just not in name: Almost 98% of target" and was just to pander to working class," he opined. Dreze also pointed out that last In fact, they already add up to India is under some form of the "super-power ambitions" of Further, the eminent economist year there was a relief package something close to a country- lockdown WhatsApp privacy policy May 15 deadline is now sheer blackmailing for users Deferred earlier after outrage from users, WhatsApp's new privacy and usage policy, is now set to be enforced from May 15. Unlike last time when the new policy was mandatory for using WhatsApp, the new one offers some concessions but at the cost of features, which is almost like blackmailing users.

users that accept it or else The their part, explained that the new convinced. They saw that whole thing started with an in-app privacy policy was necessary WhatsApp was going to share notification in early January that because WhatsApp had to share more data with Facebook and prompted WhatsApp users to some info with Facebook to that spooked them. They also did accept the new "Updated Terms implement the e-commerce not like the fact that WhatsApp and Privacy Policy". Then the features in the app. It was also was telling them to accept the backlash from users began. necessary for the app to make policy or else lose access to the Users, in particular, objected to the business accounts function app.So, a stalemate was WhatsApp is finally told to users in early 2021, one thing: the high-handed way better. The company said that it reached. WhatsApp pushed implementing its latest privacy created a lot of controversy. This in which WhatsApp forced users was all for the benefit of users. It the deadline for the new privacy policy with a new usage time, however, WhatsApp has to accept the new privacy policy. argued that the changes in data policy to May 15. It also agreement with a plan to share said that accepting the policy is It said that users have to accept sharing with Facebook enabled promised to do a better job more data of WhatsApp users not mandatory, but if users don't the policy or else they will lose by the new privacy policy ONLY examining its privacy policy for with parent company Facebook. accept it, they will lose access access to the app and they will concerned the business users.Now the May 15 deadline The deadline to accept a new to some of the top features of no longer be allowed to use accounts and the chats users is approaching. Unlike last privacy policy for WhatsApp WhatsApp. In other words, yet WhatsApp. would do with such accounts. time, this time WhatsApp has users is May 15. The policy, first again, WhatsApp is telling its Facebook and WhatsApp, on However, most users were not changed the tactics. Zomato braces for 50k crore IPO, but only 7% Hindi heartland users order through it weekly The Covid-19 pandemic whopping Rs 50,000 crore Rajasthan, and Uttar Pradesh. has devastated millions of lives valuation. Its chief rival is Swiggy, We asked people the following and livelihoods. It has also which has also seen a huge boost two specific questions in these wrecked the economy and to its business. Or so it seems places in the local language: destroyed a vast majority of small at least to the majority of readers Q1. What is Zomato? and medium businesses. But the of this column who have probably It is an app like TikTok pandemic has also proved to be used Zomato or Swiggy It is a place in South India a blessing in disguise for some extensively during the lockdown. It is a food delivery app businesses such as technology But what percentage of Indians I don't know companies that have enabled are really aware of these food Q2. Did you use Zomato to order people to continue their lives from delivery companies and how food last week? their homes.The ability to order many use them on a weekly Yes/ No Can't answer. food from home is one such basis? Prashnam decided to find To put these in context, we About 48 per cent of the apps, roughly only 10-14 per cent business. Food delivery out. decided to ask the same respondents (weighted by had ordered food through these companies such as Zomato, The survey questions about Swiggy. A total population) knew that Zomato is apps in the past week.About 14 Swiggy, and others have First, we recognise that food of 2,829 adults responded to the a food delivery app. While only per cent of the respondents said benefitted enormously from the delivery apps may only be an Zomato survey while 2,652 37 per cent knew that Swiggy is they had ordered food through Covid lockdown-induced boost to urban phenomenon. So, we responded to the Swiggy survey. a food delivery app. There was not Zomato in the previous week. people ordering food online. identified 52 urban districts (as What we found is that the much difference in awareness To put it in context, only 48 per Their businesses are booming so defined by the Census) in four majority in urban areas in these levels across these four states. cent of people in urban much that Zomato even wants to large states in the Hindi heartland four Hindi states do not know Weekly usage districts in these states knew list itself in the stock market at a - Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, what Zomato and Swiggy are. Of those that knew about these what Zomato was. