R.N.I. No 53449/91 DL-SW-1/4124/20-22 Vol - 31 No. 27 Page 24 Rs. 7.00 2 - 8 August 2021 ESTABLISHED 1991

N(Monday/TuesdayEW same week) (PublishedD Every Monday)ELHI ISSN -2349-1221 New Delhi T FounderIMES : Dr. Govind Narain Srivastava

PAGE 2

Increasing frequency of Extreme Corona Pandemic UK - Japan Climatic Disasters need pushes Revenge & strategic alliance on Anticipatory Travel Defence Cooperation Urgent change of course The global climate is a connected system of the Sun, the Earth, oceans, wind, rain, snow, forests, deserts and savannas. Specific local climate reflects rainfall and changing temperatures but the global climate is more than the “average” of them all. The ever-increasing frequency of extreme climatic disasters in recent years are attributed to global warming — century-scale rise in the average temperature of the Earth’s climate system — caused by increasing concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) and other human-caused emissions. The Earth’s atmosphere, as a greenhouse, captures sun’s heat to produce life forms, including PAGE 4 PAGE 6 humans. The Earth’s temperature is shooting up faster as carbon, methane, and heat-trapping greenhouse gases are agitating, heating and boiling local weather and global climate. That increases the severity, scale, and frequency of energy-intensive An ounce of protection is storms like hurricanes, typhoons, droughts... PAGE 3 worth a pound of cure Each and every one of us in life goes through many Floods in Europe things that are impossible to predict beforehand. There are too many things that we will never know are directly linked what will happen to us until it actually happens and it’s no use worrying or being paranoid over something that is out of our control. But if we to Climate change could and if it was possible, we would prefer to completely prevent or avoid certain things from & Deforestation PAGE 5 ever happening to us, and maybe in that... PAGE 24 Muslim Vs. Muslim

in Canada PAGE 2 1 twitter@NewDelhiTimes facebook.com/newdelhitimes www.NewDelhiTimes.com 2 2 - 8 August 2021 Opinion NEW DELHI TIMES Refugee crisis creating deep holes in EU pockets support from the European agencies, and compulsory when they are “under pressure” matters of salience. ◆ By NDT Special Bureau international organizations like the UNHCR. from arrivals. The budgets for the refuges are astounding: @NewDelhiTimes In 2015, 1.83 million refugees crossed In June 2021, the Parliament and the Council renewed Asylum Fund (AMIF) for 2021- [email protected] into Europe. In 2020, the number fell to 1, transformed the current European Asylum 2027 is a whopping €9.88 billion, the border 25,100 but the European Parliament brought Support Office (EASO) into the EU Agency management fund (IBMF) is €6.24 billion, urope has been battling the refugee multiple proposals to remedy the EU’s for Asylum. That made asylum procedures and significant financial support from the E crisis for decades, but things came asylum policy: reforming the asylum system, in the EU countries more uniform and faster, EU budget to the Member States for the to a head in 2015 – the year of Europe’s strengthening border security, promoting with 500 experts providing better support to deployment of personnel and equipment refugee crisis — when unprecedented influx refugees’ integration, reinforcing the asylum national asylum systems. and the new emergency support instrument. of mainly Syrian and Afghan refugees to system and sharing responsibility between The standing cost of manpower cost will In July 2021, the European Parliament Europe through the Mediterranean Sea the EU countries. be staggering. The European Parliament is approved the renewed 2021-2027 Asylum, reached staggering new levels. Traditionally proactively working for more funding to The refugee influx forced the European Migration and Integration Fund (AMIF) the Turkey-Lesvos (Greek island) crossing create new jobs and education for refugees! Parliament to strengthen the EU border budget for 2021-2027, which will increase were main routes for refugees. It shifted to The whole Europe appears fixated on agency Frontex. In December 2015, the to €9.88 billion, to strengthen the common the dangerous Libya-Italy Mediterranean refugee welfare putting its own existence at European Commission proposed a new asylum policy, and push Member States crossing. And 3,550 refugees were lost to peril. European Border and Coast Guard to to share the responsibility of hosting drowning! More than 911,000 refugees reinforce the management and security of refugees and asylum-seekers more fairly. arrived at the European shores that year; The socio-political cost of refugee crisis the EU’s external borders. In October, 2016, It will directly fund the local and regional three-fourths of them fleeing conflict and will be huge and future generations will pay the European Commission launched the authorities for refugee integration, persecution in Syria, Afghanistan or Iraq! through their nose. Report estimated influx Common European Asylum System (CEAS) counselling, education, and other trainings. of five million refugees through Turkey and The image of a young Syrian boy, Aylan to reform the Dublin System for better Now the Commission foresees a new the British, fearing own share as part of the Kurdi, his body washed up on a Turkish allocation of asylum applicants among the comprehensive action plan on integration EU, exited the EU! beach, moved millions worldwide. It EU countries though the member states are and inclusion for 2021-2024. The European highlighted “the desperation of people yet to reach an agreement on the modus of Parliament is also proactively working Influx of refugees will fetch diverse cultures; seeking protection or a new life in Europe.” sharing responsibility. for more funding to create new jobs and Europe will take centuries to integrate. The then UN High Commissioner for education for vulnerable refugees. Remember, India is spending massive During the European Parliament’s 2014- intellectual energy on rationalising diversity. Refugees António Guterres in year 2015 2019 legislative term, the MEPs worked on Members created a new Integrated Border urged European countries for a “robust” Europe could be on similar path. The Europe-wide rules to differentiate migrants Management Fund (IBMF) to enhance smuggling trade, drugs and communicable rescue-at-sea operation as the European from refugees and ensure fair and equal the EU countries’ border management Union faced a “defining moment.” disease by refugees will be added bonus! treatment of asylum-seekers. On September and allocated €6.24 billion to contribute Refugees have reportedly brought with The European authorities faced street 23, 2020, the Commission proposed a New to a common, harmonised visa policy and them Islamic fundamentalism to Europe. protests, closure and fencing of borders. Pact on Migration and Asylum, to improve introduce protective measures. The EU The virulent strand of desert cult which Austria and Germany kept borders open and expedite procedures throughout the EU’s budget provides the Member States most propounds rampant religious conversion, but other European countries temporarily asylum and migration system. It determined affected by migrant arrivals with significant double-digit population growth, eventual reinstated border controls. And two decades the country responsible for processing each financial and practical support, through the demographic change and imposition of of open borders in the EU had ended. asylum claim and put forward a compromise EU budget, for the deployment of personnel Sharia could decimate the European culture, Varying border control measures of the on solidarity and fair sharing of responsibility and equipment and the new emergency for sure. European states exposed shortcomings in for asylum-seekers among the EU Member support instrument. The refugee crisis has Europe’s asylum system. The EU had to act. States. That constituted a revision of the imposed immense cost on the EU nations and Europe is literally in for hell. Since the world Dublin regulation, enabling the European unfortunately, most of those are recurring in has been looking up to Europe for a multitude The European Union’s relocation scheme Parliament to tighten the border controls and nature. The European Parliament is wasting of things—culture, intellectualism, life style, relocated 160,000 refugees from Italy and track people entering Europe. It introduced much of its precious money, time and democracy, human rights, and innovation— Greece—Europe’’ first ports of entry—to a new system of flexible contributions and intellect on refugees rather than on science, the inevitable social-political decline of Sweden, Luxembourg and elsewhere with make solidarity with the EU front line states technology, innovation, health care, or other Europe will be a great civilizational shock. Muslim vs. Muslim in Canada not go unchallenged. The Montreal-based for example, found that ‘67% of Quebecers Association Québécoise des Nord-Africains and 61% of Canadians believe that religious ◆ By Tarek Fatah pour la laïcité (AQNAL), led by University accommodations requested by Muslims Author & Columnist, Canada of Montreal Prof. Nadia El-Mabrouk, issued show that they don’t really want to integrate @TarekFatah a scathing critique of Muslims who seek to and that anger towards them is justified.’” [email protected] influence public policy by playing the victim card of Islamophobia. The NCCM opposition to Quebec’s Bill 21 n preparation for the National Summit drew particular ire from the statement signed I on so-called Islamophobia last In a statement AQNAL said, as Canadian by anti-Islamist Muslims across the country. Thursday, the National Council of Canadian citizens of Muslim culture or religion, we The Bill 21 Law requires that certain public Muslims (NCCM) released a series of welcome all initiatives to combat hatred and officials in positions of authority, including Arabia and the Pakistan jihadi military recommendations that reveal an agenda of intolerance and to foster social cohesion and teachers, not wear religious symbols, in which is willing to do anything to defend separation, not integration. understanding among citizens. “However, order to respect the freedom of conscience their backward vision of Islam, is very real. not only do we not see any social cohesion Canadians are aware of this. As its report rightly states, Canadian Muslims of all citizens. in the NCCM recommendations,” the are not a monolithic group. However, there largely North African Quebecois Muslims One of the effects of Bill 21 is to limit the Yet, the CNMC makes no mention of the was little presence of any diversity that said they “consider the NCCM report as social pressure of the Islamic veil on young need to combat this retrograde and violent makes up the Canadian Muslim community. only exacerbating tensions that accentuate Muslim girls in public schools. However, manifestation of Islam. Voices of Kurdish, Iranian, Baloch and anti- anti-Muslim feelings.” Bill 21 is under attack by Islamists and Taliban Afghans were absent as were those the NCCM. Quebecers are accused of The statement by Canada’s secular Muslims of North African Francophone Muslims The AQNAL statement was co-signed by racism and islamophobia because of their concluded: “We are Canadian citizens of largely settled in Quebec. Ensaf Haider, wife of Saudi-imprisoned attachment to secularism. Tunisian, Algerian, Egyptian, Palestinian, human rights activist Raif Badawi, a number Afghan, Pakistani origin, all of whom have It was a jamboree of victimhood-seeking This stubborn attack on the fundamental Islamists who have always desired Sharia of secular Muslims from English Canada different cultures and different relationships (including yours truly), Raheel Raza of the values of the Quebec nation can only to religion and faith. law in Canada over the decades. In contrast, exacerbate anger towards Muslims. Muslims who have escaped the tyranny of Council of Muslims Seeking Tomorrow, Sharia and have integrated into mainstream and ordinary liberal Muslims who are If at all Islam appears frightening, it is because We want our children to be seen as Canadian Canadian society were rebuffed. Those who themselves targeted by Islamists. of Islamist terrorist attacks throughout the citizens before any other identity and we seek a worldwide caliphate over the skeleton world, offensives against human rights in refuse to allow the school system to be of western civilization were celebrated The statement that was ignored by the media countries where Islam is dominant, but also manipulated to push them into the silo of by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the in English Canada but ran in La Presse because of the entry of Islamist ideology in political Islam via victimhood.” Liberal party’s vote-bank machine. newspaper said: “As numerous surveys the West, notably through the imposition of have shown, it is not Islam but religious the Islamic veil for women. Is that too much to ask for? Why is the rest This love affair between the Liberal party fundamentalism, and in particular religious of Canada silent as its values are trampled (Conservatives and the NDP being no accommodation, that arouses distrust The Islamic threat, particularly from the upon by those who seek a Caliphate instead exception) and Canada’s Islamists did among Canadian citizens. A 2017 survey, theocratic regime of Iran, financiers in Saudi of the Commons? www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES Editor’s Desk 2 - 8 August 2021 3 Increasing frequency of Extreme Climatic Disasters need Urgent change of course reduce. Once prime growing zones witness Emerging Technologies: complete ecological change to endanger ◆ Dr. Ankit Srivastava food security. Technologies can Chief Editor remove carbon from the @AnkitNDT Climate systems and subsystems possess in- atmosphere by converting [email protected] built stability mechanism like carbon-eating it into an inert form or carbon-releasing qualities, or producing, that can be sequestered he global climate is a connected system reflecting, or absorbing heat. Soils eat or permanently to ‘out of T of the Sun, the Earth, oceans, wind, rain, release carbon depending upon carbon sight, out of mind and snow, forests, deserts and savannas. Specific deposits from plant life. Slight changes in the out of the atmosphere’ local climate reflects rainfall and changing Earth’s axis position can raise or lower global forever. These are temperatures but the global climate is more temperature range depending upon the angle chemically simple, but than the “average” of them all. The ever- of axis shift. These Milankovitch cycles involve complex business increasing frequency of extreme climatic have immense effect on global temperatures. modelling. disasters in recent years are attributed to Nature is stabilizing temperature this way. global warming — century-scale rise in Humans must do their part. Iceland scientists pumped the average temperature of the Earth’s CO2 underground into climate system — caused by increasing Efforts to change course: porous basalt formations concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) that quickly turns to and other human-caused emissions. Managing climate change today involves stone. Passing air across high level diplomatic negotiations among a huge surface of flowing Why Global Warming? states, international organizations, NGOs, alkali bath captures CO2 business groups, and minor political actors which is then converted The Earth’s atmosphere, as a greenhouse, because individual countries can manage to pellets. captures sun’s heat to produce life forms, only the activities within their borders. including humans. The Earth’s temperature Climate change as a global challenge Sequestration by is shooting up faster as carbon, methane, and requires a global solution. Greenhouse gas “pyrolysis” of biomass heat-trapping greenhouse gases are agitating, emissions have world-wide impact. - heating to high heating and boiling local weather and global temperatures in absence climate. That increases the severity, scale, The 1992 Rio Earth Summit launched the of oxygen - produces and frequency of energy-intensive storms United Nations Framework Convention on a pure form of carbon like hurricanes, typhoons, droughts, and Climate Change (UNFCCC) to reduce GHG “biochar” which is carbon wildfires. Global warming has approaching concentrations and manage climate change negative and eliminates irreversibility and hurtling to extinction “at a level that would prevent dangerous black carbon and long- threshold for humanity, planetary life, and anthropogenic interference with the climate term GHGs. Field- atmosphere. system”. The countries did not comply with burning of agricultural voluntary GHG emissions reductions. The Approaches to Global Warming: waste in the developing 1997 Kyoto Protocol framed a stringent world produces biochar global trading system for carbon credits There are three positions, first, that the that removes millions of and binding GHG reductions. The US did global warming is not occurring and tons of CO2, black carbon not sign; China and India were exempted as neither the climate change; second, both and GHGs annually from developing countries, the Conferences of the are occurring but as natural cyclic events the atmosphere. Parties (COPs) became annual ritual, and the unrelated to human activity; and third, both Kyoto carbon trading system lapsed after the result from human activity (anthropogenic). Today’s global warming 2012 Doha meetings. The scientists and environmentalists emergency is not a attribute current atmospheric warming to natural disaster but Why climate change is so difficult to human activities like burning of fossil fuels human-made. Climate manage? which release “greenhouse gases” (GHGs), destabilization might tiny particles (black carbon) and stores have crossed the of carbon that were sequestered (buried) The difficulties arise from two related threshold of reversibility. millions of years ago. Adding “old” carbon reasons: it is expensive and poses a A destabilized global to the world’s current stock of carbon has collective action problem. Adding climate will set new aggravated global warming. carbon dioxide removing equipment to dynamic equilibrium a coal power plant appears expensive not suitable for humans The climate change is evidenced in long because the environment is not valued. and can continue for term data on atmospheric CO2 levels, Industries freely dump the GHGs and centuries or millennia. global temperature, sea level, the expanse black carbon into the air. They pay The UN’s Special of ice, the fossil record and the distribution nothing for using a scarce resource like Development Goals of species. All parts of the global climate the environment as a disposal site. (SDG) for 2030 aimed are interconnected so heating in one region to reduce greenhouse manifests elsewhere through sea level, Their “costing” or “accounting” excludes emissions. weather, and migration of oceanic fish the cost of polluting environment from species. The NASA has corroborated the the basic costs of doing business, but later Twenty-eight civilisations climate models. pays an expensive extra. Environmental have perished so far sensitivity should constitute a standard cost to climatic hazards. Impacts of climate change: of doing business. As clean environment is The current one-29th not valued, environmental expenses appear civilisation in human Rising sea levels, melting ice, torrential as “extras” and look expensive. existence-is stressed. downpours, powerful storms, hurricanes, We can’t reverse the typhoons, and frequent flooding are scary. Collective action problems arise when all process. Can we slow Downpours somewhere but droughts and of the members of a large group enjoy a down? The human heat waves elsewhere as hot, dry places get resource equally but each member avoids existence is at stake. K. hotter and drier. The record high temperature paying for protecting that resource while Smith prophesized in years are becoming the norm, not the wanting other members to pay. 2008: “The rich will find exception. their world to be more Everyone enjoys a not-too-hot world and expensive, inconvenient, With global warming ecosystems move. temperate climate but won’t pay. These are uncomfortable, disrupted Rising temperatures push rice crops north really collective action failures as people and colourless; in general, into once cooler areas, fish species migrate insist “free ride” and get less favourable more unpleasant and long distances to comfortable waters, climate. The increasingly strident “us first” unpredictable, perhaps fishermen’s catches in once colder waters tone of domestic politics worldwide is pre- greatly so. The poor will increase but fishing in warmer waters empting common cause for all. die.”

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 4 2 - 8 August 2021 International NEW DELHI TIMES Corona Pandemic pushes Revenge and Anticipatory Travel ◆ By Sujay Dhawan Senior Editor @SujayDhawan [email protected]

strange phenomenon has been A conspicuously visible since June 2021 in the major Indian tourist destinations at the time when the COVID-19 related lockdown restrictions have been lifted across various States and UTs. Indians thronged the prominent tourist places. Calls for social distancing took a backseat and almost everyday news reports and images of crowded popular destinations were prominently displayed on social, electronic and print media.

This phenomenon of increasing crowds despite calls to follow the minimum social

distancing norms was most prominent in PC : Getty Images the hill stations of northern parts of India. Frightening images of packed places in hill stations such as Shimla, Manali and Mussoorie were enough to raise an alarm of caution for the government authorities. Even more concerning was the fact that a large section of this crowd was without their protective face masks.