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY 46 These meteorites landed on Earth after a 22-million-year voyage For the first time, and study them. Their findings that was dropped on Hiroshima scientists have been able to provide new insights into the during World War II. precisely map the flight path of history of our solar system. "The infrasound shockwave an asteroid that landed on Earth Tracing an asteroid measured in South Africa was not and trace it back to its point of The asteroid was discovered to as strong as expected from U.S. origin. The boulder-size be on an impact trajectory with Government sensor detections of fragment's journey to our planet Earth on June 2, 2018, and eight the bright light," Brown said in a began 22 million years ago, hours after it was detected, it statement. according to new research. appeared over South Africa with Data from the Catalina Sky The asteroid, known as 2018 LA, a flash. Survey, as well as ANU's appeared like a fireball in the The asteroid was first spotted by SkyMapper telescope in New skies over Botswana on June 2, the University of Arizona's South Wales, were able to map 2018, before breaking apart and Catalina Sky Survey, appearing the asteroid's journey to Earth. landing in the Central Kalahari like a faint dot of light zipping This is only the second time Game Reserve. among the stars. The scientists have been able to Prior to breaking up in Earth's astronomical survey is part of observe an asteroid in space for the meteorite fragments on Lesedi Seitshiro from the atmosphere, scientists NASA's Planetary Defense before it impacted Earth. The first Earth and the meteor's origin in Botswana International University determined that the asteroid was program and searches for was asteroid 2008 TC3 in Sudan space." of Science and Technology found about 5 feet (1.7 meters) in asteroids approaching Earth. 10 years earlier, according to Meteorites among the wildlife the first one. It weighed 0.6 diameter, weighed 12,566 "Small meter-sized asteroids are Peter Jenniskens, lead study Data from multiple astronomical ounces (18 grams) and was only pounds and had been traveling at no danger to us, but they hone author and meteor astronomer at observations, along with video about 1.2 inches (3 centimeters) 37,282 miles per hour. our skills in detecting approaching the SETI Institute and NASA's recorded of the fireball, helped in size. As the asteroid broke up 27 km asteroids," said Eric Christensen, Ames Research Center. researchers determine the "The meteorite is named 'Motopi (16.7 miles) above ground, it was study coauthor and director of the "I could hardly believe my eyes meteorites had fallen in the Pan' after a local watering hole," 20,000 times brighter than the full Catalina Sky Survey program, in when I came upon a little object Central Kalahari Game Reserve, said Mohutsiwa Gabadirwe, moon," said Christian Wolf, study a statement. that appeared to be moving where wildlife like leopards and study coauthor and geoscientist coauthor and associate professor Peter Brown, professor and across images taken by lions live. at the Botswana Geoscience from the Australian National Canada Research Chair in SkyMapper," said Christopher The Botswana Department of Institute, in a statement. "This University's Research School of Planetary Small Bodies at Onken, study coauthor and ANU Wildlife and National Parks and meteorite is a national treasure Astronomy and Astrophysics, in Western University in Ontario, SkyMapper project scientist and the country's Department of of Botswana." a statement. worked with the Western Meteor astronomer, in a statement. National Museum and Gabadirwe is now the curator of The study published last week in Group to analyze sound waves "These last images before the Monuments helped the the Motopi Pan meteorite. the journal Meteoritics and from the fireball as it crossed into asteroid entered Earth's researchers search and stay safe The researchers uncovered a total Planetary Science. Earth's atmosphere. atmosphere were SkyMapper's in their quest to locate the of 23 fragments within a few Researchers were able to locate The asteroid had one-thirtieth of biggest contribution. They helped fragments. months of the event. the fragments, called meteorites, the energy of the atomic bomb to pinpoint both the search area On the last day of the search, Finding home 'I'm a bot on a mission!' NASA's Perseverance rover switches from on-scene photographer to science investigator as it begins testing one of Mars' ancient lakebeds for signs of life Now that Ingenuity has moved make up the Mastcam-Z imager geological clocks that allow from a technical demonstration, on the rover's 'head' worked to scientists to create an accurate to taking up the new role as a survey the terrain, and a laser timeline of how an area formed. scout for Perseverance, the instrument called SuperCam has One complicating factor is that 'science can begin,' the agency zapped some of the rocks to the rocks around Perseverance explained. detect their chemistry. have been eroded by wind over Using its suite of cameras, These instruments and others time and covered with younger Perseverance has been taking allow scientists to learn more sand and dust. images of rocks on the floor of about Jezero Crater and to home On Earth, a geologist might the crater, which was once a in on areas they might like to trudge into the field and break a lakebed billions of years ago. study in greater depth. rock sample open to get a better What insights they turn up will One important question scientists idea of its origins, said Ken help scientists create a timeline want to answer is whether these Farley, Perseverance project NASA's Perseverance with extra data coming from a of when an ancient lake formed rocks are sedimentary like scientist. rover has switched from pair of zoomable cameras. there, when it dried, and when sandstone, or igneous and 'When you look inside a rock, photographing the Ingenuity The Perseverance team tweeted: sediment began piling up in the formed by volcanic activity. that's where you see the story,' helicopter's test flights, to 'The time has come: I'm switching delta that formed in the crater Each type of rock tells a he added. searching for signs of long gone from on-scene photographer to long ago. different kind of story, NASA While Perseverance doesn't have Martian life. science investigator. Did this Understanding this timeline explained. a rock hammer, it does have The US space agency confirmed ancient lakebed ever have life? should help date rock samples - Some sedimentary rocks - other ways to peer past that the SUV-sized rover has The tools I brought will help begin to be collected later in the formed in the presence of millennia's worth of dust. started to test the ancient the hunt. I'm a bot on a mission.' mission - that might preserve a water from rock and mineral When scientists find a lakebed in the Jezero crater by The rover arrived on Mars on record of ancient microbes. fragments like sand, silt, and clay particularly enticing spot, they focusing its science instruments February 18 and since landing A camera called WATSON on the - are better suited to preserving can reach out with the rover's on rocks. has focused on testing its end of the rover's robotic arm has biosignatures, or signs of past arm and use an abrader to A camera called WATSON on the instruments, as well as recording taken detailed shots of the rocks life. grind and flatten a rock's end of the rover's robotic arm has and relaying data on Ingenuity for scientists to study. Igneous rocks, on the other surface, revealing its internal taken detailed shots of the rocks, flights. A pair of zoomable cameras that hand, are more precise structure and composition. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 ADVERTISEMEMT 47 Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 HEALTH & FITNESS 48 I recovered from Covid-19. When can I start working out? If you have recovered from Covid-19 and are wondering whether you can just about attempt to resume your mini-workout sessions at home, here's the answer.

Covid-19. intense workouts, hold on for a continue to consume immunity- SLOW AND STEADY month. Around 30 days after boosting drinks and healthy food Soon after recovery, it is important recovering from Covid, "you can to strengthen your system. for you to understand that you do push-ups and muscle-building "Steam inhalation and practicing must not rush with your fitness exercises," he said. deep-breathing exercises are the session since Covid makes your FOR ASYMPTOMATIC best ways to help rebuild and body weak. Do not exert yourself. PATIENTS stabilise immunity," Dr "Go for a slow and steady To begin with, it is crucial to Meenakshi Sharma added. exercise schedule which will not assess the impact of the virus on HYDRATE YOURSELF The worst long-term miss your workout sessions for exhaust your oxygen reserve in the individual and their body. "If the Don't forget to drink 8-10 glasses side-effect of Covid-19 is the world but of course, Covid the lungs," Dr Ijen Bhattacharya, patient has been asymptomatic, of water every day. "The most undoubtedly weakness. Although stopped you. Now, if you have physician and diabetologist from then start off with brisk walking for important thing is to keep symptoms disappear after recovered from Covid-19 and are Ghaziabad, told IndiaToday.in. 15-20 minutes as this can get your yourselves hydrated (200 ml recovery, most people complain wondering whether you can just WORKOUT ROUTINE muscles moving. This is also a water every half an hour). Also, of a lingering sense of fatigue, about attempt to resume your You may resume routine work at good form of exercise since the exercise according to your own with limited ability to exercise or mini-workout sessions at home, home but do not stress yourself, intensity can be regulated by the limitations and don't overdo," Dr even perform daily activities. here's the answer. Dr Ijen Bhattacharya said, adding individual," Dr Meenakshi Sharma Ijen Bhattacharya added. Several patients also experience IndiaToday.in consulted two that "breathing exercises and of Paras Hospitals, Gurugram, India recorded a new high of muscle pain long after recovery. doctors, who advised exercise Pranayam are good. You may told IndiaToday.in. 4,14,188 new Covid-19 cases on If you are a fitness enthusiast, routines that you can follow, if you also do brisk walking for 15-30 BOOST YOUR IMMUNITY Friday, taking the caseload to this can work against you wish to regain your physical minutes on every alternate day You've beaten Covid and that's 2,14,91,598, according to the because we are sure you don't strength after recovering from at home itself."If you enjoy doing great news, but you must Union Health Ministry. Recovered from Covid-19? Here's what you should do and keep in mind Here is everything you need to know about possible complications that may arise post Covid-19 infection and what precautions one should take before resuming normal life.