These scary scenes bought the concerned measures to check crowded streets but this of revenge tourism. Revenge tourism is a European countries like France & the Middle governments and administration into pro- behaviour by common citizens to throng at phenomenon where in people break free East countries like Saudi Arabia have also active state. For example, in mid June, the the popular tourist destinations has put the from monotony. Although it brought respite eased the restrictions for Indian tourists. Shimla administration decided that no one country at the risk of a new wave of COVID and peace to travellers, it also drastically People will soon start to travel abroad. will be allowed to sit on Shimla’s Ridge related infections. increased the risk of another wave of and Mall Road except senior citizens. The Corona. It has not been easy to contain the We need to understand that we are safe in administration also decided that if the What explains this behaviour? The answer spread of the virus but with revenge tourism, our homes by following all the protocols number of people or tourists increase more lies in the fact that the Corona pandemic has Eid celebrations and shopping in markets of social distancing. Yes, this will give rise than the capacity of Ridge and Mall Road, pushed revenge as well as anticipatory travel. have again brought us at a risk. Apart from to boredom and monotony but at least the then entry shall be banned. The decision The COVID pandemic not only resulted revenge tourism, anticipatory travel has also bubble of the homes are keeping lives safe. was taken by the Deputy Commissioner of in loss of many lives but also took a heavy been on the rise. A substantial number of At the same time, another pertinent question Shimla district administration, Aditya Negi, toll on mental health. For more than a year, people thought that since the next wave of needs to be asked: What else people could after meeting with the traders and people people were locked in their homes without Coronavirus is imminent and so is another have done to calm their shivering nerves? associated with the tourism business of the any real exposure to the external world. phase of a lockdown, so why not make the district. The administration responded with This has led to the rise of the phenomenon full use of ease in the travel restrictions. Play ludo?? I wonder !! International Political Scenario of the Week Lebanon ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes August 4 will mark the first anniversary of the Beirut bomb blasts. On 4 August [email protected] 2020, a large amount of ammonium nitrate stored at the port of the city of Beirut, the Burkina Faso capital of Lebanon, exploded, causing at least 207 deaths, 7,500 injuries, and US$15 Burkina Faso is reeling under Jihadist billion in property damage, and leaving an attacks. These attacks have not only caused estimated 300,000 people homeless. a security paralysis but have also resulted in a humanitarian catastrophe. During the first On August 4, 2021, Lebanon will six months of the year, 237,000 people fled observe a National Day of Mourning. All their homes for other parts of the country, public administrations, institutions, and which is a sharp increase over the 96,000 municipalities will be closed. registered during the second half of 2020. Families of Beirut blast victims have been According to new figures from the holding regular protests to call for the lifting Burkinabè government, more than 1.3 of the immunity of Lebanese officials linked million Burkinabè have been internally to the blasts. They also plan to hold one on displaced in just over two years. Six per the occasion of the first anniversary of the cent of Burkina Faso’s population is now blast. displaced inside the country. The speed of internal displacement shows no sign of On July 29, Speaker Nabih Berri said that slowing as attacks on civilians and security has survived an assassination attempt. The foreigners detained were Paul Rafanoharana, the Lebanese legislature was ready to lift forces continue unabated. prosecutor general’s office in Madagascar a Franco-Malagasy, and Philippe Francois, a the immunity of its members in order allow said it has arrested several “foreign and Frenchman. The United Nations Refugee Agency for questioning over last year’s massive Malagasy” suspects. “Several foreign and (UNHCR) has said that it is equally alarmed port explosion in the capital Beirut. Madagascar nationals were arrested on This is the second assassinations attempt on by an acceleration in the numbers of “The priority of parliament was and will Tuesday, July 20, as part of an investigation a top Madagascar official within a spate of people from Burkina Faso forced to cross continue to be complete cooperation with into an attack on state security,” said few days. a border to reach safety. Since January the judiciary,” Berri said in a statement prosecutor Berthine Razafiarivony, in a 2021, more than 17,500 people have fled to after a meeting with Saad Hariri’s al- statement. “At this stage of the investigation, During the country’s Independence Day neighbouring countries, nearly doubling the Mustaqbal Movement. which is ongoing, the prosecutor general’s celebrations on June 26, the gendarmerie total number of refugees from the country office assures we will shed light on this announced that they had foiled an in just six months. There are now 38,000 Madagascar case,” she added. assassination attempt on their boss, General Burkinabè refugees and asylum seekers Richard Ravalomanana, who is known for across the region. Andry Rajoelina, the President of Madagascar According to a leading news agency, the his proximity with Andry Rajoelina. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES International 2 - 8 August 2021 5 Floods in Europe are directly linked to Climate change and Deforestation to be more frequent due to global warming, for a major study over the next two weeks to because warmer air can hold more moisture. assess the impact of global heating that have ◆ By Ryszard Czarnecki The study finds that all of Europe is prone to triggered recent environmental catastrophes Member of European intense rainstorm. such as floods and fires in many parts of the Parliament world. @r_czarnecki As per the study, the main reason seems to be a reduced temperature difference between On the political front, the climate and any parts of Europe such as United the poles and tropics, which weakens Energy Ministers at a Group of 20 meeting M Kingdom, Germany, Belgium, and have upper-level winds in the autumn, when hosted by Naples, Italy have committed to been ravaged by floods. The devastating these short-duration rainfall extremes most work toward even more ambitious goals PC : Getty Images flash floods were triggered as excessive occur. This slower storm movement acts for fighting climate change than those has also announced to reduce 55 per cent rainfall swamped the region. Precipitation to increase rainfall amounts accumulated established in the 2015 Paris Accords. The of its greenhouse gas emissions by the year records were broken and rivers were pushed locally, enhancing the risk of flash floods United States, the European Union, Japan 2030. to new heights. According to estimates, the across Europe beyond what was previously and Canada reiterated that firmly intend to disaster killed 37 people in Belgium and left expected. go faster than the Paris agreement by the One of the major initiatives towards several missing. Together with the deaths in (end of) the decade, and below 1.5 degree. mitigating the effects of climate change Germany, the death toll from the flooding Apart from climate change, the growing through the use of renewable energy and exceeded 210. pace of deforestation has also contributed The Paris accords entailed an agreement limit the usage of coal has been taken by to this flood crisis. In 2015, a report by from global leaders to check global Poland. According to the European Severe Weather the European Environmental Agency titled temperatures from increasing more than 2 Database, Cologne, Germany recorded 154 “Water-retention potential of Europe’s degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit), The Polish government has agreed to phase mm of rainfall within 24 hours between July forests: A European overview to support and ideally no more than 1.5 degrees C (2.7 out coal production by year 2040. According 14 and 15, almost doubling previous July natural water-retention measures” had stated F) by the end of the century. However, a to the Polish Energy Policy until 2040 averages of 87 millimeters. Likewise, in the that water retention has an important role challenge is to achieve a common consensus (PEP2040), a total installed offshore wind Ahrweiler district, 207 mm of rainfall was to play in buffering the effects of heavy as there are still some countries which face capacities will reach 11 GW by 2040, topped recorded in only nine hours rainfall and droughts According to the challenges in implementing these. with PVs and onshore wind projects of at report, forests can retain excess rainwater, least 10 and 16 GW by 2040 respectively. Climate scientists have identified the prevent extreme run-offs and reduce the In a similar vein, the new European Union reasons that have contributed to this damage from flooding. They can also help Forest Strategy for 2030 recognises that The current environmental crisis is almost calamity. With every 1-degree Celsius rise in mitigate the effects of droughts. Thus, forest “Forests are valuable ecosystems that are entirely human made. Human activities such temperature, the air takes in approximately management is a critical aspect in mitigating home to a major part of Europe’s biodiversity as burning fossil fuels, engine exhaust fumes 7% more humidity. It can hold the water the impacts of climate change. and their ecosystem services contribute to and deforestation are continuing despite longer, leading to drought, but it also leads our health and well-being through water repeated warnings. The warning bells are to an increase in dense, massive rainfall COP 26 President Alok Sharma has regulation, the provision of food, medicines sounded. If no concerted action is taken to once it releases it. Thus, these floods are remarked that widespread and torrential and materials, disaster risk reduction and address these issues, the catastrophe will be inextricably linked to climate change. rain “on our own doorstep” - should act as control, soil stabilisation and erosion worsened in the near future. “a sober reminder” that action is needed control, air and water purification”. The Ryszard Czarnecki: A study published about a month ago in the ahead of the Glasgow summit in November. strategy reaffirms the need and commitment Former Minister of EU Affairs in Poland, former journal Geophysical Research Letter has His remarks come as the Intergovernmental to strictly protect the last remaining primary Vice President and current member of the found that intense rainstorms are expected Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) gears up and old-growth forests in the EU. The EU European Parliament

US presence in the country although armed Shia Militants in Iraq increase attacks with an militias in his fold are opposed attacks on US forces. Sadr enjoys broad support from the population for his nationalism approach objective of forcing US to fasten its withdrawal and it is expected that he would emerge as the leading figure in the upcoming Iraqi ◆ By NDT Bureau national elections in October. @NewDelhiTimes The Iran backed militias are the odd ones [email protected] out among the PMUs who seek to challenge US extensively to force a withdrawal hia Iraqi militias blamed the US for a sooner. They are in favour of the Iran S Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) attack model of government. There are mainly (denied by the later) and launched attacks 5 such organizations. With the exception on the US forces in Iraq. On 7th July, 2021, of the politically significant and largest 2 US personnel were wounded in a rocket Badr organization, rest four are deduced attack on Ain-al-Asad air base housing the to be involved in the attacks. The attacks US forces in Iraq. A similar base in Erbil also show the growing view that USA is airport was also targeted with rockets. In disengaging from the region. This view a major attack, the US Embassy in green has solidified after a quick Afghanistan zone in Baghdad saw 2 rocket attacks on 8th withdrawal announcement. Also, US’s July 2021. The series of attacks is a major pacifist approach with Iran is signalling an escalation on the part of some opposing Shia opportunity to the militia groups. militia groups who hope to fasten a US exit PC : Getty Images from Iraq by increasing targeting of the US After the US removal of Saddam Hussein, assets. It is notable that the attacks didn’t last year. But recent trends suggest certain large-scale supply from Iran, these can harm Iraq’s nationalism and uniqueness subsided trigger an immediate retaliatory response Shia militia groups are intent on escalation. US forces significantly. Although Iranian giving Iran the opportunity to spread its from the US forces like in the month of June Rocket attacks on Al-Asad base killed a US Ministers have time and again denied any influence in the country. Iran has similarly when militia weapons storage hub and other contractor in March. Although most of the military support to Popular Mobilization gained the favour of Hezbollah which locations were bombed. attacks were Improvised Explosive Devices Units, insiders in PMUs have revealed dominates Lebanon and Syria under al- (IEDs), rocket and also improvised Drone extensive support. Assad was always a staunch ally of Tehran. The Iran-backed Shia Militias are active attacks have been conducted on airbases. in the border regions of Syria and Iraq. The rise of Shia militancy in Iraq is The US withdrawal will open the gates for Some of the key areas, including an Iraqi- The use of targeted and UAV attacks poses a problematic but the majoritarian sentiment Iran to further solidify its influence in Iraqi Syrian crossing, are manned by Iranian significant risk to the US forces in the region remains strongly against the Iran system region and this would create a huge middle- forces. Since the swearing in of the new and supply routes. Even Erbil, a location of government. Especially militant groups Eastern bloc aligned with Tehran. The the US President Joe Biden, the Iran- considered a safe zone, has seen increased aligned with the senior Shia cleric of Iraq, current accelerated attacks may be designed aligned Popular Mobilization Units (PMUs) attacks. Unlike previous attacks, the June Grand ayatollah Ali al-Sistani have not to fasten the process for Iranian regimes to have made hundreds of attacks on the attacks saw the use of advanced UAVs joined the Shia insurgency against US. The capture power in Iraq although the process US and coalition forces in Iraq to force a possibly made with reverse-engineered militias following another cleric Muqtada will be prolonged due to sufficient and withdrawal. It is notable that the militias US tech. The guided munitions have much al-Sadr also reject the Iranian system of dominating Iraqi population opposed to pro- declared a ceasefire on attacks in October increased accuracy and in the event of a government. However, he also rejects the Iranian groups.

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 6 2 - 8 August 2021 International NEW DELHI TIMES UK- Japan strategic alliance on Defence Cooperation seek to protect and uphold the rules-based by force or coercion, oppose North Korea’s ◆ By Himanshu Sharma international order,” Wallace said at a joint destabilizing policies and provocations Editor news conference after meeting with his through nuclear and missile programme, the @_Himansh_ Japanese counterpart, Nobuo Kishi. denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, [email protected] full implementation of the United Nations Security Council Resolutions, timely he UK and Japan-both island nations- Japan planned three strategic ways to bolster exchanges of information and analysis, T face an uncertain environment in their its security. First, to refit its helicopter carrier into an aircraft carrier to accommodate 100 policy coordination on regional affairs, and defence and national security and hence are PC : Getty Images long-term strategies. working on military cooperation. British F35 stealth fighters to be purchased from the Prime Minister Theresa May and Japanese US. Second, to increase the defence budget Prime Minister Shinzo Abe signed a strategic during 2019 – 2024 to £188 billion— a Japan welcomes the UK’s strengthened security treaty at Tokyo, on 31 August, 2017. yearly average comparable to Britain’s £36- security engagement in the Asia-Pacific Abe also visited UK in 2019 to strengthen 7 billion, to counter China’s increased naval region, visits by maritime, land and air ties in cyber warfare and counter-terrorism. and air operations around Japan, specifically forces, and deployment of UK aircraft security and safety, counter-piracy; counter Defence engagements between the Royal the Senkaku Islands in the East China Sea. carrier. The UK welcomes Japan’s proactive terrorism; cyber security; and peacekeeping Navy and Japan Maritime Self-Defence Third, seek new partners in security and approach to global security under its policy operations. The National Police Agency of Force (JMSDF) have since strengthened defence through bilateral agreements to of “Proactive Contribution to Peace.” Japan Japan and the Home Office of the UK will with British warships frequenting Japanese hedge uncertainty of US alliance. will send its JMSDF personnel, aircraft or cooperate on counter terrorism and cyber shores. ships to the UK for joint exercises. security. Both want international stability Europe’s security remained relatively robust frameworks for cyberspace through relevant This was further solidified in the recently hinging on the Anglo-American relationship The UK has committed to Asia-Pacific domestic laws and existing international held meeting of the Defence Ministers of through NATO; two nuclear armed member security through the Five Power Defence law. The agreement seeks transparency in both the nations. During a two-day visit states in the EU; and a combined defence Arrangement (FPDA) under regular space and outer space activities. to Japan, the UK Secretary of State for spending far surpassing any potential bilateral, trilateral, and multilateral Defence Ben Wallace met with Japan’s adversary. Brexit changed all that. The UK frameworks, sharing the logistic, technical, Japan and the UK will cooperate in Prime Minister Suga and Defence Minister now seeks security to the East of Suez for and professional support under the ACSA multilateral frameworks such as the UN, Kishi and reaffirmed the UK and Japan’s the emerging global markets of Malaysia, to improve administrative, policy and G7 and G20, support Secretary-General’ shared values and close partnership in Vietnam and Hong Kong; reaffirming legal procedures to facilitate personnel and initiatives on the reform in the Peace Defence and security ahead of the visit of economic ties with Indonesia, Singapore unit-to-unit exchanges, joint training and and Security architecture and expanding the UK’s Carrier Strike Group to Japan in and India; and developing existing defence exercises between the Japanese JMSDF and permanent and non-permanent categories September. The UK has announced that it relations with Australia, New Zealand, India the British Armed Forces. Both agree to of its membership. The UK will strongly would permanently deploy two Royal Navy and Japan. It wants interoperability with the defence equipment and technology transfer, support Japan’s permanent membership warships in Asia after its Queen Elizabeth JMSDF to maintain the global rules-based export control of arms, dual-use items and of the UNSC and with deployment of aircraft carrier arrives in Japan in September. order across the region through this crucial technologies, implementation of the Arms two naval warships, the UK is sending a 2021. relationship. Trade Treaty, and upholding the Treaty on strong message of solidarity and bolstering the Non-Proliferation of nuclear weapons. diplomatic ties with once its adversary British Defence Secretary Ben Wallace said The UK-Japan strategic May- Abe alliance Japan. Now, the equations have changed and the visit by the Royal Navy’s largest warship of August, 2017 seeks an international Both seek collaboration in capacity- strategic considerations have shaped this is part of his country’s “Indo-Pacific tilt” that order based on the rule of law, prevent building of developing countries in South increasing security cooperation between the shares goals with Japan. “Both our countries unilateral actions to change the status quo East Asia, South Asia and Africa maritime two nations. ADF poses a grave security threat in the Democratic Republic of Congo

◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes [email protected]

he eastern region of the Democratic T Republic of Congo (DRC) has been plagued by conflict in the last two decades. Over the years, the threat from one group has emerged the fiercest – the Allied Democratic Forces (ADF). The ADF was originally formed in Uganda in the mid-90s but as years passed by it expanded. From 2015, the ADF experienced a radicalisation after the imprisonment of its leader Jamil Mukulu and the rise of Musa Baluku in his place. From 2019, the ADF had split, with one part remaining loyal to Mukulu, while the other had merged into the Islamic State’s Central Africa Province under Baluku.

Despite DRC’s President Felix Tshisekedi

launching a state of emergency on 6 May PC : Getty Images 2021 in North Kivu and its neighbouring Ituri province, the ADF continues to pose a Mwalushay. According to the United Nations the high expectations of improved security particularly acute needs are being assisted with security threat. The declaration of emergency High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), conditions following the new measures. shelter, relief items and cash assistance. was meant to halt violence perpetrated by since 22 June, the Allied Democratic Forces armed groups and establish law and order in (ADF) are alleged to have brutally killed The ADF attacked have also triggered a The Islamic State group has claimed the region but the region continues as a high- at least 14 people and injured many others humanitarian crisis in the affected regions. responsibility for some attacks carried out risk security zone. in and around the city of Beni. Several These recent attacks have forced thousands by ADF rebels, but the exact relationship properties were looted, and others burned to of people to flee their homes to seek safety in between the groups is not clear. A Congolese On June 28, 2021, a suicide bomber detonated the ground. the eastern part of Beni, and are continuing military campaign was launched against his explosives at a busy intersection in Beni. to weaken and disrupt social, economic the rebels last year and fighters have since The suicide bomber has been identified as a The group’s resurgence is terrorizing the and educational activities. According to the dispersed and fled into various parts of Ugandan who was a member of the Allied lives of inhabitants. There is a sense of panic UNHCR, armed groups continue to displace eastern Congo, where dozens of armed Democratic Forces rebels, according to and anxiety among the community, as well as people in the province, with many forced to groups fight over control of the mineral-rich Congolese army spokesman Lt. Anthony a lack of confidence in security forces given flee multiple times. Women and children with territory. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES International 2 - 8 August 2021 7 COVID crisis continues to exacerbate in Sub-Saharan Africa ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes [email protected]

he World Health Organization (WHO) T warned that the AFRO region is still struggling with serious deficiencies in Oxygen and other medical supplies although the COVID peak has passed. The UN Office in Sub-Saharan Africa recorded the highest number of cases between 5 and 11 July. The delta variant which has been rampaging across many countries has also been recorded in rising number of cases in 21 countries by the mid of last month.