Just recovered from infectious."After 17 days from the unlike many other viral illnesses, Covid-19? It may not be wise to onset of symptoms, he can has the potential to cause long- let your guard down since an resume normal activities while term sequelae involving multiple increasing number of people are maintaining Covid-appropriate organs, especially the lungs. continuing to experience behaviour. For SARI (severe Available data indicates that symptoms after their initial acute respiratory infection) about a quarter of those with recovery from the disease in the cases, the patient becomes non- Covid-19 suffer from symptoms 4- second wave. infectious after 20 days and he/ 5 weeks after testing positive, and the virus in some parts of the skin, brain and nerves.Some of These post-Covid health she can resume normal life about 1 in 10 experience body that are sheltered from the the warning signs of lingering conditions or complications have depending on the extent of their symptoms after 12 weeks, Dr immune system," Dr Bansal said. Covid conditions are continuous come to be known as "long lung damage and other issues," Abhishek Bansal, Director (Dept What complications may arise shortness of breath, chest pain, Covid" or "long-haul Covid". In Dr Syamasis Bandyopadhyay of Orthopaedics), Diyos Hospital, after I get cured of Covid-19? breathing trouble, reappearance such cases, a patient continues told IndiaToday.in. told IndiaToday.in "While there is Covid-19 is known to affect of fever, fatigue, painful joints or to experience symptoms of the Why are some people seeing no conclusive evidence, people multiple organs and body muscles and dizziness on disease four weeks after initial post-Covid complications? may experience post-Covid systems, including heart and standing, said Dr Syamasis recovery. Covid-19 is a viral illness which, conditions due to persistence of blood vessels, lungs, kidneys, Bandyopadhyay. Some of the complications being witnessed in patients recovered from Covid-19 include impact on I am suffering from depression. How should I deal with Covid isolation? lungs, kidneys, heart, and cases If someone contracts the In case you or someone around of depression - mild, moderate TREATMENTS- Dr Parul of a black fungal infection, called Covid-19 virus, the road to you is going through such similar and severe - depending on the Adlakha, a clinical psychologist mucormycosis. recovery is not an easy process. feelings, then this article is for severity and changes due to from Delhi, said, "A Covid-patient When can we say that a Covid- First, the person needs to isolate you. IndiaToday.in recently got in Covid. Additionally, Covid might diagnosed with depression 19 patient is cured and can themselves from other members touch with clinical psychologists push a moderately depressed should continue with their resume normal life? in their house. This puts patients to talk to them about what a person to severe depression. In treatment more than ever right now Dr Syamasis Bandyopadhyay, in a tough spot because now, their person suffering from depression such cases, it is essential to - be it by attending their therapy Senior Consultant Physician and daily life comes to a halt and should do to deal with Covid continue with Activities of Daily sessions or eating medication Rheumatologist, Director Medical social interaction becomes isolation.A clinical psychologist Living (ADLs) - eating, sleeping given by their doctors. It is Services, Apollo Hospitals, said limited. If this person has been from Delhi, Dr Samriddhi Khatri, and bathing. It is difficult to do necessary because when a if a Covid-19 patient has ILI diagnosed with clinical said that this is an important these things, but one should not clinically depressed person is in (Influenza-like illness) symptoms, depression before, things can problem during Covid times. She stop doing them." isolation, the circumstances are then within 10 days of onset of become more severe for them. said, "There are various grades CONTINUE WITH YOUR bound to affect their mental health. symptoms he becomes non- Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 ENTERTAINMENT 49 Without Remorse movie review: Magnetic Michael B Jordan can't save Amazon's flimsy franchise-starter Without Remorse movie review: Michael B Jordan stars in director Stefano Sollima's franchise-starter, out on Amazon Prime Video.

A lot of people watched leaves a lot to be desired. In many the 'misleading' trailer that they Sicario, but no one was more ways, Sollima represents the cut. I can imagine baffled impressed by the film than utopian ideal of what many, Boomers tuning into Without director Stefano Sollima, who has including myself, often desire of Remorse and contemplating since dedicated his career to mainstream Hollywood - legal action as well. Not because mimicking it. Not only did filmmaking that refuses to it's bad - it isn't; it's mediocre - Sollima direct the actual sequel conform to familiar old tricks. But but because it really isn't what - Sicario: Day of the Soldado - there's a reason why Nicolas you'd expect. but he also brought the same, Winding Refn never actually A blatant attempt to appeal to a ideology. We watch as multiple been exploited by it. "I'll show spare style to his terrific crime directed a James Bond film, younger demographic - as has members of his SEAL team are them what a pawn can do to a series ZeroZeroZero, and now, to despite having come very close become rather common these assassinated one by one, in king," he says in one scene, Amazon's Without Remorse. But at one point - as tantalising as days, the protagonist has been abruptly structured scenes. before unleashing a tirade of what worked marvellously in the the prospect might sound, finding racially overhauled here - Without When they come for Clark, they vengeful violence that attracts the past has proven to be the a common ground between his Remorse bears little find his pregnant wife instead. attention of the President and his absolute worst approach this time arthouse sensibilities and Bond's resemblance to Clancy's Cold Her brutal murder compels him cronies. around. Sollima's minimalist bombast would have been be too War thrillers. Michael B Jordan to go rogue. This might seem like But Without Remorse, before style simply doesn't translate to wide a chasm to cross. stars as John Clark, the writer's a tired trope in spy thrillers, but being dumped on Amazon, Tom Clancy's maximalist world The closest analogy I can think second most popular character, it's really radical, if you consider appears to have been designed - the Ryanverse. He has dealt of also involves Refn, and his after Jack Ryan, who has a it in an Indian context. While our as a PG-13 film. There is violence with themes of institutional 2011 cult classic Drive. Marketed series that airs on the same industry has virtually made it - the movie devotes more time to corruption before, but he puts as an action-heist film in the vein streamer. Previously played on impossible to question gunfights than actual that on the back burner in of the Fast & Furious franchise, film by Willem Dafoe and Liev institutions, here's a movie, conversations - but it's all very Without Remorse, a film that is the film earned a 'C-' Schreiber, John Clark gets an muddled as it might be, that sanitised. The pacing, stitched together by a series of CinemaScore from audiences, origin story in Without Remorse. features a protagonist who not meanwhile, makes it seem like action set pieces with the barest despite glowing critical reviews. It establishes, in its opening only actively turns his back on an assembly cut - not at all hints of a plot. As an action An angry woman actually filed a scene, not only his formidable his nation, but also questions how elegant like its protagonist, but director, his bare-bones style lawsuit against the distributor for physicality, but also his men and women like him have almost mechanical. The Disciple movie review: A demanding drama from master-in-the-making Chaitanya Tamhane The Disciple movie review: Director Chaitanya Tamhane's new film, out on Netflix, is a demanding drama about obsession; another major step in the cre- ative evolution of one of India's most promising young filmmakers.