The WHO has noted the high case load averaging around 2 lakh cases in July as problematic due to limited Oxygen PC : Getty Images and intensive care beds in Sub-Saharan But governments are unwilling to implement countries around the globe with AstraZeneca previous months. There are also growing risks countries. South Africa which has the only strict lockdowns anymore. Restrictions Vaccines (called Covishield in India) and a of criminal gangs controlling supply chains, producer of Oxygen in the region was continue to remain on gatherings but without domestically made vaccine named Covaxin. thefts, and over-priced selling of vaccines. hit hard when protests broke out after the a nationwide lockdown, the infections are This is along with the WHO’s COVAX imprisonment of its former President Jacob likely to spread and result in further deaths. facility that is committed to vaccinating In the event of increase in cases of the Zuma. Afrox, the South African company The governments argue that they have poor nations. Due to high case load in deadly Delta Variant, the governments supplying Oxygen reported supply issues limited capacity and the poor households months following April, India focused will ultimately place lockdown measures due to attacks on its cargo vehicles too. This won’t be able to sustain livelihoods in case of on vaccinating its domestic population when medical facilities get overcrowded. also added to the shortage of oxygen in the lockdowns. Rising poverty in some nations and turned the vaccine supply inward In such an event, widespread protests from sub-Saharan region and South Africa. make it difficult to convince the populations temporarily. Similarly, the US and European distressed populations like workers are to adhere to lockdowns too. The countries also countries like France only started sending likely to intensify leading to conditions of The COVID pandemic is creating a don’t have extensive food security measures to Vaccines at a much later phase. riot and looting. However, a global effort humanitarian crisis in the region due to cover the needs of their population. to accelerate vaccination and resumption extensive poverty (one of world’s highest) Although Vaccines have started trickling into of supplies from India by the end of 2021 and economic troubles in the countries Vaccination in Africa is lagging behind other Africa through COVAX and procurements by will be good news for Sub-Saharan African which has been further compounded by areas. With only 1.5% of people vaccinated, regional governments, it will take a year for countries. Also, the WHO and other global the Pandemic. Countries like Kenya, South Africa continues to face troubles in hiring level of vaccination to reach levels sufficient commons must support these Countries with Africa, Zambia, etc are seeing rising levels more vaccines. Coronavirus caused massive to stop Virus infections. The regulatory financial measures and health supplies like of poverty and the economic condition deaths with the emergence of new variants. hurdles along with corruption are issues too in oxygen, mobile ICUs, medicines and even of most families is not sufficient to cover The Delta Variant caused very high infection domestic procurements by African countries. medical teams. The Afro region’s stability the expenses of healthcare and additional rate in Vaccine producing nations too. India Cases of overpriced procurements, arbitrary can’t be allowed to turn into chaos in this medicines. for example was supplying Africa and other cancellations, etc have been reported in pandemic. Arrest of opposition leaders becoming a normal in Nicaragua Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated ◆ By NDT Bureau four individuals who support the Ortega @NewDelhiTimes regime — a regime that has undermined democracy, abused the human rights of [email protected] civilians, enacted repressive laws with grave economic consequences, and tried to silence he General Elections in Nicaragua are the independent news media. “President scheduled to be held on November T Ortega’s actions are harming Nicaraguans 7 to elect the President, the National and driving the country deeper into tyranny,” Assembly and members of the Central said Director of the Office of Foreign Assets American Parliament. The date of the Control Andrea M. Gacki. “It’s clear the election in Nicaragua was confirmed on Ortega regime intends to continue its 14 July 2020 by the government of Daniel suppression of the Nicaraguan people. The Ortega. This decision was approved by United States will continue to expose those a Resolution of the Electoral Council officials who continue to ignore the will of (CSE). The resolution indicated that the its citizens”. current Xoronavirus pandemic has limited the processes of certification of legal

PC : Getty Images The European Union has also the condemned personality (legal status) of political the actions of the Nicaraguan authorities organizations, a requirement to participate against opposition parties, media, journalists in electoral processes. Therefore, “it and other media workers, human rights resolves to extend the term for obtaining defenders and civil society, including the legal personality until all the requirements his home by the police in Nicaragua. He was the candidature of Oscar Sobalvarro, a systematic detention and arrest of potential are met by a maximum of 5 months before one of the potential Presidential candidates former right-wing fighter and 27-year-old Presidential candidates and opposition the day on which the next elections of of the Citizens for Liberty alliance. Other Berenice Quezada, the 2017 Miss Nicaragua leaders. national authorities are held on November prominent leaders under arrest at present who has no known history of political 7, 2021,” the Resolution stated. include 65-year-old Dora María Téllez, activism, as the Presidential nominees. a former guerrilla commander who later “The political use of the judicial system, the Ortega, seeks a fourth consecutive term split with Ortega and became a leader of Milton Arcia and Maria Dolores Moncada exclusion of candidates from the elections in the November 7 elections. Since May the Sandinista Renovation Movement. have been sworn as Presidential candidates and the arbitrary delisting of opposition 2021, there has been a spate of arrests of Another jailed former Sandinista guerrilla for the Constitutionalist Liberal Party (PLC) parties are contrary to basic democratic political opponents in Nicaragua. This and Renovation Movement leader, Hugo in Managua, on July 29, 2021. Moncada was principles and constitute a serious violation includes among others those who were the Torres, is 73 Another potential candidate, ratified as the candidate for Vice-President of the rights of the Nicaraguan people Presidential candidates. Most face vague Cristiana Chamorro, is also under house of Nicaragua by the Constitutionalist Liberal under the Nicaraguan Constitution and allegations of crimes against the state. arrest. Another is Víctor Hugo Tinoco, the Party (PLC). under International Law”, the EU said in a Ortega alleges the country’s April 2018 leader of the political movement Unamos, statement, Street protests were part of an organized is a former assistant Foreign Minister and Ortega accuses the US of attempting to coup attempt with foreign backing. former ambassador to the United Nations. influence the November 7 polls. The US Despite the vehement opposition of the has accused the Ortega government of international community, the repression in On July 25, 2021, opposition leader Noel Amidst these spates of arrests, the Citizens thwarting democracy. On June 9, 2021, the Nicaragua against the political opponent Vidaurre was placed under police custody at Alliance for Liberty’s (CXL) has announced US Department of the Treasury’s Office of continues.

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 8 2 - 8 August 2021 International NEW DELHI TIMES US military warns of expansion of China’s nuclear missile silo fields the People’s Liberation Army Rocket Force ◆ By NDT Bureau (PLARF) appears to have approximately @NewDelhiTimes 250 silos under construction – more than ten times the number of ICBM silos in operation [email protected] today. n July 26, 2021, a research by the O Federation of American Scientists titled The number of new Chinese silos under “China Is Building A Second Nuclear Missile construction exceeds the number of silo- Silo Field” was published. The research says based ICBMs operated by Russia, and that “Satellite images reveal that China is constitutes more than half of the size of the building a second nuclear missile silo field. entire US ICBM force. The Chinese missile The discovery follows the report that China silo program constitutes the most extensive appears to be constructing 120 missile silos silo construction since the US and Soviet near Yumen in Gansu province. The second missile silo construction during the Cold missile silo field is located 380 kilometers War”.

(240 miles) northwest of the Yumen field PC : Getty Images near the prefecture-level city of Hami in Commenting on the report, the US Strategic Eastern Xinjiang”. Command remarked: “The public has coupled with claims that China plans to alter their warplanes and warships near China,” discovered what we have been saying all its long-standing policy of maintaining a Hu Xijin, the editor of the Global Times According to the research, “silo construction along about the growing threat the world minimum nuclear deterrent, or that China said. “China must fully step-up construction at Yumen and Hami constitutes the most faces and the veil of secrecy that surrounds might soon adopt a ‘launch-on-warning’ of its military force and nuclear deterrence significant expansion of the Chinese nuclear it,”. China has not commented on the reports. doctrine as the cornerstone of its national security.” arsenal ever. China has for decades operated about 20 silos for liquid-fuel DF-5 ICBMs. In recent years, for example, US military Global Times newspaper, the Chinese These new developments are likely With 120 silos under construction at Yumen, and intelligence agencies have repeatedly government mouthpiece has said that the US to cause further strain in China-USA another 110 silos at Hami, a dozen silos asserted that China will ‘at least double’ the is blowing things out of proportion. “Look at relations as the two countries continue at Jilantai, and possibly more silos being size of its military nuclear stockpile over the what American politicians are saying about to have conflicting views over a diverse added in existing DF-5 deployment areas, next decade. This projection has often been China and look at the provocative actions of range of issues. UK lawmakers say conditions for Thai media restrictions raise freedom of Channel migrants ‘shocking’ expression concerns hailand implemented new regulations T that appeared to broaden the government’s ability to restrict media reports and social media posts about the coronavirus pandemic, raising immediate concerns that Photo AP PC : authorities will seek to stifle criticism. impede government efforts to vaccinate the population and implement measures to slow While Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha the pandemic. has long sought to crack down on what he calls fake news and has a government “We have daily briefings to give the right department devoted to it, the new information to the public,” Prayuth said. regulations, announced, include the ability “But some try to distort the information and to prosecute people for distributing “news cause confusion.” PC : AP Photo AP PC : that may cause public fear.” The announcement immediately raised ritish lawmakers say they found said “unacceptable numbers of people are It also gives Thai regulators the ability B fears that the measures could be used by “shocking conditions” at a facility for making life-threatening journeys crossing the to force internet service providers to turn authorities to stifle legitimate criticism and people arriving in England on small boats, Channel at the hands of criminal trafficking over the IP address of the person or entity could also have a chilling effect by making with babies and small children among gangs.” “We take the welfare of migrants distributing such news, and to “suspend it less likely that people would publicly dozens packed into a small room in the port extremely seriously and despite these the internet service to that IP address question the government’s actions. town of Dover. pressures we have improved our facilities, immediately.” arranged additional staffing and are working Parliament’s Home Affairs Committee said to process people as quickly and safely as “Even if Thai people share legitimate in a letter released that its members found In a joint statement sent by six Thai journalist possible,” it said in a statement to the BBC. information, even second hand, the 56 people crammed into a waiting room at associations to Prayuth and published by government could still determine that the the Kent Intake Unit when they visited this The British and French governments have multiple Thai media outlets, the groups information, while factual, could cause a week. worked for years, without much success, to urged him to cancel the restrictions, saying panic,” Mark Cogan, a professor at Japan’s stop people trying to reach England from they were overly broad and an attack on Chairwoman Yvette Cooper, an opposition Kansai Gaidai University, wrote in an northern France, either by stowing away freedom of expression. Labour Party lawmaker, said the crowded opinion piece in the Thai Enquirer online in trucks or on ferries, or in small boats conditions created a “clear risk” of a newspaper. “The government has almost organized by people smugglers. “The clause ‘news that may cause public COVID-19 outbreak. accomplished what it has long set out to fear’ allows authorities to proceed with achieve. It’s a giant step closer to being sole Almost 8,500 people have arrived in Britain “The space is clearly unfit for holding legal action against the media and the arbiter of what is true and what is fake.” by crossing the Channel in small boats so far this many people,” Cooper said in a letter public without clear criteria,” they wrote, this year, about the same as the total for all to Home Secretary Priti Patel, Britain’s threatening to take legal action if necessary. Government spokesman Anucha Burapachaisri of 2020. Several people have died trying to immigration Minister. “Most people were downplayed the concerns, saying that the make the journey. sitting or lying on a thin mattress and those “Even if the public or media share factual order would not be “enforced in such a way covered almost the entirety of the floor The journeys have been seized on by anti- information, state agencies may use this to limit the media or people’s freedom of including the aisles between seats. immigration commentators such as former clause as grounds to file a complaint or speech.” Brexit Party leader Nigel Farage, who has threaten them.” “Sharing these cramped conditions were “The government is rather trying to manage many women with babies and very young criticized Britain’s sea-rescue service, The new measures come as Thailand is fake news or any criticism based on false children, alongside significant numbers of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution, struggling to cope with a new wave of the information to prevent misunderstanding teenage and young adult men.” for picking up migrants from boats in the Channel and bringing them ashore. coronavirus pandemic fueled by the delta and hatred in the public,” he said. Cooper said some people were being kept variant, with rising numbers of cases and in the room for up to 48 hours before being The RNLI, a charity, defended its deaths. Another 17,345 cases and 117 deaths Asked whether factual reports that sent to accommodation, despite a law humanitarian work and said donations were reported. have the potential to create fear could saying they shouldn’t be held there for more rose from a daily average of 7,000 pounds be affected, he said that “if the news is than a day. Others were spending up to 10 ($9,800) to 200,000 pounds ($280,000) in In announcing the restrictions, the Prime reported appropriately, there should not be days in “essentially an office space” while one day after the criticism. Minister said they were necessary to combat a problem.” awaiting onward travel. The Home Office Credit : Associated Press (AP) the spread of inaccurate rumors that could Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES International 2 - 8 August 2021 9 Kim stresses military Philippine leader retains pact Israel to offer preparations ahead of US-SKorea drills allowing US war exercises 3rd COVID orth Korea said that leader Kim Jong he Philippines will keep having large- Beijing’s claim to the South China Sea “has N Un called for stronger capability to T scale combat exercises with the United no basis in international law” and “treads booster shot to cope with any foreign provocation as he met States after President Rodrigo Duterte on the sovereignty of states in the region.” with military officers ahead of annual drills retracted his decision to terminate a key He said the U.S. supports the region’s next month between South Korea and the defense pact in a move that may antagonize coastal states in upholding their rights under older citizens United States that Pyongyang views as an an increasingly belligerent China. international law, and is committed to its srael’s Prime Minister announced that invasion rehearsal. defense treaty obligations with Japan and I the country would offer a coronavirus Duterte’s decision was announced by the Philippines. booster to people over 60 who have already Defense Secretary Delfin Lorenzana in a been vaccinated. joint news conference with visiting U.S. Duterte notified the U.S. government in counterpart Lloyd Austin in Manila. It was February last year that the Philippines The announcement by Naftali Bennett a step back from the Philippine leader’s intended to abrogate the 1998 agreement, makes Israel, which launched one of the stunning vow early in his term to distance which allows large numbers of American world’s most successful vaccination drives himself from Washington as he tried to forces to join combat training with earlier this year, the first country to offer a rebuild frayed ties with China over years of Philippine troops and sets legal terms for third dose of a Western vaccine to its citizens

PC : AP Photo AP PC : territorial rifts in the South China Sea. their temporary stay. on a wide scale. “The President decided to recall or retract the The pact’s termination would have taken “I’m announcing this evening the beginning Earlier this week, Kim reopened suspended termination letter for the VFA,” Lorenzana effect after 180 days, but Duterte has of the campaign to receive the booster communication channels with rival South told reporters after an hour-long meeting repeatedly delayed the decision. While vaccine, the third vaccine,” Bennett said in a Korea, raising hopes of reduced animosities with Austin, referring to the Visiting Forces it was pending, the U.S. and Philippine nationally televised address. “Reality proves on the Korean Peninsula. But some experts Agreement. “There is no termination letter militaries proceeded with plans for combat the vaccines are safe. Reality also proves the say Pyongyang could conduct missile pending and we are back on track.” and disaster-response exercises but canceled vaccines protect against severe morbidity tests or take other tension-raising actions larger drills last year due to the coronavirus and death. And like the flu vaccine that in response to the drills, which Seoul and Austin thanked Duterte for the decision, pandemic. needs to be renewed from time to time, it is Washington have altered in past years to which he said would further bolster the two the same in this case.” support diplomacy. nations’ 70-year treaty alliance. U.S. and Philippine forces engage in The decision comes at a time of rising The official Korean Central News Agency infections and signs that the vaccine’s said Kim held the workshop of military efficacy dwindles over time. commanders and political officers from July 24-27 to discuss ways to enhance the North’s Anyone over 60 who was vaccinated more military strength. It said it was the first such than five months ago will be eligible. meeting since North Korea’s military was Bennett said the country’s new President, founded. Isaac Herzog, would be the first to get the booster. It will also be offered to the general During the meeting, Kim “stressed that public. commanders and political officers should focus all efforts on completing preparations Bennett, who is 49, said his first call after the for actively and offensively coping with any news conference would be to his mother to military provocation of enemies,” KCNA encourage her to get her booster shot. said. Neither the U.S. nor the EU have approved Kim accused “the hostile forces,” an coronavirus booster shots. It’s not yet proven apparent reference to the U.S. and South if a third dose helps and, if so, who needs Korea, of bolstering their capabilities for one and when. making a preemptive attack and intensifying But Bennett said that a team of expert “all sorts of frantic and persistent war drills Photo AP PC : advisers had agreed overwhelmingly, for aggression.” Kim ordered the workshop by a 56-1 margin, that it made sense to about 300 activities each year, including attendees to put greater efforts to boost their “Our countries face a range of challenges, launch the booster campaign. He said the Balikatan, or shoulder-to-shoulder, units’ combat efficiency, KCNA said. from the climate crises to the pandemic and, the recommendation was made after exercises, which involve thousands of troops as we do, a strong, resilient US-Philippine “considerable research and analysis” and Kim’s speech carried by KCNA didn’t in land, sea and air drills that often included alliance will remain vital to the security, that its information would be shared around mention his nuclear program and didn’t live fire. They’ve sparked Chinese protests stability and prosperity of the Indo-Pacific,” the world. Preliminary studies in Israel contain any fiery rhetoric against the United when they were held on the periphery of the Austin said. “A fully restored VFA will help have indicated the vaccine’s protection States or South Korea. sea Beijing claims as its own. us achieve that goal together.” against serious illness dropped among those In the past few years, South Korean and Terminating the pact would have been a The Balikatan exercises resumed last April vaccinated in January. U.S. militaries have cancelled or scaled major blow to America’s oldest alliance in but were considerably scaled down due back some of their regular military exercises Asia, as Washington squares with Beijing to continuing COVID-19 outbreaks and to support the now-stalled diplomacy on on a range of issues, including trade, human lockdowns. North Korea’s nuclear program or due to the rights and China’s behavior in the South COVID-19 pandemic. A Philippine military official told The China Sea, which Beijing claims virtually in Associated Press that the U.S. continued to Photo AP PC : Asked over a possibility for next month’s its entirety. provide intelligence and satellite and aircraft drills being canceled or downsized, Boo The U.S. military presence in the region is surveillance photos of Chinese activities in Seung-Chan, a spokesman at South Korea’s seen as a counterbalance to China, which has the South China Sea despite Duterte’s earlier Defense Ministry, told a briefing that Seoul used force to assert claims to vast areas of threat to abrogate the VFA. The U.S. images and Washington were reviewing factors the disputed South China Sea, including the have helped the Philippines to become aware like the pandemic’s current status, efforts construction of artificial islands equipped of encroachments and lodge diplomatic to achieve denuclearization on the Korean with airstrips and military installations. protests, said the military official, who “The findings show that there is a decline Peninsula and their combined military China has ignored and continues to defy a spoke on condition of anonymity for lack of in the body’s immunity over time, and the readiness. 2016 international arbitration ruling that authority to speak publicly. purpose of the booster is to re-strengthen it, invalidated its historic basis. thus significantly reducing the chances of Some experts say North Korea could test- Lorenzana said he was unaware of the infection and serious illness,” Bennett said. fire powerful missiles if the United States China, the Philippines, Vietnam and three reason behind Duterte’s change of heart. The and South Korea conduct the drills in a full- other governments have been locked in brash-talking President, who has been under Israel has used the Pfizer/BioNtech vaccine fledged manner. the territorial standoff for decades. The intense pressure to contain one of Southeast on its population. Previously, boosters were U.S. doesn’t lay any claim to the busy Asia’s worst outbreaks, warned in December used in some countries with the Chinese and U.S.-led diplomatic efforts to convince waterway and has sailed Navy warships that he would proceed to abrogate the VFA if Russian vaccines. North Korea to abandon its nuclear program close to Chinese-claimed islands on so- the U.S. did not provide at least 20 million remain stalled for about 2 ½ years due to called freedom of navigation operations in a doses of COVID-19 vaccine. Early this year, Israel carried out one of disputes over international sanctions on the challenge to Beijing. the world’s most aggressive and successful North. During the diplomatic impasse, Kim “No vaccine, no stay here,” Duterte said then vaccination campaigns, reaching a deal with has threatened to build up his nuclear arsenal Beijing has warned Washington to stay away in blunt remarks that one Filipino senator Pfizer to purchase enough vaccines for its if Washington doesn’t withdraw policies it from what it describes as a purely Asian said “may have given the impression that population in exchange for sharing its data considers hostile to North Korea. dispute. the Philippines is a nation of extortionists.” with the drug maker.