masterpiece Court has more in learned some time later that he Bollywood is but a block away - common with Japanese cinema. simply wasn't cut out for it. Like and the importance of remaining "Till the age of 40, we didn't think Studio Ghibli's internal affairs, 'lonely and hungry'.Later, when he of anything but practice," the succession plays a key role in is getting pictures taken for his aspiring 24-year-old musician The Disciple as well. Sharad grew website, the photographer asks Sharad Nerulkar's 'guruji' tells him up hearing his father wax lyrical him to loosen up a little. "Smile, in one scene, after Sharad about the legendary Maai, an you enjoy singing, don't you?" he displays a hint of impatience. idealistic singer who refused to asks. The look on Sharad's face Guruji isn't a hothead like JK perform for crowds, or allow her suggests that the photographer Simmons' instructor from music to be recorded. One of might as well have asked for his The music in The music. They bob their heads Chazelle's Whiplash, but more Maai's disciples was Sharad's mother's hand in marriage; it's Disciple brings to mind that scene gently, their bodies swaying in reserved, like chef Jiro Ono, own Guruji; this isn't conveyed in been a while since he 'enjoyed' from La La Land, in which Ryan near-unison to the 'raagas'. I have whose relationship with his son as many words, but it's almost as doing anything. As languidly Gosling's Seb, a lifelong devotee, read foreign journalists who was documented so thoughtfully if Sharad believes that he belongs paced as it is, there is a explains jazz to Emma Stone's watched the film at the Venice and in Jiro Dreams of Sushi. Guruji's to some sort of holy bloodline. claustrophobic quality to The Mia, who thinks of it as elevator Toronto International Film expectations of Sharad aren't Conquering the world of classical Disciple that is hard to ignore. music. "It's not relaxing," Seb Festivals describe the music as dissimilar to what the greatest music isn't merely his artistic Like its protagonist, the film never says, on the verge of losing it. "It's 'soothing', mistaking it, perhaps sushi chefs demand of their ambition, but a spiritual quest. He takes it easy; Sharad has no conflict, and it's compromise, and like Mia, for what you'd hear in the apprentices - years of dedication is a samurai, a monk who goes friends to speak of, he has no it's new, every time. It's very, very lobby of a Taj, or at Saravana perfecting knife work and rice- on nighttime bike rides in hobbies, no real job, and no exciting." There are several Bhawan. It's likely that you're making, before they can even Mumbai, almost as an act of interests beyond singing. There's scenes in The Disciple, director reminded of Damien Chazelle's attempt crafting the actual dish. meditation. On his rides, filmed a sense that he's continuing down Chaitanya Tamhane's second films while watching this one, Sharad reminded me of director entirely in slow-motion, he listens this demanding path because of feature film, in which discerning obsessed as it is with obsession. Goro Miyazaki, a man who to rare recordings of Maai's an escalation in commitment - he crowds gather to watch a But thematically and tonally, reluctantly followed in his lectures, in which she speaks has invested far too much energy performance of Indian classical Tamhane's follow-up to his modern illustrious father's footsteps, but about resisting temptation - into this to turn back around. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 ENTERTAINMENT 50 Why Dua Lipa is Hotter Than Hell! Singer

25, born in London to Kosovan refugee parents came back to the UK ALONE at 14 to become a star and now has the world at her feet with BRIT awards, No. 1s and a celeb boyfriend

Dua Lipa dominated the picked up three Grammy awards, Dukagjin was training to be a Brit Awards last night, walking an Evian brand ambassadorship dentist and Anesa a lawyer away with the best female solo and a celebrity boyfriend in Anwar before leaving Kosovo but they artist and the coveted best album Hadid along the way. Born in gave up their professions to flee gongs.At just 25 years old, the London in 1995, Dua is the eldest their home country in search of stylish songstress has firmly daughter of Dukagjin Lipa and his somewhere safer to raise a established herself as one of wife, Anesa, who is of Bosnian family. Britain's biggest pop stars - and Kosovan descent.Dukagjin, They settled in realising a dream that started a former rocker who shares his Hampstead, north when she was a primary daughter's love of music, is the London. After Dua, schoolgirl in Camden. son of well-known historian Seit whose name Born in London to Kosovar- Lipa, who served as head of the means 'love' in Albanian parents who fled conflict Kosovo Institute of History. 