Credit : Associated Press (AP) In a speech in Singapore, Austin said that Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 10 2 - 8 August 2021 International NEW DELHI TIMES Poland’s President sees need for law change after EU censure oland’s President Andrzej Duda said The EU Court of Justice said earlier this P that he sees the need for changes to month that the way Poland is disciplining his country’s law on disciplining judges, in its judges undermines judicial independence a significant shift in tone on an issue that and contravenes EU law, because it is has brought a tense and drawn-out spat with politicized. Poland joined the EU in 2004. European Union authorities. It has told Poland’s government, which drew Duda was commenting on letters from the up the regulations, to immediately suspend head of Poland’s top court appealing to him the disciplinary body at the Supreme Court and other senior figures to initiate changes and introduce changes, under threat of that would remove flaws in Polish legislation financial and other sanctions. and bring it into line with EU law. Adding to the growing conflict with the EU Duda told state agency PAP that he agreed over Poland’s rule of law and organization with the court President and that “everything of the judiciary, the government has indicates that legislative changes will be ignored the injunctions, arguing it has sole needed.” responsibility for the justice system.

He insisted on the importance of a system In her letters government loyalist Manowska

of disciplining judges, but said the judges appealed for “swift but first of all well- Photo AP PC : should be confident that it is “really thought-through changes to the law” that transparent, fair and honest.” would remove the flaws and bring it into line Disciplinary Chamber. Under the right-wing possibility of a review of the Disciplinary with European law. government that won power in 2015, Poland Chamber, saying it has not met all the His words struck a different tone from has been in an intensifying dispute with the expectations placed in it. Days earlier, he government’s insistence in recent years that The four figures have the powers to propose EU as the government asserts more political met with the head of the EU Council, Ursula the disciplinary procedures were only for the and enact legislation. control over the nation’s judicial system and von der Leyen, for talks that included good of the judiciary and that the EU had no judicial appointments. Poland’s judiciary. say on the organization of Poland’s or any Manowska appealed to them to protect the other EU member’s justice system. “common good that is Poland” and said Poland’s Constitutional Court ruled last A number of Poland’s judges critical that the judicial dispute with the EU has week that that temporary injunctions issued of the right-wing government have Four letters written to Duda, to Prime paralyzed disciplinary proceedings. by the EU court regarding the national been suspended under the disciplining Minister Mateusz Morawiecki and to the judiciary were nonbinding. One of them was procedure, but the suspensions have been speakers of the two parliament chambers by Earlier this week, 47 of the Supreme Court an injunction for the suspension of the body declared illegal by some lower courts, who the Supreme Court’s first President, Judge judges, along with thousands of other disciplining high judges. questioned the authority of the disputed Malgorzata Manowska, asking for changes judges and prosecutors, have signed an disciplinary body. to the law, were published on the court’s appeal for the government to heed the EU However, Prime Minister Mateusz Morawiecki website. court’s rulings and immediately suspend the said last week that he would not exclude the Credit : Associated Press (AP) In heat emergency, Greece adds Germany requires checks for fires, power cuts COVID tests for reek authorities ordered additional fire unvaccinated G patrols and infrastructure maintenance inspections as the country grappled with a travelers heat wave fed by hot air from Africa that is ermany will require people entering the PC : AP Photo AP PC : expected to last more than a week. Photo AP PC : G country who haven’t been vaccinated The emergency measures will also include or recently recovered from COVID-19 to a low of 4.9 new weekly cases per 100,000 efforts to create more air-conditioned areas show a negative test result starting. residents on July 6. The figure stood at 16.5 open to the public in cities around Greece new cases per 100,000 residents over the and at refugee camps, though the efforts The change approved by the Cabinet applies past week. are complicated by COVID-19 pandemic- to people 12 years old and above. It comes related limits on how many people can amid increasing concern about infections That is worrying officials at a time when the gather together. brought back from summer vacations more contagious delta variant has become pushing up Germany’s relatively low case dominant in Germany and elsewhere in rate. School holidays in some German states Temperatures in Greece and nearby Europe, while vaccinations have slowed. will end in about a week. countries in southeast Europe are expected 51.5% of Germany’s population was fully to climb to 42 degrees Celsius (107.6 F) in vaccinated and 61.5% had received at least At present, unvaccinated people traveling many cities and towns and ease only later one vaccine dose. by air are required to test negative before next week. next week between midday and 4:00 p.m. they get on a plane to Germany, regardless Authorities are trying to come up with of where they are coming from. People Officials said the additional inspections Employers were also instructed by the creative ways to whet more skeptical crossing into Germany by other means of were aimed at preventing water and power Labor Ministry to provide water and air- Germans’ appetite for vaccination. A transport will now also have to prove their outages, with the increased use of air conditioned rest areas. vaccination center in the eastern town of status. Authorities are expected to conduct conditioning testing the country’s energy Sonnenberg offered a free bratwurst to all spot checks at land borders rather than capacity. As the temperatures rose, three separate comers — which, according to regional wildfires damaged homes in southern impose blanket controls. public broadcaster MDR, was met with Sporadic outages were reported in Greece this week, outside Athens and the a bigger uptake than usual in the first few western city of Patras. People arriving from countries listed in hours. parts of greater Athens, but some had Germany’s highest risk category as “virus been planned by the grid operator for Civil protection chief Nikos Hardalias said variant areas” will also have to present a Health Minister Jens Spahn noted that maintenance work. climate change was raising the fire risk. test if they are vaccinated or have recently “in general terms, travel is easier with recovered. That list currently includes Brazil a vaccination — the vaccinated spare “This is a dangerous weather phenomenon. “On average (in mid-summer), we are and South Africa but no European countries. themselves testing and, in principle, don’t We have been saying it from the start of the dealing with about 50 fires per day, and have to go into quarantine.” He added that week,” said Theodoris Kolydas, director of many of those are under difficult conditions. Germany’s disease control center said “the offer of vaccinations for everyone in the Greece’s National Meteorological Service. That number is clearly increasing each year,” this week that more than four-fifths of the summer stands. We have enough vaccine.” Hardalias told private Antenna television. infections in Germany are still domestic, but “The conditions will be stubborn and only there has been an increase in infected people As well as tweaking the entry rules, the subside gradually... very hot air masses from “It’s a phenomenon that’s gradually getting who were probably exposed to the virus Cabinet decided to simplify Germany’s risk the shores of Africa are heading toward our worse. Climate change is now a climate abroad -- particularly in Spain and Turkey, category system. It is cutting the number of region.” threat. I say it everywhere I go. We all have two popular vacation destinations. categories from three to two — eliminating a responsibility to protect the country,” he the lowest tier, for which barely any practical Workers most exposed to the heat, including said. Germany’s infection rate remains much restrictions applied anyway. those in construction, manual labor, catering lower than several other European countries, and elsewhere, will be given longer breaks Credit : Associated Press (AP) but it has been creeping higher since hitting Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES International 2 - 8 August 2021 11 European economy Germany signals grows 2%, ending growing impatience double-dip with Iran on recession nuclear deal urope emerged from a double-dip ermany’s Foreign Minister is signaling E recession in the second quarter with G growing impatience with Iran, saying stronger-than-expected growth of 2.0% that a revival of the country’s frayed over the quarter before, according to official nuclear accord with world powers won’t figures released, as pandemic restrictions be possible “forever,” a German magazine eased, consumers started spending built- reported. up savings and major companies showed Photo AP PC : stronger results. The countries that remain parties to the a shortage of semiconductor components well as underlining how far it has to go. agreement — Russia, China, Germany, But the economy in the 19 countries that as global auto markets recover, particularly Gross domestic product there remains 6.8% France, Britain and Iran — have been trying use the shared euro currency still lagged for the higher-priced vehicles sold by below where it was before the pandemic. during six rounds of talks in Vienna to behind pre-pandemic levels and trailed the Mercedes-Benz and by Volkswagen’s Audi A slow vaccination rollout held back the resolve how the United States can rejoin and faster recoveries in the U.S. and China, as and Porsche luxury brands. how Tehran can return to compliance. the highly transmissible delta virus variant European economy in the first months of the year. But Europe has made steady cast a shadow of uncertainty over the upturn. In another sign of rebounding activity, President Donald Trump pulled out of the progress since, in recent days passing the European plane maker Airbus this week agreement in 2018, but successor Joe Biden U.S. in total vaccinations adjusted for The growth figure for the April-June raised its outlook for deliveries this year. has said the U.S. wants to return. quarter announced by the European Union’s population. statistics agency Eurostat compared to a Yet over the long haul, the eurozone recovery drop of 0.3% in the first quarter of 2021, lags the one in the U.S., where the economy Still, the spread of the highly contagious as eurozone nations endured a double-dip surpassed its pre-pandemic level during the delta variant has led to predictions that recession after a rebound in mid-2020. The second quarter in 2021 with growth of 1.6% it may slow, though not derail, Europe’s second-quarter growth figure was stronger over the previous quarter. economic upturn. Travel and tourism are than the 1.5% foreseen by market analysts. recovering but remain subdued. The figures leave the eurozone 3% smaller Much of the improvement came from “Given its reliance on tourism, the Spanish than before the virus outbreak, according southern European countries that had earlier economy looks especially vulnerable to the to Capital Economics. China, which was been hit hard by large COVID-19 outbreaks delta variant that is forcing several regions hit first by the outbreak of coronavirus, was and a loss of tourism revenue. in the country to impose new restrictions, the only major world economy to continue while foreign governments are discouraging Italy, which endured 128,000 pandemic growing during the pandemic year of 2020. deaths and a deep recession, was a major trips to the Iberian Peninsula,” said Edoardo positive surprise in the last quarter, growing The stronger performance in southern Campanella, economist at UniCredit Bank 2.7% as consumer spending revived. Europe may be the result of households in Milan. Portugal boomed with 4.9% growth. increasing their spending as restrictions Other figures released showed eurozone Meanwhile, growth returned in Germany, are eased, said Andrew Kenningham, chief unemployment at 7.7% in June, down from the EU’s largest economy, which saw output Europe economist at Capital Economics. 8.0% in May. Inflation rose to 2.2% in July increase by 1.5% after a sharp drop of 2.1% from 1.9% in June. in the first quarter. German auto companies in Spain, with growth of 2.8% and consumer particular have shown strong profits despite outlays up 6.6%, illustrated the rebound as Credit : Associated Press (AP) Hong Kong protester given 9-year term in 1st security case possible maximum of life in prison. Tong nodded but said nothing after Judge Esther Toh announced the sentence for a Tong’s sentence is a “hammer blow to three-judge panel in the Hong Kong High free speech” and shows the law is “a tool Court. The former restaurant waiter wore a to instill terror” in government critics,

black shirt and tie with a blue blazer as he Photo AP PC : PC : AP Photo AP PC : Amnesty International’s Asia-Pacific had throughout his trial. regional director, Yamini Mishra, said in a The last round of talks ended in Vienna on pro-democracy protester was sentenced statement. As Tong was led out of the courtroom, June 20. No date has been set for a new A to nine years in prison in the closely spectators yelled, “We will wait for you!” watched first prosecution under Hong The law “lacks any exemption for legitimate meeting. Kong’s national security law as the ruling expression or protest,” Mishra said. “The After the court adjourned, a spectator yelled Communist Party tightens control over the judgment at no point considered Tong’s to lead defense lawyer Clive Grossman, “I am seeing with growing unease that Iran territory. rights to freedom of expression and protest.” “Mr. Grossman, appeal!” Another lawyer, is delaying the resumption of the Vienna Lawrence Lau, said Tong expressed thanks nuclear talks on the one hand, and on the Tong Ying-kit, 24, was convicted of inciting The U.S. government, in a statement, to the Hong Kong public for their support. other hand it is simultaneously moving secession and terrorism for driving his criticized the “unjust outcome” of Tong’s further and further away from core elements The judges convicted Tong, ruling his motorcycle into a group of police officers trial and said the security law was used of the agreement,” news weekly Der Spiegel actions were aimed at intimidating the at a July 1, 2020, rally. He carried a flag “as a political weapon to silence dissenting quoted German Foreign Minister Heiko government and public. It said carrying the bearing the banned slogan, “Liberate Hong voices.” It said China is undermining Maas as saying. flag was an act of incitement to secession, Kong, revolution of our times.” rights guaranteed by Hong Kong’s mini- rejecting defense arguments that Tong constitution, the Basic Law, and by the 1984 Since the U.S. pulled out, Iran has gradually couldn’t be proven to be inciting secession President Xi Jinping’s government imposed Chinese-British Joint Declaration on the been violating the deal’s restrictions to just by using the slogan. the law on the former British colony last territory’s return. put pressures on the remaining parties to year following protests that erupted in mid- It called on Beijing to “stop targeting Tong was sentenced to eight years for come up with economic incentives to offset 2019. Beijing has rolled back the territory’s individuals exercising their rights and incitement to secession and 6 1/2 years crippling American sanctions. Western-style civil liberties and tried to freedoms.” for terrorism, with some time to be served crush a pro-democracy movement by jailing concurrently for a total of nine years, said The accord, known as the Joint activists. The public’s role in picking Hong Chinese officials reject the criticism and Toh, the judge. Comprehensive Plan of Action, or JCPOA, Kong’s legislators has been reduced. say Beijing is restoring order and instituting is aimed at preventing Iran from developing Tong expressed remorse but that didn’t security protections like those of other nuclear weapons. Tehran denies it is seeking Critics accuse Beijing of violating the count toward reducing his sentence because countries. More than 100 people have been any. autonomy promised when Hong Kong he failed to plead guilty, the judges said in arrested under the security law. returned to China in 1997 and wrecking its a written ruling. They said he had “good “We want a return to the JCPOA and are status as a global business center. Human Defense lawyers said Tong’s penalty should character” and no criminal record but due firmly convinced that it is in all sides’ rights activists say the security law is being be light because the court hadn’t found the to the “serious offenses” those would not interest,” Maas said. “But it is also clear that abused to attack legitimate dissent. Tong’s attack was deliberate, no one was injured mitigate the penalty. this option will not be open to us forever.” sentence was longer than the three years and the secession-related offense qualified requested by the prosecution. He faced a as minor under the law. Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 12 2 - 8 August 2021 International NEW DELHI TIMES Russia blames US Navy says drone strike hit UN: 100,000 space station children in oil tanker off Oman, killing 2 Ethiopia’s Tigray lab incident on U. S. Navy explosive experts believe a The Mercer Street, empty of cargo, had “drone strike” targeted an oil tanker been on its way from Dar es Salaam, face deadly hunger that came under attack off the coast of Oman Tanzania, to Fujairah, United Arab software failure in the Arabian Sea, killing two on board, the Emirates, at the time of the attack, Zodiac ore than 100,000 children in Ethiopia’s Russian space official blamed a software American military said. Maritime said. The attack targeted the M embattled Tigray region could face A problem on a newly docked science lab tanker just northeast of the Omani island of the most extreme and life-threatening form The strike on the oil tanker Mercer Street for briefly knocking the International Space Masirah, over 300 kilometers (185 miles) of malnutrition in the next year, the United marks the first-known fatal attack after Station out of position. southeast of Oman’s capital, Muscat. Nations children’s agency warned, as years of assaults on commercial shipping in Oman’s state-run news agency described humanitarian aid remains blocked from the the region linked to tensions with Iran over the area as “beyond Omani regional region of some 6 million people. its tattered nuclear deal. While no one has waters” and said its forces responded to claimed responsibility for the attack, Israeli the tanker’s mayday call. The U.N. estimate, a tenfold increase over officials alleged Tehran launched the drone the usual caseload in Tigray, is based on strike. Zodiac Maritime described the Mercer “essentially the scenario we’re seeing now, Street’s owners as Japanese, without While Iran did not directly acknowledge in which the conflict escalates and food naming them. Shipping authority Lloyd’s the attack, the strike comes as Tehran now access is restricted,” Marixie Mercado with List identified the vessel’s ultimate owner appears poised to take an even tougher UNICEF’s emergency response team told as Taihei Kaiun Co., which belongs to the approach with the West as the country The Associated Press. Tokyo-based Nippon Yusen Group. prepares to inaugurate a hard-line protégé of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as Israeli officials, who spoke on condition of The warning comes as high-level officials PC : AP Photo AP PC : President. anonymity as they weren’t authorized to talk from the U.N. and United States visit to the media, blamed Tehran for the attack. Ethiopia over the next several days to press The American nuclear-powered aircraft The space station lost control of its They offered no evidence to support their the government to lift what the U.S. has carrier USS Ronald Reagan and the guided orientation for 47 minutes, when Russia’s claim. described as a “siege” of Tigray and as some Nauka science lab accidentally fired missile destroyer USS Mitscher were 200 food-laden U.N. trucks are stuck on the its thrusters a few hours after docking, escorting the Mercer Street as it headed to a Israeli Foreign Minister Yair Lapid tweeted only remaining road into the region. pushing the orbiting complex from its safe port, the U.S. Navy’s Mideast-based 5th that he spoke with British Foreign Secretary normal configuration. The station’s The world’s worst hunger crisis in a decade position is key for getting power from is unfolding in Tigray, where the U.S. says solar panels and for communications up to 900,000 people now face famine with space support teams back on Earth. conditions and international food security The space station’s communications with experts say the crucial planting season “has ground controllers also blipped out twice largely been missed” because of the war. for a few minutes. The UNICEF estimate, based on screenings Vladimir Solovyov, flight director of the of more than 430,000 children during the space station’s Russian segment, blamed the nine-month conflict, comes after a rare incident on a “short-term software failure.” visit to two districts in Tigray that had In a statement released by the Russian been “virtually inaccessible,” Gijet and space agency Roscosmos, Solovyov said Wajirat. While the AP has reported on scores because of the failure, a direct command of people dying of starvation in another to turn on the lab’s engines was mistakenly inaccessible Tigray district, Mercado said implemented. she did not hear of any starvation deaths on her visit. He added the incident was “quickly countered by the propulsion system” of But she warned of “horrifying numbers of another Russian component at the station Photo AP PC : acutely malnourished” people and expressed and “at the moment, the station is in its frustration as food, fuel, cash and other normal orientation” and all its systems “are Fleet said in a statement. Dominic Raab about the “need to respond supplies are in short supply. While access operating normally.” severely” to the attack, although he stopped inside Tigray has improved after a dramatic “U.S. Navy explosives experts are aboard short of directly blaming Iran. turn in the war in June as Ethiopian soldiers Roscosmos director Dmitry Rogozin to ensure there is no additional danger to withdrew and the government declared a suggested that “human factor” may have the crew, and are prepared to support an “Iran is not just an Israeli problem, but unilateral cease-fire, the U.N. has said aid been at play. investigation into the attack,” the 5th Fleet an exporter of terrorism, destruction and workers are running out of the means to said. “Initial indications clearly point to a instability that affects the whole world,” help. “There was such euphoria (after Nauka (drone)-style attack.” Lapid wrote. “We can never remain silent successfully docked with the space in the face of Iranian terrorism, which also station), people relaxed to some extent,” The 5th Fleet statement did not explain how harms freedom of navigation.” Rogozin said in a radio interview. it determined a drone caused the damage, “Perhaps one of the operators didn’t take although it described its explosive experts Other Israel-linked ships have been targeted into account that the control system of finding “clear visual evidence that an attack in recent months as well amid a shadow the block will continue to adjust itself in had occurred” aboard the Mercer Street. The war between the two nations, with Israeli space. And it determined a moment three U.S. military’s Central Command did not officials blaming the Islamic Republic for hours after (the docking) and turned on the immediately respond to a questions on the the assaults. evidence. engines.” Israel meanwhile has been suspected in NASA said that the incident moved the The drone attack blasted a hole through a series of major attacks targeting Iran’s station 45 degrees out of attitude, about one- the top of the oil tanker’s bridge, where nuclear program. Also, Iran saw its largest eighth of a complete circle, but the complex the captain and crew command the vessel, warship recently sink under mysterious circumstances in the nearby Gulf of Oman. was never spinning, there was no immediate a U.S. official said. The official spoke on Photo AP PC : damage or danger to the crew. condition of anonymity as an investigation The attack comes amid heightened tensions into the attack still was ongoing. over Iran’s tattered nuclear deal and as “You can’t bring services to people without The incident caused NASA to postpone a negotiations over restoring the accord have fuel,” an exasperated Mercado said, adding repeat test flight for Boeing’s crew capsule The Mercer Street is managed by London- stalled in Vienna. The series of ship attacks that during the visit to the previously that had been set for from Florida. It will based Zodiac Maritime, part of Israeli suspected to have been carried out by Iran inaccessible districts “we were just be Boeing’s second attempt to reach the billionaire Eyal Ofer’s Zodiac Group. began a year after then-President Donald overwhelmed by the numbers of mothers 250-mile-high (400-kilometer-high) station The firm said the attack killed two crew Trump unilaterally withdrew America from and children who showed up and desperately before putting astronauts on board. Software members, one from the United Kingdom the accord in 2018. wanted some help.” problems botched the first test. and the other from Romania. It did not name them, nor did it describe what happened in The attack on the Mercer Street also came UNICEF also said screening data shows Russia’s long-delayed 22-ton (20-metric- the assault. It said it believed no other crew the night after U.S. Secretary of State that 47% of all pregnant and breastfeeding ton) lab called Nauka arrived, eight days members on board were harmed. Antony Blinken, speaking from Kuwait, women in Tigray are acutely malnourished, after it launched from the Russian launch warned Iran that talks in Vienna over the meaning more risk to both mothers and facility in Baikonur, Kazakhstan. British maritime security firm Ambrey said children. the attack on Mercer Street had killed one of nuclear deal “cannot go on indefinitely.” Credit : Associated Press (AP) its team members on board the vessel. Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES THIS DAY | THAT YEAR | 2 - 8 August 2021 13

August 2, 1870 World’s first underground railway was opened Tower Subway beneath river Thames in London opened its doors for passengers on this day that year.

August 3, 1960

Niger gained its independence from France on this day that year.

August 4, 1944

One of the most well-known figures of the 20th century and a victim of the Holocaust, 14-year-old Frank and her family were captured and arrested by the Germans from their hiding place in Amsterdam on this day that year.

August 5, 1960

Burkina Faso gained its independence on this day that year.

August 6, 1945

In the first of the only two times nuclear weapons have been used in warfare, the United States dropped a nuclear bomb, nicknamed Little Boy on the industrial city of Hiroshima in Japan. on this day that year.

August 7, 1998

Coordinated bomb attacks in American embassies in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania and Nairobi, Kenya killed over 200 people on this day that year.

August 8, 1967

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was founded on this day that year.

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 14 2 - 8 August 2021 Delhi/NCR NEW DELHI TIMES Rakesh Asthana appointed as DBSE to be launched in 30 new Delhi Police Commissioner schools in Delhi in August PC : Getty Images

date of his superannuation on July 31,2021, ◆ By NDT Bureau or until further orders, whichever is earlier, “These schools will cater to students in ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes in relaxation of Rule 16 (1) of the All-India grades 9 to 12 who have special aptitude Services (death-cum-retirement benefits) @NewDelhiTimes and interest in specific domains of study [email protected] rules, 1958 as a special case in public such as Science, Technology, Engineering [email protected] interest. and Mathematics (STEM), Humanities, akesh Asthana, a an IPS officer of the Performing and Visual Arts, and high-end R he Delhi Board of School Education 1984 batch, has been appointed as new In pursuance of the said approval, Asthana 21st Century Skills. Of these 20 SoSEs in T (DBSE) will be launched at 30 Police Commissioner of Delhi till July 31, is hereby appointed as Commissioner of the first phase, 8 schools would specialise government schools in the academic session 2022. Police, Delhi, with effect from the date in STEM, 5 schools each specialise in 2021-22, out of which 20 will be Schools of of taking over charge up to July 31, Humanities and high-end 21st Century “The approval of the appointment committee Specialised Excellence (SoSE) and 10 will 2022 or until further orders, whichever Skills, and 2 schools specialising in of the Cabinet has been conveyed, dated be government schools. This was announced is earlier. Performing and Visual Arts,” he added. July 27, 2021, for the Inter Cadre deputation by Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia. of Rakesh Asthana, from Gujarat cadre to This issues with the approval of the AGMUT Cadre and extending his service competent authority,” as per a Home “The Delhi Board of School Education “Students at SoSEs will receive excellent initially for a period of one year beyond the Ministry notification. (DBSE) will affiliate 30 Delhi Government learning opportunities in their area of schools in the session 2021-22. We will roll interest, which will enable them to join out this year with 20 Schools of Specialised some of the best universities and institutions Excellence and 10 general schools. The 20 in the country and abroad. It is important to Schools of Specialised Excellence (SoSE) identify and provide specialised education spread across Delhi to be launched by to students who have a specific aptitude and August 15,” Sisodia said. deep interest,” Sisodia said. More than 70,000 students score above 95% in CBSE exams PC : Getty Images percent, and 30 programmes across colleges ◆ By NDT Bureau had cut-offs of more than 99 percent. The @NewDelhiTimes number of universities and courses that open with a 100 percent cut-off in the initial list [email protected] could perhaps increase this year. W ith almost 70,000 students scoring 95 DU’s Admission Committee chairperson percent or more in the CBSE Class XII Rajeev Gupta said, “From whatever Board exams, the most significant impact information we are getting right now, it will be felt in Delhi University admissions, appears that the cut-offs will increase. But where administrators expect cut-offs to rise more can be said once the results have been even higher. properly analyzed. The colleges will now have According to DU officials, the university to analyze and decide. We are also waiting will provide roughly 70,000 undergraduate for the remaining state boards to release their places this year, which is equal to the results, after which we will have more clarity”. number of students who scored above 95 Cut-offs are anticipated to be “extremely percent in CBSE alone, without considering high,” according to Hindu College Principal other boards. Around 70% of DU students Anju Srivastava. If a large proportion of who enroll in UG degrees each year come students achieve a grade point average of 95 from the CBSE board. percent or higher, the campus colleges are Last year, three programmes at Lady Shri likely to become enmeshed in catering to Ram College had first cut-offs of 100 these kids. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES National 2 - 8 August 2021 15 The Dalit Muslim that Sir Syed Ahmed Khan, the founder ◆ By NDT Bureau of AMU, was casteist and not supportive @NewDelhiTimes of education for women and backwards Muslims. They even criticise that Upper [email protected] caste Muslims in India have taken over the institutions like Jamia Millia Islamia and n 2007, during one of his speeches, Aligarh Muslim University in the name of Pasmanda leader and Parliamentarian, I minority rights. Ali Anwar Ansari famously expressed his opinion at a conference that, “Hum Delhi based Jamia Millia Islamia is a shuddar hain shuddar; Bharat ke moolnivasi minority institution and within the 50 per hain. Baad mein musalman hain” (We cent seats reserved for Muslims, only 10 per are Shudras first; we are the indigenous cent seats are reserved for Other Backward peoples of India. We are Muslims later). A Classes (OBCs) and Tribal Muslim students. category of Muslims identifying themselves While, a 30 per cent sub-quota within the 50 as “Moolnivasis” first rather than Muslims, per cent quota has been effectively reserved was looked upon with surprise and suspense for the upper castes, who are a mere 15 per as many consider Muslims as a single block cent of the entire Muslim population. devoid of castes- based hierarchies. The Pasamanda Movement faced severe The Pasmanda movement is a critique of criticism for being selective in their approach Muslim minority institutions, particularly, as the movement is for particular castes Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) and and not universal in nature. Critics blame Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI). The activists that there is no caste system in Islam as the associated with the Pasmanda movements religion refutes any form of discrimination, claim that since the beginning, upper-caste hence there is no question of caste-based PC : Getty Images Muslims have occupied all the important discrimination and exploitation within the positions in the Aligarh Muslim University. community. remained to be under social pressure and degrade the status of Pasmanda individuals. Same is applicable for another minority oppression. institution Jamia Millia Islamia situated in Critics claims that division of the Muslim With Prime Minister of India announcing national capital. community among castes is absurd which Many eminent personalities from Pasmanda implemention of OBC quota in the medical raises the question on the intention of the community held important positions at education sector in the All India Quota Pasmandas often blame that both the Pasmanda Movement. However, the Indian different walks of life. However, they were section (in State run medical colleges), the universities were established for the Upper Muslim society has showed that change in always treated with contempt by the upper- Pasmanda Movement has again assumed caste Muslims and certainly not for the poor occupation/class does not change a person’s class Muslims (Ashrafs). Terms like Julaha, significance with special focus on separate and backward. Pasmanda activists also claim position in caste-based strata, low caste Kaiyan, mean minded etc. were used often to representation. Chandrayaan-3 is Agri Exporters from remote Districts Vice Admiral SN likely to be launched of India connected to the International Ghormade assumes during third quarter buyers for the first time charge as new Vice of 2022 Chief of Indian Navy

◆ By NDT Bureau ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes @NewDelhiTimes [email protected] [email protected]

ice Admiral SN Ghormade, has V assumed charge as the new Vice Chief of the Indian Navy.

Admiral Ghormade has had extensive operational tenures onboard frontline warships of the Indian Navy that included commanding guided missile frigate INS Brahmaputra, submarine rescue vessel INS Nireekshak and minesweeper INS Alleppey. PC : Getty Images

n a written reply to a question in the I Lok Sabha, the Lower House of the apart from large exporters from India. 28 Indian Parliament, Union Minister of ◆ By NDT Bureau State (Independent Charge) Science & stalls from Jammu and Kashmir and 5 from Technology; Minister of State (Independent @NewDelhiTimes Ladakh were highlighted in the exhibition. Charge) Earth Sciences; MoS PMO, [email protected] Personnel, Public Grievances, Pensions, The virtual outreach event saw a footfall Atomic Energy and Space, Dr Jitendra he Directorate General of Foreign of over 300 visitors and importers from Singh said that Chandrayaan-3 is likely to T Trade (DGFT) under Department domestic and international buyers inclusive be launched during third quarter of 2022 of Commerce in partnership with the of the USA, the UAE, and Japan. assuming normal work flow henceforth. Agricultural and Processed Food Products Export Development Authority (APEDA) Putting a spotlight on agricultural products The realization of Chandrayaan-3 involves and Invest India conducted a 2 Day Virtual under five categories namely spices and various process including finalization of Outreach Event connecting exporters from tea, food grains and agro-products, fruits configuration, subsystems realization, the districts to the buyers outside India. and vegetables, dry fruits, and processed integration, spacecraft level detailed testing and food, three buyer-seller interactive a number of special tests to evaluate the system The Indian Ministry of Commerce and sessions were held with the support of He succeeded Vice Admiral G Ashok Kumar performance on earth. The realization progress Industry stated in a press release that a virtual Indian Embassies from the USA, the UAE, who retired after 39 years of service. was hampered due to COVID-19 pandemic. trade fair was held where 197 exhibitors and Japan. However, all works that were possible in work participated from the states of Punjab, The Flag Officer was holding the tri-service from home mode were taken up even during Himachal Pradesh, and Union Territories Few leading supermarkets such as Spinney, appointment of deputy chief (operations lockdown periods. Chandrayaan-3 realization of Jammu & Kashmir and Ladakh. The Walmart, and Lulu also participated during and training) at the headquarters of the resumed after commencement of unlock event provided a platform to small sellers the interactive sessions and showed keen Integrated Defence Staff prior to taking over period and is in matured stage of realization. from areas earlier not known for exports, interest in India’s agricultural products. as the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff. India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 16 2 - 8 August 2021 Neighbourhood NEW DELHI TIMES Bhutan fully vaccinates 90% of eligible adults within a week he Himalayan kingdom of Bhutan has It also received more than 400,000 T fully vaccinated 90% of its eligible AstraZeneca shots from Denmark, Croatia adult population within just seven days, its and Bulgaria in the last two weeks. health ministry said.

“Our aim is to achieve herd immunity among Photo AP PC : The tiny country, wedged between India our population in the shortest possible and China and home to nearly 800,000 time to avert a major public health crisis,” people, began giving out second doses Dechen Wangmo, Bhutan’s Health Minister, on July 20 in a mass drive that has been told The Associated Press. hailed by UNICEF as “arguably the fastest vaccination campaign to be executed during Many Western countries with far more a pandemic.” resources are yet to vaccinate such a high rate of eligible adults. In April, Bhutan grabbed headlines when its government said it had inoculated around Health experts say Bhutan’s small population the same percentage of eligible adults with helped, but the country also benefited from the first dose in under two weeks after India strong and effective messaging from top donated 550,000 shots of AstraZeneca officials and an established cold chain about the coronavirus and vaccinations Will Parks, the UNICEF representative for vaccine. storage system. on Facebook, also helped combat vaccine Bhutan. Some 22,000 citizens volunteered hesitancy among citizens. over the last year and a half to raise But the country faced a shortage for More than 3,000 health workers participated awareness, dispel misinformation, help months after India, a major supplier of and 1,200 vaccination centers across the “In fact, people are quite eager to come and conduct mass screening and testing and even the AstraZeneca shot, halted exports as it country helped ensure that shots reached get themselves vaccinated,” Dr. Wangchuk carry vaccines across the country’s difficult scrambled to meet a rising demand at home every eligible adult. In some cases, health said. terrain, he said. as infections surged. workers trekked for days through landslides and pouring rain to reach extremely remote Its Prime Minister, Lotay Tshering, and Bhutan’s success is an anomaly in South Bhutan was able to restart its drive last week villages atop steep mountains to administer monarch, King Jigme Khesar Namgyel Asia where countries such as India and after half a million doses of Moderna vaccine doses to those unable to get to a center, Wangchuck, were also early advocates of the Bangladesh are struggling to ramp up their arrived from the United States as a donation said Dr. Sonam Wangchuk, a member of vaccine, which allayed fears surrounding the vaccination rates. Experts say it underscores under the U.N.-backed COVAX program, Bhutan’s vaccination task force. rollout. The king also toured the country to the importance of richer countries donating an initiative devised to give countries access raise awareness about the vaccination drive. vaccines to the developing world and to coronavirus vaccines regardless of their “Vaccination is the pillar of Bhutan’s highlights just how big an impact the wealth. healthcare initiative,” he said. Bhutan is the last remaining Buddhist government and community outreach can kingdom in the Himalayas, but it has have. Some 5,000 shots of Pfizer were also Bhutan’s government is also led by medical transitioned from an absolute monarchy to a facilitated through COVAX, which is practitioners. The Prime Minister, the democratic, constitutional monarchy. “Perhaps this little Himalayan kingdom can co-led by Gavi, the Vaccine Alliance, Foreign Minister and the Health Minister be a beacon of hope to a region that is on the World Health Organization and the are all medical professionals. And frequent Another crucial ingredient in the vaccine fire,” Parks said. Coalition for Epidemic Preparedness messaging from the government, which drive is the country’s extensive network of Innovation. directly answers questions from the public citizen volunteers called “desuups,” said Credit : Associated Press (AP) Floods make thousands homeless Residents: in Bangladesh Rohingya camps Myanmar leaders ays of heavy rainfall have pounded use pandemic as D Rohingya refugee camps in southern Bangladesh, destroying dwellings and sending thousands of people to live with political weapon extended families or in communal shelters. ith coronavirus deaths rising in PC : AP Photo AP PC : In the 24 hours until, more than 30 W Myanmar, allegations are growing centimeters (11.8 inches) of rain fell on the from residents and human rights activists camps in Cox’s Bazar district hosting more that the military government, which seized than 800,000 Rohingya, the U.N. refugee control in February, is using the pandemic a founding member of the Special Advisory agency said. That’s nearly half the average to consolidate power and crush opposition. Council for Myanmar. PC : AP Photo AP PC : July rainfall in one day, and more heavy “With the oxygen, they have banned sales downpours are expected in the next few days In the last week, the per capita death rate in to civilians or people who are not supported and the monsoon season stretches over the Myanmar surpassed those of Indonesia and by the SAC, so they’re using something that next three months. Malaysia to become the worst in Southeast who has five children. “We are not even able Asia. The country’s crippled health care can save the people against the people,” she “The situation is further compounded by the to eat.” Begum said she fears her children system has rapidly become overwhelmed said. “The military is weaponizing COVID.” COVID-19 pandemic. There is currently a will drown and die in their sleep. with new patients sick with COVID-19. strict national lockdown in response to rising Myanmar’s Deputy Information Minister The refugee agency said the bad weather, cases across the country,” the agency said. Supplies of medical oxygen are running Zaw Min Tun did not respond to questions landslides and floods have further low, and the government has restricted its about the allegations, but with growing It said six people died in the camps earlier exacerbated the suffering and humanitarian private sale in many places, saying it is internal and external pressure to get the this week — five people in a landslide needs of the Rohingya refugees in trying to prevent hoarding. But that has led pandemic under control, the leadership has caused by the rains and a child swept away Bangladesh. been on a public relations offensive. by floodwaters. to widespread allegations that the stocks are Cyclones, heavy monsoon rains, floods, being directed to government supporters and In the state-run Global New Light of Citing initial reports, the U.N. High landslides and other natural hazards are an military-run hospitals. Myanmar newspaper this week, several Commissioner for Refugees said more than annual difficulty in the camps. More than articles highlighted the government’s efforts, 12,000 refugees were affected by the heavy 700,000 Rohingya have fled to refugee At the same time, medical workers including what it called a push to resume rain and an estimated 2,500 shelters were camps in Bangladesh since August 2017, have been targeted after spearheading a vaccinations and increase oxygen supplies. damaged or destroyed. More than 5,000 when the military in Buddhist-majority civil disobedience movement that urged refugees have been temporarily relocated to professionals and civil servants not to Myanmar began a harsh crackdown on the Senior Gen. Min Aung Hlaing, the military other family members’ shelters or communal Muslim ethnic group following an attack by cooperate with the government, known as facilities, the agency said in a statement. the State Administrative Council. commander who heads the SAC, was cited insurgents. as saying that efforts were also being made Hannah Macdonald, a spokesperson for the The crackdown included rapes, killings “They have stopped distributing personal to seek support from the Association of UNHCR, said in an email that emergency and the torching of thousands of homes, protection equipment and masks, and they Southeast Asian Nations and unspecified response teams have been deployed to help and was termed ethnic cleansing by global will not let civilians who they suspect are “friendly countries.” affected families. rights groups and the United Nations. While supporting the democracy movement be “Efforts must be made for ensuring better Refugees said they were struggling to eat Bangladesh and Myanmar have sought to treated in hospitals, and they’re arresting health of the State and the people,” he was and drink properly. “Due to the continuous arrange repatriations, the Rohingya are too doctors who support the civil disobedience quoted as saying. rainfall for the last four days, today my fearful to return home. movement,” said Yanghee Lee, the U.N.’s house is full of water,” said Khatija Begum, Credit : Associated Press (AP) former Myanmar human rights expert and Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES North America 2 - 8 August 2021 17 Haiti’s new PM US suspends cooperation with Mexican regulator pledges to hold slams plan to Guatemala attorney general regulate cooking elections soon he U.S. government has suspended accusing him of ideological bias in his T cooperation with Guatemala’s prosecutions. Porras was appointed by the gas prices Attorney General’s Office in response to the previous President, Jimmy Morales, but after slaying firing of its top anti-corruption prosecutor, Giammattei has spoken of his friendship saying that it has “lost confidence” in the with her as well. aiti’s newly installed Prime Minister, Central American country’s willingness to H Ariel Henry, held his first press fight corruption. Sandoval said Porras had repeatedly worked conference as he pledged to hold elections to block his investigations, especially those as soon as possible following the slaying of U.S. State Department deputy spokeswoman with proximity to Giammattei. President Jovenel Moïse. Jalina Porter told reporters in Washington that the decision by Guatemala Attorney Sandoval applauded the U.S. move. He Henry said the government’s mission is to General Consuelo Porras to fire Juan told The Associated Press that the U.S. hold free, honest and transparent elections Francisco Sandoval, the special prosecutor government’s decision was “consistent with with a large voter turnout as he stressed the against impunity, “fits a pattern of behavior the United States policy of respecting the Photo AP PC : need for security. culture of law.” that indicates a lack of commitment to the exico’s anti-monopoly regulator rule of law and independent, judicial, and M openly criticized President Andrés He also said he wants to fight unemployment The Attorney General’s Office said in a prosecutorial processes.” Manuel López Obrador’s plan to set a and re-establish confidence in the country’s statement that it had not been officially maximum price for cooking and heating gas. judicial system, adding that he has been “As a result, we have lost confidence in notified of the suspension in cooperation. meeting with civil society leaders and others the attorney general and the intention to Mexico imports much of its LP gas, and since being sworn in on July 20. “We have always worked in a coordinated cooperate with the U.S. government and international prices have risen, leading to manner in the interests of both countries,” it fight corruption in good faith,” Porter said. higher costs for Mexicans.