'Once Albanian, came and political instability in the the Serbians came in, they daughter Rina, Balkans, Dua attended a small wanted a lot of the historians to now 17, a state primary school and had her rewrite the history of Kosovo,' model, and son first taste of performing while Lipa told the Observer in 2018.To Gjin, 15, who taking Saturday classes at the change it - that Kosovo was has a world-renowned Sylvia Young always part of Serbia and never 190,000- Theatre School.After spending a part of Yugoslavia.'And my strong few years in Pristina after her grandfather was one of those Instagram father's job as a marketing people who wouldn't, so he lost following. manager took them back to his his job, because he didn't want To earn native Kosovo, Dua bravely to write a history that he didn't money, decided to return to the UK alone believe to be true.' He was an Dukagjin and at the age of 14 in pursuit of her acquaintance of Besim Sahatçiu, Anesa picked up dreams of pop stardom. In 2014, the late grandfather of pop star jobs waiting tables at after achieving 4 A-Levels at a Rita Ora, who was born in cafes and bars. Her Camden all-girls sixth form Pristina. This week Dukagjin father took night college, the talented teenager shared a photo of the two men classes in had signed with Warner Bros. enjoying lunch together in the business and Records. Now, just seven years 1960s.Seit died of a heart attack Anesa retrained later, she is preparing to tour the in 1999, the year the Kosovo War in travel and world with a No.1 album - and has ended. Besim died in 2005. tourism. Beyonce is a vision of cool as she serves major leg in low-cut black dress with thigh-high slit

She's not just a musical sensation, revealing with it's plunging neckline fraternal twins Rumi and Sir, three. but a style icon.And Beyonce was and long slit.Accentuating In a rare interview with the Sunday looking fierce once again in an edgy Beyonce's fabulous body, the dress Times Style, the rapper opened up slideshow posted to her was cinched at the waist with a about raising a family with Beyoncé Instagram account on black leather belt and dazzling amid the pandemic, which he said Wednesday. The chart- buckle.She took the glamour to a gave them a chance to 'really topper, 39, served major leg whole new level with huge metallic connect.' 'In the beginning it was in a low-cut belted black earrings and matching choker time for everyone to sit down and dress with thigh-high slit. necklace.Enhancing the cool vibe really connect, and really focus on The Crazy In Love were her petite, metal-rim family and being together, and take songstress flashed her shades.She wore her brunette this time to learn more about each cleavage and sexy tresses down in a silky, glossy style other,' he explained.'And then, black lace lingerie as that cascaded down past her as it wore on, it's like, "OK, all she posed with an air waist.Finishing off the look was a right, what is the new normal?"… of confidence for the black clutch and leather heels.Not If anything came from this, it's that camera. Despite pictured in the photos was Beyonce's we have to recognize that we're all being floor-length, husband Jay-Z, 51, and their three connected. It's a metaphor for how the dress was quite children, Blue Ivy, nine, and their connected we are.' Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 ENTERTAINMENT 51 Kim Kardashian flashes peace signs while modeling a brown leather strapless top with matching slacks from the comfort of her closet

She's moving on from the reality off her flawless complexion with thing that we have ever done and show which made her a effortless glam. we can't even express the household name. Kim recently broke down in tears appreciation that we have for But Kim Kardashian made sure as she revealed the 'excruciating you along the way.' to carve out some personal time decision' to end filming her Kim could barely speak as she as she modeled a brown leather family's show to the crew during clutched her neck: 'I just want ensemble from the comfort of her a n episode of you guys to know how much closet.The 40-year-old social Keepnig we really appreciate you guys media savant flashed peace each and every one of you for signs while wearing a strapless spending time away from your top with suede slacks as she families to be with our crazy navigates a host of new family.' changes coming her way The reality star also split this year.Her brown leather from her estranged top featured stitched husband West after braiding along the hem and almost seven years of cups, which she paired marriage, and in a new with high-waisted slacks. teaser clip for Keeping She wore a massive gold Up with the cross on a brown choker, and Kardashians, Kim admits added a few chunky gold rings she's ready to put the past to complete her ensemble. Kim behind her.In the video - simply captioned the series with which shows a range of a brown box emoji, possibly a U p With highlights for the upcoming nod to the cardboard color or the final ever episodes of the E! uniforms worn by UPS delivery Kardashians.Kris Jenner broke reality series - Kim's mother employees. the news to the production team: Kris Jenner tells her: 'I just Her dark brown hair was parted 'It's been a really excruciating want you to be happy and down the middle and worn in decision to make. This journey joyful.' And Kim replies: 'Yeah, natural waves, and she showed has been the most incredible and I'm ready too.' Salman Khan asks fans to say no to piracy ahead of Radhe release