López Obrador tried this week to invoke emergency powers to decree a six-month price cap.

But the federal economic competition commission said in a statement that current law sets out a process by which regulators, if they find monopoly pricing practices, can impose price ceilings. It said such an investigation was started May 31 and hasn’t concluded.

The commission also warned that “price regulation could have consequences unintended by the decree, like shortages of LP gas.”

Experts said the proposed price cap hearkens back to decades past, when Mexico’s state- owned oil company Pemex imported LP gas and sold it at fixed prices to distributors. PC : AP Photo AP PC : Now, private companies import much of the She said the suspension would remain in said. “In this case we respect the decisions gas, and won’t do so if they lose money on effect while the U.S. reviews its assistance of the U.S.; the Attorney General’s Office is it. to the Attorney General’s Office. an independent and autonomous institution so we will continue working like normal to “If the price controls reach a point where they A strong U.S. response was expected after the benefit of the Guatemalan people.” (private firms) can’t cover the cost of the gas, Sandoval’s dismissal. He fled the country they simply won’t deliver it and there will PC : AP Photo AP PC : the same day. Protests in Guatemala have La oficina de prensa de la fiscalía dijo que be shortages,” said Eduardo Prud’homme, a called for Porras’ resignation. no habían sido notificados oficialmente. partner in the energy consulting and analysis “The discussions up until now are difficult “Siempre se ha trabajado de manera firm Gadex. “Shortages will create a black but constructive,” he said, without offering The firing came less than two months coordinada en favor de los intereses de market.” any details or taking any questions. after Vice President Kamala Harris visited ambos países. En este caso respetamos If Pemex decided to try to serve as the Guatemala and spoke with President las decisiones de EE.UU; el Ministerio Henry stressed the importance of importer and seller of last resort, that could Alejandro Giammattei about the importance Público es una institución independiente y reconciliation and unity, adding that he create a classic problem of subsidies, with of the country’s anti-corruption efforts. autónoma por lo que seguiremos trabajando wants a new model of government: one artificially cheap gas potentially being Harris has targeted corruption in the region con normalidad en beneficio de la población that is transparent “and above all, free of siphoned away to markets where it can be as one of the key factors in pushing outward guatemalteca”. corruption.” migration. sold at market prices. The press conference, which lasted less than Lawyer Marco Aurelio Alveño Hernández Porter noted that U.S. officials had “Implementing this is going to be extremely 10 minutes, was held just hours after Henry said he had told Sandoval’s office that one repeatedly made it clear to the “highest complex,” Prud’homme said. “It is going to met with a new Cabinet behind closed doors. of his clients, a former Guatemalan central levels of government of Guatemala our view cost a lot of money and it isn’t going to solve He only briefly mentioned the investigation banker, had paid a bribe through Alveño that the fight against corruption is essential the problem.” into the July 7 attack at Moïse’s private to an adviser of Porras so his corruption to our shared goals of strengthening the rule home in which the first lady was seriously case was moved from Sandoval’s office to The government is under pressure to do of law, increasing economic opportunity, injured, saying that those responsible need another prosecutor. something. and addressing the root causes of irregular to be brought to justice. migration.” Alveño fled the country with his family One of the President’s key promises has At least 26 people have been arrested in fearing potential retribution for his been that basic fuel prices won’t increase the killing, including 18 former Colombian She said the U.S. government recognized cooperation with Sandoval’s office. above the rate of inflation, and the largely soldiers and a top police official who served that Porras had the authority to dismiss privatized market for cooking gas cylinders as general coordinator for Moïse’s security Sandoval, “but our concern is what the Guatemala’s government has been criticized has made that unobtainable. detail. implications with this decision for the rule over the past year for driving out judges of law and regional stability.” known for taking a hard line on corruption. Mexico’s inflation rate is currently hovering Authorities are still searching for other The moves are a continuation of the effort that around 6%. Cooking gas is used by 70% of suspects including a former rebel leader, an A day before Sandoval’s firing, Porras ended the 12-year run of the United Nations’ Mexican households and home deliveries ex-Haitian senator and a Haitian Supreme had reassigned another prosecutor from anti-corruption mission in Guatemala in have almost doubled in price in some areas Court judge. Sandoval’s office. 2019 during Morales’ presidency. over the last year.

Credit : Associated Press (AP) Porras has defended Sandoval’s firing, Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 18 2 - 8 August 2021 Africa NEW DELHI TIMES Tunisia opens corruption probes of leading Islamist party unisian prosecutors have opened power in his hands “until social peace T investigations into alleged foreign returns to Tunisia and until we save the campaign funding and anonymous donations state.” The following day, security forces to Islamist movement Ennahdha and two raided the Tunis offices of Al-Jazeera, the other political parties, according to local Qatar-based satellite news network and media. shut it down.

Ennahdha is the dominant party in The Cairo bureau chief for the New York parliament, whose activities were suspended Times tweeted that she and her team this week by President Kais Saied. Tunisia’s reporting in Tunis were detained for two leader also fired the Prime Minister and key hours by police. “We’re continuing to report Cabinet members, saying it was necessary in Tunis,” Vivian Yee tweeted. She provided to stabilize a country in economic and no details. health crisis. But Ennahdha and other critics accused him of overstepping his power and Ennahdha’s leader, who is the speaker of parliament, said that his party is a perfect threatening Tunisia’s young democracy. Photo AP PC : target to blame for Tunisia’s crescendo The spokesperson for the financial of economic, health and other problems. Tunisia, which ignited the Arab Spring ... This decision calmed the situation and prosecutor’s office, Mohsen Daly, said on Coronavirus infections are notably a decade ago when protests led to the protected the state and citizens, and even Mosaique FM radio that the investigations ravaging the country, aggravating public overthrow of its longtime autocratic leader, the ruling political parties, from the people’s were opened in mid-July. anger. is often regarded as the only success story of wrath.” those uprisings. But democracy didn’t bring He also announced investigations were Rachid Ghannouchi told The Associated prosperity. He played down concerns of a return to opened earlier this month into the country’s Press that his party is working to form a authoritarianism. national anti-corruption agency — suspected “national front” to counter Saied’s decision Reactions in Tunis were mixed to Saied’s itself of corruption — and into Tunisia’s to suspend the legislature, to pressure decisions, with some hoping they bring “The Tunisian people will not be silent on Truth and Dignity Commission created to the President “to demand the return to a stability and others worried he seized too any tyrant,” and will resist if the President confront abuses during Tunisia’s decades of democratic system.” much power. goes too far, he said. “Doing what is autocratic rule. good will receive support, and if he wants He conceded that Ennahdha, which has been Omar Oudherni, retired army brigadier and dictatorship, the people will sweep it up as Calm prevailed in Tunis, the capital, four accused of focusing on its internal concerns security expert, said the President’s moves, they swept others.” days after nationwide protests that ended instead of managing the coronavirus, “needs coming after a day of nationwide protests, with the President’s decision to centralize to review itself, as do other parties.” “put an end to the development of anger Credit : Associated Press (AP) Equatorial In breakthrough, Tanzania kicks International Guinea’s VP loses offCOVID-19 vaccinations court drops embezzlement n a major breakthrough for one of vaccinated. Tanzania’s President stressed I the world’s last countries to embrace that the vaccine is voluntary, and other Simone Gbagbo COVID-19 vaccines, Tanzania’s President citizens welcomed the arrival of doses. appeal in France kicked off its vaccination campaign by “The action by the President to take a new publicly receiving a dose and urging others direction in the battle against the coronavirus arrest warrant rance’s top court upheld the to do the same. But she immediately met has brought relief to Tanzanians,” said Dar he International Criminal Court has F conviction of Equatorial Guinea’s some hesitation in one of Africa’s most es Salaam resident Hawa Bihoga. T withdrawn its arrest warrant for the Vice President for money laundering and populous nations. wife of former Ivory Coast President Laurent embezzling millions of dollars in public Tanzania went well over a year without Gbagbo following her husband’s acquittal on The East African country’s government money. updating its number of confirmed virus cases charges of involvement in deadly violence under former President John Magufuli had but has now resumed reporting the data to that erupted following his country’s disputed The ill-gotten gains are now to be returned long worried health officials by denying the Africa Centers for Disease Control and 2010 Presidential election. to the central African country’s population the pandemic. Magufuli, who insisted the Prevention, which showed 858 cases in the under a new French legal procedure that coronavirus could be defeated with prayer, country. seeks to ensure the money doesn’t again fall died in March. The presidency went to his into corrupt hands. deputy, Samia Suluhu Hassan, who has since Critics of Tanzania’s past stance on changed Tanzania’s course on COVID-19. COVID-19, however, have long warned that Teodoro Nguema Obiang Mangue, the many more people have been infected. son of Equatorial Guinea’s long-serving President, was originally convicted in 2017 The country is trying to catch up as many by a Paris court. parts of the African continent face a devastating resurgence of infections. “We The court handed him a three-year are making efforts to ensure that we import suspended sentence, fined him 30 million more vaccines to meet the demand,” Hassan Photo AP PC : euros and ordered property in France worth said.

tens of millions of euros seized. Photo AP PC : Tanzania’s President has even pledged to Simone Gbagbo had faced similar charges An appeals court upheld the conviction invest in vaccine manufacturing, according under an arrest warrant issued by the global in 2020, and France’s Court of Cassation to the Africa CDC; the agency’s director, war crimes court in 2012. threw out Obiang’s final appeal this week, Hassan, who received the Johnson & John Nkengasong, met with Hassan. African according to the anti-corruption groups that Johnson vaccine, expressed confidence in countries, hit hard by so-called vaccine Her husband was acquitted in 2019, midway filed the original legal complaint against him the safety of vaccines and said the country nationalism as rich nations prioritize doses through his trial at the ICC, of responsibility 14 years ago. of more than 58 million people will pursue for their own citizens, are embracing the for crimes including murder, rape and more. The United States announced the need to have more control over vaccine persecution during post-election violence in Obiang claimed he has immunity from delivery of more than 1 million doses via the production. Ivory Coast. Judges said prosecutors failed prosecution and didn’t appear for the French COVAX global initiative aimed at supplying to prove their case. Appeals judges at the court proceedings. His lawyers challenged low- and middle-income countries. Just two African countries still have yet global court upheld the acquittal in March, the jurisdiction of French courts in the case. to start COVID-19 vaccinations, Burundi clearing Gbagbo and co-defendant Charles Now the Tanzanian government’s challenge and Eritrea. Burundi, whose late President Ble Goude to fly home. “With this decision, French justice confirms is to reverse the skepticism the previous Pierre Nkurunziza also had been criticized that France is no longer a land of welcome administration promoted about COVID-19 for downplaying the pandemic, has said In a written ruling issued confidentially for money embezzled by foreign leaders and vaccines. “Why don’t we consider our vaccines aren’t needed yet. And Eritrea on July 19 and made public this week, a their entourage,” said Patrick Lefas, head of traditional solutions? Why do we have to has long been criticized by human rights panel of ICC judges approved a request by Transparency International France, an anti- use foreign medicine? Is there something groups as one of the world’s most closed- prosecutors to withdraw the warrant against corruption watchdog. that is hidden here?” asked one resident of off, repressive countries. Simone Gbagbo. commercial capital Dar es Salaam, Kelvin Credit : Associated Press (AP) Mmari, who said that he’s not willing to be Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES South America 2 - 8 August 2021 19 Leftist political Ecuadorian novice sworn court revokes in as Peru’s citizenship for President Julian Assange edro Castillo, a leftist political novice cuador has revoked the citizenship P who has promised to be a champion E of Julian Assange, the founder of of his country’s poor, became Peru’s new Wikileaks who is currently in a British President. prison.