Salman Khan's Radhe: "No piracy in entertainment... with ZEE Studios. It is produced Your Most Wanted Bhai is all set #Radhe." In the clip, Salman by Salman Khan, Sohail Khan to release tomorrow, May 13. mentions how many people put and Reel Life Production Pvt. Ahead of the big release, Salman in lots of efforts to make one film limited. has shared a special video, and it is very upsetting when The movie will release in over 40 taking a commitment from some people take to piracy to countries, including a theatrical everyone to watch Radhe on Zee5 enjoy that film. release in major overseas and say no to piracy in ABOUT RADHE markets on May 13, on the entertainment. Along with Salman Khan, Radhe occasion of Eid. The film will be SALMAN KHAN SHARES also stars Disha Patani, Randeep available on ZEE5 with ZEE's pay SPECIAL VIDEO Hooda and Jackie Shroff in pivotal per view service ZEEPlex on the Salman shared a special video to roles. The movie is presented by Zee5 OTT platform and all leading send out the message. He wrote, Salman Khan films in association DTH operators. Ab limited resources mein happiness dhundh rahe hai: Kamna Pathak We've been living in unprecedented times recovered.She goes on to caution people to steer owing to the outbreak of Covid-19, but the clear of incorrect information being shared online: vaccination drive is restoring hope in many, "Log kehte hai ye karlo, ye kha lo, ye peelo... itne including Kamna Pathak. The actor nuskhe nikaal diye sabne, but I'd say wishes to combat myths and misguided stay away from this."Being away from information, and persuade the masses family, especially during testing times to get vaccinated. "Vaccination doesn't like these, is tough. Such is the case come with a guarantee of not contracting for Pathak, too, who is currently in the virus, but the symptoms are mild. Mumbai, away from her family in her I've witnessed it in my family," says the Happu Ki hometown Indore, Madhya Pradesh. "Mental Ultan Paltan actor, whose parents tested positive stability is a challenge, but I have had plenty of even after being inoculated, but swiftly learnings since the last lockdown. Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 52

The Home of Solid Games www.greystonegames.com Voice of South Asian Community Since March 2002 Vol. 20 Issue 11 Friday 15 May to 22 May 2021 $ 1 www.thesouthasianinsider.com Meet the workers who put food on America's Why the world needs to help Modi govt figure tables - but can't afford groceries out the risk from Covid variant B.1.617 (SAI Bureau)- If you haven't heard of B.1.617 yet, chances are you soon will. This particular Covid-19 variant is at least partly behind the overwhelming second wave in India, the current global epicenter of the pandemic. The World Health Organization has now raised (SAI Bureau)-In the piercing midday heat B.1.617 from a "variant of interest" of southern Texas, farmhand Linda Villarreal to a "variant of concern." Authorities moves methodically to weed row after row of like Public Health England are parsley, rising only occasionally to stretch her already treating it as the latter, achy back and nibble on sugary biscuits she meaning there's something keeps in her pockets. In the distance, a green worrying about one or more of the and white border patrol truck drives along the criteria on which a virus is judged - including how fast officially reported, around 4,000 and 400,000, levee beside the towering steel border wall. it transmits, how many it kills, and whether it evades respectively, or closer to 25,000 deaths and between 2 For this backbreaking work, Villareal is paid detection or makes vaccines less effective. The stakes million and 5 million infections, as Brown University $7.25 per hour, the federal minimum wage since underlying these threat thresholds have risen beyond School of Public Health's Ashish Jha estimates, the rest 2009, with no benefits. She takes home between guessing the true extent of the unfolding disaster in of the world needs to help the country combat this $300 and $400 a week depending India. Whether daily fatalities and new cases are, as (Contd on page 34) (Contd on page 35) Colonial hack: How did cyber- Secret Service recovers $2 attackers shut off pipeline? India's New Covid Cases Have billion in fraudulently Peaked, Shows Cambridge Tracker obtained Covid-19 relief funds

(SAI Bureau)-The number of new coronavirus infections in India has peaked, according to a new tracker developed by researchers at Cambridge Judge Business School and (SAI Bureau)- Investigators at the largest the National Institute of fuel pipeline in the US are working to recover from Economic and Social a devastating cyber-attack that cut the flow of oil. Research. (SAI Bureau)- Federal The hack on Colonial Pipeline is being seen as "But there is substantial officials from the US Secret one of the most significant attacks on critical variation among states and Service have helped recover national infrastructure in history. union territories in their trajectories, reported numbers and are in line with around $2 billion in fraudulently The pipeline transports nearly half of the east with cases continuing to increase over those from some other experts, obtained Covid-19 relief funds and coast's fuel supplies and prices at pumps are the next two weeks in areas such as including Prime Minister Narendra seized more than $640 million expected to rise if the outage is long lasting. Assam, Himachal Pradesh, Tamil Modi's advisers. India reported a record from accused fraudsters, the (Contd on page 35) Nadu and Tripura," the researchers 414,188 new cases on May 7 -- about agency said Wednesday. One wrote.The projections are based on (Contd on page 35) (Contd on page 34) Chainsaw massacre: tree poaching hits Canada amid

lumber shortage (Contd on page 35)