The rural teacher who has never held Photo AP PC : Ecuador’s justice system formally political office before was sworn in less than notified the Australian of the nullity of of policy,” said Claudia Navas, an analyst almost 10% of its GDP and 60% of its his naturalization in a letter that came two weeks after he was declared the winner with the global firm Control Risks. exports. Its economy has been crushed by of the June 6 runoff election. He is Peru’s in response to a claim filed by the South “However, we foresee that possibly, due to the coronavirus pandemic, increasing the American country’s Foreign Ministry. first President of peasant origin. the characteristics of the Peruvian political poverty level and eliminating the gains of a system and the current general political and decade. A naturalization is considered damaging In a ceremony in the capital of Lima, Castillo economic situation of the country, Castillo when it is granted based on the concealment made a commitment “for God, for my family, will maintain a more pragmatic position “I want you to know that the pride and of relevant facts, false documents or fraud. for my peasant sisters and brothers, teachers, than he announced during the campaign.” pain of deep Peru runs through my veins. Ecuadorian authorities say Assange’s patrolmen, children, youth and women, and That I, too, am the son of this country naturalization letter had multiple for a new Constitution.” He then he sang the “The key is to build those consensuses and founded on the sweat of my ancestors, inconsistencies, different signatures, the national anthem, taking off his signature hat add strength to the proposals on how he is built on the lack of opportunity of my possible alteration of documents and unpaid and placing it over his heart. going to achieve them,” she added. parents and that despite that, I also saw it fees, among other issues. resist,” Castillo said. “That my life was He succeeds President Francisco Sagasti, Carlos Poveda, Assange’s lawyer, told The Castillo defeated his opponent, right- made in the cold of the early mornings whom Congress appointed in November to Associated Press the decision was made wing career politician Keiko Fujimori, by in the field, and that it was also these lead the South American nation after weeks without due process and Assange was not just 44,000 votes. Peru’s poor and rural hands from the countryside that carried of political turmoil. allowed to appear in the case. citizens supported Castillo and his slogan and rocked my children when they were “No more poor in a rich country,” while little. That the history of this long- Castillo, who up until days ago lived with his the elites favored Fujimori, the daughter silenced Peru is also my history.” family in an adobe home deep in the Andes, of controversial former President Alberto will face a deeply divided Congress that will Fujimori. He stunned voters and observers In November, Peru had three Presidents make it extremely challenging for him to by rising from a pool of 18 candidates and in a single week after one was impeached fulfill his ill-defined campaign promises to advancing to the runoff, in first place no less. by Congress over corruption allegations aid the poor, who are now estimated to make and protests forced his successor to resign. up about a third of the country’s population. Castillo’s initial proposal to nationalize the Lawmakers then appointed Sagasti. PC : AP Photo AP PC : His political savviness will be immediately nation’s mining industry set off alarm bells tested, and his ability to reach agreements among business leaders. While that stance Thousands of small businesses have closed “On the date (Assange) was cited he was could even determine if Congress allows has softened, he remains committed to over the past 16 months, and the political deprived of his liberty and with a health him to finish his term. rewriting the constitution that was approved uncertainty following the election has led to crisis inside the deprivation of liberty center under the regime of Fujimori’s father. the withdrawal of millions of dollars from where he was being held,” Poveda said. “The government of Pedro Castillo still local banks. maintains us with considerable uncertainty; Peru is the second largest copper exporter Poveda said he will file appeals asking for we still do not have clear his main lines in the world and mining accounts for Credit : Associated Press (AP) an amplification and clarification of the decision. “More than the importance of nationality, it is a matter of respecting rights Peru’s new first family leaving and following due process in withdrawing nationality.” Assange received Ecuadorian citizenship behind rural, Andean home in January 2018 as part of a failed attempt Paredes is not sure where she, her husband accusation she could never prove. That left by the government of then-President Lenín and two children will live starting. She also the Castillo family little time to make plans Moreno to turn him into a diplomat to get does not know where the children will go to and say their goodbyes. him out of its embassy in London. school once classes begin. Unlike all of Peru’s former Presidents of the The Pichincha Court for Contentious “We don’t have any property in Lima,” last 40 years, the Castillos have no home in Administrative Matters revoked this she told The Associated Press last week Lima. Paredes, also a teacher, said she and decision. on her foggy patio in Chugur while she her husband have to decide whether they Ecuador’s Foreign Ministry told AP the court rubbed her hands amid the cold of the will live in the Presidential residence, but it PC : AP Photo AP PC : had “acted independently and followed due Andean winter. “We are people from is likely they will call it home. She has seen process in a case that took place during the he humble two-story, adobe home the countryside, and almost always, the it from the outside but has never stepped previous government and that was raised by T of the Castillo family, located in one provincial have to wait years to have a inside, not even on guided tours that were the same previous government.” of the poorest districts of Peru deep in the property in the capital. If they tell me offered during pre-pandemic times. Assange, 50, has been in London’ high- Andes, feels a little empty now. Lilia Paredes to live in another place, it would also be Choosing their home is a significant security Belmarsh Prison since he was packed up the family’s belongings within the the same, we are not kings to live in a decision given Castillo’s anti-elite rhetoric. arrested in April 2019 for skipping bail last week, neatly folding her husband’s shirts palace, we go to work.” His campaign slogan could be called into seven years earlier during a separate legal and picking some plates and silverware in Castillo’s supporters included the poor and question if the family moves into the ornate battle. between visits from farmers from nearby rural citizens of the South American nation. Presidential palace. villages stopping by to say goodbye. He popularized the phrase “No more poor Assange spent seven years holed up inside in a rich country,” and stunned millions of Paredes is taking to Lima some bags with Ecuador’s London embassy, where he fled A neo-baroque Presidential palace awaits Peruvians and observers by advancing to the food, including peas, beans, sweet corn in 2012 to avoid extradition to Sweden Paredes, her husband and Peruvian runoff. flour and cheese that the family makes at to face allegations of rape and sexual President-elect Pedro Castillo, and their two home after milking their cows at dawn. The assault. Sweden dropped the sex crimes The economy of Peru, the world’s second- children - should the family chose to live in family’s house - which Castillo built more investigations in November 2019 because so largest copper producer, has been crushed the historic building. than 20 years ago - will be in the care of much time had elapsed. by the coronavirus pandemic, increasing Paredes’ elder sister. Castillo, will be sworn in as President, less the poverty level to almost one-third of the U.S. prosecutors have indicted Assange on than two weeks after he was declared the population and eliminating the gains of a The family has also packed study materials for 17 espionage charges and one charge of winner of the June 6 runoff election. The decade. Arnold, 16, and Alondra, 9. Paredes would like computer misuse over WikiLeaks’ publication her children to attend a university and a state of thousands of leaked military and diplomatic leftist rural teacher, who has never held The typical Presidential transition process college. She said Arnold wants to study civil documents. The charges carry a maximum office, defeated his opponent, right-wing was derailed after Fujimori tried to overturn engineering because he likes math. sentence of 175 years in prison. career politician Keiko Fujimori, by just the result, asking election authorities to 44,000 votes. annul thousands of votes alleging fraud, an Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 20 2 - 8 August 2021 Opinion NEW DELHI TIMES Irregular Migration Problem on Belarus-Lithuania Border imposing sectoral economic measures on district, Belarus, on July 19. For irregular ◆ By NDT Bureau Belarus on June 24. migrants crossing the border, this will @NewDelhiTimes increase their chances of dying or being The risk of a temporary people-smuggling injured. [email protected] route from Lithuania into Nordic nations ecause of the Belarusian government’s like Finland, Norway, or Sweden must be In July, 2,366 migrants were detained, B involvement, irregular migration from maintained. People smuggling operations up from 473 in June and 81 in the entire Belarus to Lithuania is expected to continue from Belarus to Lithuania, carried out by previous year. Belarusian officials have been in the next six months. At the time of writing, both organized groups and opportunistic accused by Lithuania of facilitating border the total number of illegal migrants detained individuals, are likely. Such actions are also crossings by people from the Middle East by VSAT upon arrival in Lithuania from likely to be carried out from Lithuania, which and Africa. The European Union’s border Belarus in 2021 had reached 2,730. VSAT is a member of the Schengen passport-free control agency has promised to increase its apprehended only 81 irregular migrants on zone, into other EU nations. assistance to Lithuania in order to help curb PC : Getty Images the border in 2020, and only 46 in 2019. Iraqi the influx of migrants. Airways said on July 23 that starting August The Lithuanian parliament passed a law on 1, it will increase the number of weekly July 13 that allows for up to six months of The majority of those attempting to enter passenger flights from Baghdad to Minsk detention for migrants and limits appeals Lithuania are believed to have arrived in from two to four. The Foreign Ministry of against asylum rejections. This, combined Minsk, Belarus’ capital, on one of four will likely increase. Also, if the Lithuanian Lithuania expressed worry that this decision with other measures taken by Lithuania, weekly Boeing 747 flights from Iraq government continues to support the will increase the number of Iraqi migrants such as the construction of a fence along carrying up to 500 passengers. This month, Belarusian opposition, which is located attempting to enter the Belarus-Lithuania the 679 km Lithuanian-Belarusian border, Lithuanian Foreign Minister Gabrielius mostly in Vilnius, the Belarusian government border illegally. which is expected to begin in the coming Landsbergis travelled to Baghdad to meet will most likely respond asymmetrically by months despite likely delays, and the with Iraqi officials. enabling transit migrant movements via its In 2021, the number of irregular Iraqi deployment of border patrol personnel territory, hence increasing migratory flows. migrants caught by VSAT was the highest. from the EU border agency Frontex, is Locals in Lithuania’s Salcininkai area Furthermore, physical attacks on temporary According to credible media reports, likely to reduce the number of successful staged violent protests last week, blocking migration facilities and physical assaults irregular migrants from the Middle East irregular migrant crossings and speed up the roads and burning tyres in opposition to the against migrants and individuals regarded and Africa purchase trip packages from return of migrants to their home countries. government’s plans to build new immigrant as migrants are becoming more common in the Belarusian state-owned travel operator Localized protests against the development detention centres nearby. Eight protestors Lithuania, as evidenced by protest rallies in Tsentrkurort for USD4,000–12,000 and of temporary migrant camps in Lithuania were arrested after police deployed tear gas several regions opposing the establishment fly into Belarus. These guests are then near the Belarus border are expected to be to disperse crowds. Two officers were hurt of migrant holding camps. transported by bus to spots along the Belarus- the catalyst for Lithuania’s more restrictive in the incident. Lithuania border, where they pass on foot policies, which will reduce the possibility of But the might be a decrease or reduction in via densely forested areas, with Belarusian a large-scale migration flow into other EU Indicating chances of high risk or changes risk factors if the Lithuanian government can border patrols reportedly not stopping them. nations. in the environment could occure If the establish agreements with the governments Belarusian government approves more of Iraq and other significant source countries Belarus formally informed the EU on June 28, Additionally, there is a substantial chance passenger flights from Middle Eastern on expedited repatriation of irregular 2021, that it was halting the implementation of live fire events on the Belarus-Lithuanian nations, some travellers are expected to use migrants, the number of new arrivals in of the EU-Belarus readmission agreement. border, as evidenced by the incident of shots this route to make unauthorized crossings Belarus and irregular border crossings will This was done in reaction to the EU apparently fired near Heraniony, Hrodna into Lithuania, irregular migration flows likely decrease.

than those of the country. Both Islamist and commercial property damage. more leftist groups are likely to vehemently Tunisia’s President oppose Saied’s decision - Ennahda has The suspension of Parliament and called it a coup – with large protests reorganization of the government’s decision- expected in the coming days across Tunisia. making process will prolong talks with the suspends the Parliament; Rachid Ghannouchi (who, in addition to International Monetary Fund (IMF). On being speaker of parliament, is a co-founder May 21, 2021, the Tunisian government of the Ennahda party) declared immediately began talks with the IMF in the hopes of triggers a political turmoil after Saied’s public declaration that Saied’s securing a new USD4 billion financial actions amounted to a coup against Tunisian support package over three years to help By NDT Bureau ◆ democracy, which was backed by the the country cope with mounting economic @NewDelhiTimes Karama and Heart of Tunisia parties. Over the hardship worsened by the pandemic. next few days, there are likely to be more calls Tunisia’s previous IMF loan package, a [email protected] for large protests, with a high likelihood of USD2.9 billion extended fund facility (EFF) continuous violence and altercations between issued in 2016–20, was not fully drawn n July 25, Tunisian President Kais Saied down due to Tunisia’s failure to undertake O invoked Article 80 of the Tunisian supporters of both camps, maybe involving Molotov cocktails and stone hurling, but agreed structural changes. Tunisia’s desire Constitution, suspending Parliament’s and ability to implement those measures proceedings and Parliamentary immunity, unlikely involving guns. Protesters stormed and vandalised party offices in the run-up to will determine the new package’s success. as well as removing Prime Minister Hichem However, if Saied seeks to construct a more Mechichi. The Parliament was suspended PC : Getty Images parliament’s suspension, particularly those of Ennahda, directing their rage at a party they directly executive style of governance with during major protests across Tunisia Prosecution, which he is likely to use to military support, the chances of reaching an over the weekend, in reaction to ongoing see as part of the current political system’s more thoroughly target political opponents dysfunction and a Prime Minister they believe agreement with the IMF before the end of political gridlock, economic stagnation, and with legal investigations into corruption or the year are slim. widespread perceptions of mismanagement is incapable of dealing with the economic and accusations of subversive or destabilizing health crises. of the coronavirus illness 2019 (COVID-19) actions as a result of assuming executive and Security forces continue to raid and close pandemic. President Saied is expected to try legislative powers. Tunisia officially entered the “fourth wave” media offices deemed to be linked to to take advantage of his temporary powers of the COVID-19 pandemic, according Islamist movements by Saied’s political in order to permanently increase his powers Such a campaign suggests that political to a member of the Tunisian Scientific backers, signaling a persistent effort to beyond those granted by the constitution to Islamist parties, such as Ennahda, which Committee for the Fight Against COVID-19, isolate Ennahda and its supporters and the the President in terms of foreign policy and backs Hichem Mechichi and Parliamentary and Tunisia’s economy shrank by 8.8% in possibility of additional staff detentions. Al military command. Speaker Rachid Ghannouchi, would be real terms in 2020, reflecting sharp declines Jazeera stated on the morning of July 26 targeted in the coming weeks. Since early in domestic and external demand caused by that its Tunisian office had been searched by Following the suspension of Parliament, 2021, the Tunisian Cabinet has been the pandemic. In contrast to the first wave of security personnel and that its staff had been Saied announced that he would govern paralyzed, owing to growing animosity the pandemic, large segments of the Tunisian forced to leave. with a new Prime Minister, who had yet between the Presidency and the Prime population have begun to directly blame to be named, and that parliament would be Minister’s office, disagreements over the the government for failing to contain the Despite the military’s takeover of the suspended for at least 30 days. Saied ordered allocation of responsibilities, and suspicions disease’s spread and for failing to provide COVID-19 response, case rates continue to the military to take over direct coordination of cabinet-level corruption. The ongoing the necessary social assistance to mitigate grow, and the hospital system is completely of the pandemic response on July 21 in gridlock has exacerbated Tunisians’ the economic impact of containment overburdened, resulting in more anti- reaction to chronic failures in Tunisia’s dissatisfaction with the political process, measures, according to a source. Security government demonstrations. A protracted COVID-19 response, and it is highly with protests and other forms of activism forces are likely to stay deployed across campaign of repression by the government, possible that Saied will want to build a more increasingly calling for the disbandment the country, resulting in violent clashes supported by the military and security prominent role for the military in guiding of the National Assembly and political with demonstrators and days of rioting, services, would imply a sustained campaign the Tunisian democratic system. Saied now parties perceived to be more concerned raising the danger of business disruption, of repression by the government, increasing has control over the prerogative of Public with pursuing their own interests rather particularly around energy assets, as well as the possibility of civil strife. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES Sports 2 - 8 August 2021 21 Best Performances of the England’s Stokes withdraws from Tokyo Olympics 2021 – 1 India test series South Africa’s Tatjana Schoenmaker won ◆ By Dr. Pawan Mathur the women’s 200-meter breaststroke with a ngland allrounder Ben Stokes has E withdrawn from the home test series @PawanMathur time of 2 minutes, 18.95 seconds, breaking the mark of 2:19.11 set by Denmark’s against India starting next week to “take an [email protected] Rikke Moller Pedersen at the 2013 world an indefinite break from all cricket.”

championships in Barcelona. She has also PC : Getty Images he Tokyo Olympics are in full swing. Stokes wants “to prioritise his mental won the silver medal in the 100-metre T In the first week of the Olympics, wellbeing and to rest his left index finger, breaststroke at the 2021 Olympics. some memorable performances have been which has not fully healed since his return to recorded. New Delhi Times takes a look at Shi Zhiyong (Weightlifting) competitive cricket earlier this month,” the some of the best performances in the 2021 England and Wales Cricket Board said in a Olympics so far. statement.

An San (Archery) “The ECB fully supports Ben’s decision, and we will continue to help him during this period away from the game.” will continue to be, the mental health and welfare of all of our people. The demands Stokes broke the finger in the Indian Premier on our athletes to prepare and play elite League in April and returned home for an sport are relentless in a typical environment, operation. It also ruled him out of England’s but the ongoing pandemic has acutely test series against New Zealand in June and compounded this. the following limited-overs series against PC : Getty Images Sri Lanka. “Spending significant amounts of time away from family, with minimal freedoms, is Shi Zhiyong of People’s Republic of China’s But when the England squad had to isolate extremely challenging. broke his own world record to win gold in because of a virus outbreak, Stokes accepted the men’s 73kg weightlifting event. Shi an emergency call to captain England in a The cumulative effect of operating almost achieved an Olympic record in the snatch one-day international series against Pakistan continuously in these environments over the with a lift of 166kg before pulling out PC : Getty Images this month. After winning the series, he last 16 months has had a major impact on another Olympic record in the clean and stepped back from England duty again. everyone’s wellbeing.” jerk (198kg) for a total lift of 364kg - one An San is the first athlete from the Republic kilo more than his previous world record. of Korea to become a triple gold medallist “Ben has shown tremendous courage to “Ben will be given as long as he needs.” Shi,a three-time world champion is only at the Summer Olympics. She won the gold open up about his feelings and wellbeing,” the second weightlifter to win back-to-back in the women’s individual archery and also ECB managing director of men’s cricket Stokes will be replaced in the squad by Olympic titles in the men’s lightweight won gold in both the women’s team and Ashley Giles said in a statement. Somerset’s Craig Overton. category. mixed team events earlier in the Olympic “Our primary focus has always been, and Credit : Associated Press (AP) Games. An is also first athlete with three Selemon Barega (Athletics) gold medals in Tokyo.

Ariarne Titmus (Swimming) Liverpool honors 97th victim of Hillsborough disaster Before the 1989 FA Cup semifinal between Liverpool and Nottingham at Hillsborough Stadium, overcrowding led to a crush which

PC : Getty Images killed 94 fans. Another fan died in hospital days later, and another victim died in 1993. Selemon Barega of Ethiopia won the gold in the 10000m in 27 minutes, 43.22 seconds. Liverpool manager Jurgen Klopp led players He beat world champion and world-record and staff in a tribute to Devine at the team’s holder Joshua Cheptegei of Uganda, who preseason training camp in Tyrol, Austria. took the silver medal in 27:43.63. Cheptegei was billed by many as the hot favorite for “We found out that Andrew was in hospital

PC : Getty Images the title. Barega ran the last kilometer in last week and all of us hoped that he would 2:24.9 and last lap in 53.94. He is the fourth PC : AP Photo AP PC : make a recovery but it wasn’t to be,” Klopp Ethiopian to win the 10,000m title at the Australia’s Ariarne Titmus, ended the told club media. “It is a very sad moment for Olympics, the other three being Kenenisa iverpool players and staff observed 97 dominance of Katie Ledecky of USA to win everyone who has Liverpool in their hearts Bekele (2004, 2008), Haile Gebrselassie L seconds of silence in honor of Andrew the 400-meter freestyle gold in 3 minutes, and for many others besides,” he continued. (1996, 2000), and Miruts Yifter (1980). Devine, who died this week from long- 56.69 seconds. It was the second-fastest time “We have lost an incredible person, someone term injuries sustained in the Hillsborough ever recorded, surpassed only by Ledecky’s who showed us all what it is to fight and who Vitalina Batsarashkina (Shooting) disaster. world record of 3:56.46 at the 2016 Rio refused to give in even when the expectation was that he could fight no more.” Games. Titmus moved spectacularly ahead The lifelong Liverpool fan died at the age of Ledecky in the final stages. Titmus won of 55 and the Liverpool coroner’s court gold in 200-meter freestyle too chasing Devine continued to attend games at Anfield concluded he was “unlawfully killed,” despite his life-changing injuries. down Siobhan Haughey of Hong Kong in a making him the 97th fatality of Britain’s spectacular finish. worst sports disaster. Credit : Associated Press (AP) Tatjana Schoenmaker (Swimming) PC : Getty Images

Vitalina Batsarashkina of the Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) has achieved the distinction of being first female shooter to claim three medals at the same Olympic Games. She won gold in the 10m air pistol and 25m air pistol events setting an Olympic record and silver with Artem Chernousov in

PC : Getty Images mixed 10m air pistol events.

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 22 2 - 8 August 2021 Technology & Health NEW DELHI TIMES Turn off, turn First sign of animal life on Google delays on: Simple step return to office, Earth may be a sponge fossil mandates vaccines can thwart top Canadian geologist may have found will likely continue to vet and debate oogle is postponing a return to the office A the earliest fossil record of animal life Turner’s findings. G for most workers until mid-October on Earth, according to a report published in “I think she’s got a pretty strong case. I and rolling out a policy that will eventually the journal Nature. phone hackers think this is very worthy of publishing require everyone to be vaccinated once its s a member of the secretive Senate Around a billion years ago, a region of — it puts the evidence out there for other sprawling campuses are fully reopened. A Intelligence Committee, Sen. Angus northwest Canada now defined by steep people to consider,” said David Bottjer, a King has reason to worry about hackers. At mountains was a prehistoric marine paleobiologist at University of Southern The more highly contagious delta variant of a briefing by security staff this year, he said environment where the remains of ancient California, who was not involved in the the coronavirus is driving a dramatic spike he got some advice on how to help keep his sponges may be preserved in mineral research. in COVID-19 cases and hospitalizations. cellphone secure. sediment, the paper says. Google’s announcement was shortly Scientists believe life on Earth emerged followed by Facebook, which also said it Geologist Elizabeth Turner discovered the around 3.7 billion years ago. The earliest will make vaccines mandatory for U.S. rocks in a remote region of the Northwest animals appeared much later, but exactly employees who work in offices. Exceptions Territories accessible only by helicopter, when is still debated. will be made for medical and other reasons. where she has been excavating since the 1980s. Thin sections of rock contain three- In an email sent to Google’s more than dimensional structures that resemble modern 130,000 employees worldwide, CEO Sundar sponge skeletons. Pichai said the company is now aiming to “I believe these are ancient sponges — have most of its workforce back to its offices only this type of organism has this type of beginning Oct. 18 instead of its previous PC : AP Photo AP PC : network of organic filaments,” said Joachim target date of Sept. 1. Reitner, a geobiologist and expert in sponges The decision also affects tens of thousands of Step One: Turn off phone. at Germany’s University of Gottingen, who contractors who Google intends to continue was not involved in the research. Photo AP PC : Step Two: Turn it back on. to pay while access to its campuses remains The dating of adjacent rock layers indicates limited. Until now, the oldest undisputed fossil That’s it. At a time of widespread digital the samples are about 890 million years old, sponges date to around 540 million years insecurity it turns out that the oldest and which would make them about 350 million “This extension will allow us time to ramp ago, an era called the Cambrian period. simplest computer fix there is — turning a years older than the oldest undisputed back into work while providing flexibility device off then back on again — can thwart sponge fossils previously found. But scientists using a line of reasoning called for those who need it,” Pichai wrote. hackers from stealing information from the molecular clock — where they analyze “What’s most stunning is the timing,” said smartphones. the rate of genetic mutations to backdate Paco Cardenas, an expert on sponges at when two species likely diverged — say Sweden’s Uppsala University, who was Regularly rebooting phones won’t stop the that available evidence points to sponges not involved in the research. “To have army of cybercriminals or spy-for-hire firms emerging much earlier, around a billion discovered sponge fossils from close to 900 that have sowed chaos and doubt about the years ago. million years ago will greatly improve our ability to keep any information safe and understanding of early animal evolution.” private in our digital lives. But it can make Yet no supporting physical evidence has yet been found until now. even the most sophisticated hackers work Many scientists believe the first animal harder to maintain access and steal data from groups included soft sponges or sponge- “This would be the first time that a sponge a phone. like creatures that lack muscles and nerves fossil has been found from before the Photo AP PC : but have other features of simple animals, Cambrian, and not only before, but way “This is all about imposing cost on these including cells with differentiated functions before — that’s what’s most exciting,” said malicious actors,” said Neal Ziring, technical and sperm. Uppsala University’s Cardenas, adding that And Pichai disclosed that once offices are director of the National Security Agency’s fully reopened, everyone working there To be sure, there’s very little scientific the research seems to confirm the molecular cybersecurity directorate. clock estimates. will have to be vaccinated. The requirement consensus or certainty about anything dating will be first imposed at Google’s Mountain The NSA issued a “best practices” guide for back a billion years ago, so other researchers Credit : Associated Press (AP) View, California, headquarters and other mobile device security last year in which it U.S. offices, before being extended to the recommends rebooting a phone every week Study: EU more than 40 other countries where Google as a way to stop hacking. electricity demand operates. King, an independent from Maine, says “This is the stuff that needs to be done, rebooting his phone is now part of his rebounds without because otherwise we are endangering routine. workers and their families,” said Dr. Leana Wen, a public health professor at George “I’d say probably once a week, whenever I more emissions Washington University and a former health think of it,” he said. for gas, during the first half of 2021, and commissioner for the city of Baltimore. “It higher carbon prices. The day price per ton is not fair to parents to be expected to come Almost always in arm’s reach, rarely turned Photo AP PC : of CO2 has increased from about 33 euros back to work and sit shoulder-to-shoulder off and holding huge stores of personal and ($39) to more than 50 euros ($59) on the EU lectricity demand in the European with unvaccinated people who could be sensitive data, cellphones have become Emissions Trading System in the past six carrying a potentially deadly virus.” top targets for hackers looking to steal text E Union has returned to pre-pandemic months. levels without a corresponding rise in messages, contacts and photos, as well as Because children under the age of 12 aren’t emissions, according to a report published track users’ locations and even secretly turn The cost of renewable energy, meanwhile, currently eligible to be vaccinated, parents by the energy think tank Ember. on their video and microphones. has remained stable since 2019, Ember can bring the virus home to them from said. An analysis of data from grid operators the office if they are around unvaccinated “I always think of phones as like our digital showed that electricity demand in the EU The researchers said their analysis showed colleagues, Wen said. soul,” said Patrick Wardle, a security expert during the first half of 2021 almost matched that in Spain, Italy, Germany and France, and former NSA researcher. the demand in the same six-month period generating electricity from existing fossil Various government agencies already have two years earlier, the report said. gas and hard coal plants is now about twice announced demands for all their employees The number of people whose phones as expensive as generating electricity from to be vaccinated, but the corporate world are hacked each year is unknowable, but However, renewable sources accounted for new wind and solar power sites. so far has been taking a more measured evidence suggests it’s significant. A recent significantly more electricity generated in approach, even though most lawyers believe investigation into phone hacking by a global the first six months of this year compared Alexander Dusolt, a senior associate at the mandates are legal. media consortium has caused political with the first half of 2019, while power energy consultancy Agora Energiewende, uproars in France, India, Hungary and from fossil fuels declined since before the said the analysis conducted by Ember Delta and United airlines are requiring new elsewhere after researchers found scores pandemic, the think tank found. was “completely realistic.” But he noted employees to show proof of vaccination. of journalists, human rights activists and that some countries, such as Spain, have Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley are This resulted in the EU power sector politicians on a leaked list of what were seen a sharp increase in renewable energy requiring their employees to disclose their producing 12% fewer greenhouse gas believed to be potential targets of an Israeli generation lately while in others, like vaccination status, but are not requiring emissions over the two-year period, Ember hacker-for-hire company. Germany, it was less pronounced. staffers to be vaccinated. said. The relative decline in fossil fuel use Credit : Associated Press (AP) partly resulted from rising costs, particularly Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

NEW DELHI TIMES Entertainment & Lifestyle 2 - 8 August 2021 23 Actress Ashnoor Kaur Manoj Bajpayee gives reply Scarlett Johansson scores 94% in CBSE sues Disney over Class 12 Board Exams to comedian Sunil Pal; says ‘Black Widow’ ◆ By NDT Bureau jobless people should meditate @NewDelhiTimes release carlett Johansson is suing the Walt [email protected] S Disney Co. over its streaming release of “Black Widow,” which she said breached A ctress Ashnoor Kuar, known for her her contract and deprived her of potential A roles in several TV shows like Yeh earnings. Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai, Jhansi Ki Rani and Patiala Babes has scored 94% in Class XII In a lawsuit filed in Los Angeles Superior CBSE examination Court, the “Black Widow” star and Asnoor Kaur tweeted: “AND 94% executive producer said her contract IT IS PEOPLE #12thboards Feeling guaranteed an exclusive theatrical release. accomplished, as I didn’t disappoint myself The Wall Street Journal first reported the and my near & dear ones... Hardwork paid news of the lawsuit. off!!! All I have to say is, where there’s a will, there’s always, ALWAYS a way!”. Johansson’s potential earnings were tied to the box office performance of the film, which the company released simultaneously in theaters and on its streaming service Disney+ for a $30 rental. PC : Getty Images

In an interview to a media network, Ashnoor big an actor Manoj Bajpayee is and how revealed that she did not take up new TV ◆ By NDT Bureau projects as that would have distracted her many ever-prestigious awards he has won, from her studies. “It feels great. I feel nice @NewDelhiTimes I have never seen a more ill-mannered and immoral man).” and accomplished. I scored 93 percent in [email protected] 10th and hence I thought I should get more than that. I didn’t even take up new projects A ctor Manoj Bajpayee has replied Bajpayee responding laughingly responded: as I wanted to concentrate on my studies. So, A to comedian Sunil Pal calling him “I understand people don’t have jobs. I it has finally paid off,” she said badtameez’ and ‘gira hua admi and has said completely understand. I have been in this that jobless people should meditate. situation. But in these kinds of situations, “I wish to pursue BMM (Bachelor of Mass people should meditate.”

Media) and focus on my studies. For my Sunil Pal had remarked: “Manoj Bajpayee Photo AP PC : master’s, I might go abroad. Apart from kitna hi bada actor hoga, kitne hi bade Manoj Bajpayee was last seen in the Netflix acting, I also want to learn filmmaking and awards mile, par usse zyada badtameez aur anthology Ray, in the segment directed by “In the months leading up to this lawsuit, direction,” she spoke of her future plans. gira hua aadmi maine nahi dekha (However Abhishek Chaubey. Ms. Johansson gave Disney and Marvel every opportunity to right their wrong and make good on Marvel’s promise,” the Director James lawsuit said. “Disney intentionally induced Marvel’s breach of the Agreement, without Gunn assembles justification, in order to prevent Ms. Johansson from realizing the full benefit of his perfect her bargain with Marvel.” Disney said the lawsuit has “no merit ‘Suicide Squad’ whatsoever.” PC : AP Photo AP PC : Otherwise the similarities are few. Gunn’s “The lawsuit is especially sad and vision is irreverent, sincere, bombastic, distressing in its callous disregard for the vibrant, unexpectedly emotional and very horrific and prolonged global effects of the R-rated. COVID-19 pandemic,” Disney said in a ould a scoundrel DC Comics character Warner Bros. said yes. And it wouldn’t have statement. “Disney has fully complied with C like Peacemaker ever be on the same to be PG-13 either. “This movie is not a family film,” Gunn said. Ms. Johansson’s contract and furthermore, level as Superman? How about Polka-Dot “My dad would take me to see this movie if the release of Black Widow on Disney+ with I was 12 or 13 and I don’t think it would be Premier Access has significantly enhanced Man? Or Ratcatcher? Though bold, it’s not entirely surprising: Not a big deal. But if you get younger than that, her ability to earn additional compensation only had Gunn turned the “Guardians of the it’s kind of weird.” on top of the $20M she has received to date.” The man who made Rocket Racoon, Groot Galaxy” into A-list Avengers, he was also and Star-Lord household names thinks at the time ( suddently and briefly ) a free so. James Gunn can’t help it: He loves an And already it has one big advantage over After its release was delayed more than a agent. While David Ayer’s 2016 “Suicide Ayer’s: The reviews are stellar. year because of COVID-19, “Black Widow” outsider. It’s the reason why when offered Squad” might have been a critical disaster, the chance to make a movie with any DC debuted to a pandemic-best of $80 million it was still a financial hit. In other words, a “’The Suicide Squad’ is something no one’s character he wanted, he chose not Superman in North America and $78 million from second movie, regardless of whether it was ready for, but everybody needs,” said John but the misfits of “The Suicide Squad.” international theaters three weeks ago, but a sequel, a reboot, a re-do, or none of those Cena. “Everyone will leave the theater theatrical grosses declined sharply after that. Nevermind that there was a terribly things (which this is) was not out of the satisfied.” In its second weekend in release, the National question. Association of Theater Owners issued a rare reviewed “Suicide Squad” movie released The WWE star plays Peacemaker, a statement criticizing the strategy asserting just five years ago. Gunn, a lifelong fan of deranged Captain America-type who will Yes, it features some of the same actors that simultaneous release lends itself only to the good-for-nothing supervillains, had his proudly “kill any man, woman or child” to playing the same characters, like Margot lost profits and higher quality piracy. own vision: It would be a mash-up of genres maintain the peace. and pay homage to 1960s war capers. Robbie’s Harley Quinn, Joel Kinnaman’s Rick Flag, Viola Davis’s Amanda Waller Part of that might have to do with the fact that Once taboo, hybrid theatrical and streaming He’d dust off some obscure, deep cut DC and Jai Courtney’s Boomerang. But as Gunn, who wrote and directed, had free reign releases have become more normal for many supervillains that no casual moviegoer Robbie said, Gunn’s “The Suicide Squad,” to do whatever he wanted, which included of the biggest studios during the pandemic, would ever be expected to know and get a which debuts in theaters and on HBO Max killing off any character he wanted, too. with each adopting its own unique strategy. giant alien starfish villain named Starro in on Aug. 6, is “just a different thing,” even if the mix. it does essentially bear the same name. Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 24 2 - 8 August 2021 Think - Tanks NEW DELHI TIMES An ounce of protection is worth a pound of cure and of course, there is some wisdom in ◆ By Dr. Pramila living in the present and not overthinking Srivastava or hesitating too much over everything as we all agree that a rolling stone gathers no @PramilaBK moss. But sometimes and within reason, it [email protected] is better to think twice before we do or say anything. ach and every one of us in life goes E through many things that are impossible Now, a bit of caution is what I advise here is to predict beforehand. There are too many not to worry incessantly about the future or things that we will never know what will over something that is yet to happen. There happen to us until it actually happens and is no need to lose sleep worrying about it’s no use worrying or being paranoid over bankruptcy, disgrace, physical health, and something that is out of our control. But if abandonment. But a reasonable or sensible we could and if it was possible, we would man would carry an umbrella with him prefer to completely prevent or avoid certain before going out if he sees dark clouds on things from ever happening to us, and maybe the horizon just like a wise person shows a PC : Getty Images in that way an ounce of protection is worth little bit of caution in any situation to avoid the harshness of reality and come to terms and none of it happened with us in mind. more than a pound of cure. something bad from happening. with what the world actually is. It helps us Life eventually happens as life is supposed to grow out of our childish immaturities and to happen, sometimes no matter how careful Sometimes it becomes When we hear someone says prevention is become more mature and understanding or cautious we maybe, we cannot avoid necessary to go through better than cure, the first thing that comes people. every unfortunate little thing that comes our to mind is one of those ads about health way. We have to learn that it’s just normal life in all its harshness campaigns on practicing safe sex or not We are a miraculously, very fragile species and that at the end of the day, life eventually in order to truly smoking or drinking or something or the in the vast corner of the universe. We have finds a way to turn things around, no matter understand and we’re other along those line. But what we fail to never been and never will be complete how bad things may seem to be, with a little see is that all of us would rather choose to masters of our circumstances and we remain bit of patience and a little bit of kindness. sure no one has ever prevent certain things from ever happening invariably at the mercy of awesome and gone through this life to us in order to avoid their consequences uncontrollable forces to which we need to A few bumps here and there have only made absolutely unscratched and we are naturally cautious over many submit with a measure of grace but at the us more human, more understanding, more things in life. But it has proven impossible same time approach with a bit of respectful cautious, and more appreciative of life and and unbruised to avoid certain unfortunate things and all of caution. its many fleeting moments and opportunities us are victims of a few trauma or unpleasant so that at the end of the day, we can honestly Now it was Benjamin Franklin who first memories and all of us carry within us scars Sometimes it becomes very necessary to say that a little caution goes a long way to said, “An ounce of protection is worth a from our past. go through life in all its harshness in order prevent certain things from happening to us pound of cure” and yes, it is true and within to truly understand and we’re sure no one but never completely. reason that a little caution goes a long way But these scars or traumas serve to us as has ever gone through this life absolutely in preventing a lot of things from happening future warnings and indicators for us to grow unscratched and unbruised. We should Therefore, we must try to live life with the to us. There is no moment like the present. wiser and be more cautious in situations that remember that we are not being persecuted. right amount of balance between absolute Fill with uncertainty and opportunities, may not be the exact replica but that are quite cautiousness and utter carefree and reckless our present reality is as exciting as it is similar. Those unfortunates and unavoidable Those unavoidable and unfortunate events living, to find joy in living a more reasonably dangerous. It offers excitement and thrill events are the ones that help us understand that we have lived through were not our fault meaningful and wonderful life. Vietnam and Laos commit to strengthen cooperation (renewal) and congratulated the country on the ◆ By International Institute for Non - Aligned Studies success of the 13th National Party Congress as well as the election of deputies to the 15th @iinsNAM National Assembly. The Vietnamese President [email protected] congratulated Laos on being elected as Vice President of the 76th United Nations General ietnam and Laos, two neighbouring Assembly (UNGA), and stated that this V countries in South-East Asia enjoy reflected the increasingly growing prestige of healthy relations with each other. The and defence in Vietnam and Laos will said the joint statement. The joint statement Laos in the international arena. bilateral great friendship, special solidarity continue to gain greater achievements, said that the two sides have closely and comprehensive cooperation were The two countries affirmed that the constantly improving the role and position coordinated in the prevention and control founded by Vietnamese President Ho great friendship, special solidarity and of each country in the region and in the of the COVID-19 pandemic and promoted Chi Minh and Laos Presidents Kaysone comprehensive cooperation between Vietnam world, firmly towards the socialist path. The cooperation and support to each other to Phomvihane and Souphanouvong, and have and Laos are an invaluable asset of the two two countries agreed to continue deepening overcome difficulties for socio-economic been nurtured by generations of leaders peoples. They emphasised the goal of national political relations to achieve greater efficiency; development. The two sides emphasised and people of the two countries. The two independence and socialism and affirmed to closely cooperate in strategic issues related the importance and agreed to further countries share a common foreign policy continue to stand side by side and support each to security and development of each country; strengthen cooperation on defence and vision of peace and multilateralization other in the construction and development maintain visits and meetings between senior security, ensuring solid support for each and diversification of relationships. Both cause of each country. The countries exchanged leaders of the two parties and countries; other, build the Vietnam-Laos border line of countries are members of prominent and agreed on guidelines and measures to and build some historical monuments of peace, friendship, stability, cooperation, and international multilateral forums apart from continue developing the great friendship, significance in the Vietnam – Laos relations. sustainable development as well as effectively the United Nations, such as the Association special solidarity, and comprehensive implement the protocols and cooperation plans The two countries agreed to make efforts of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and cooperation between Vietnam and Laos in an on defence, security and border. to improve cooperation efficiency, to step the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM). extensive, effective and substantive manner. A up the connection of transport, energy, (in arrangement with joint statement was issued during the meeting The visit of Laos Party General Secretary telecommunications and tourism infrastructure News from Non-Aligned World) of the two leaders. The joint statement stated and State President Thongloun Sisoulith and strengthen the exchange of experience that during this visit, the two sides informed www.iins.org along with a high-ranking delegation of in macroeconomic each other about the situation of each Party the Lao Party and State from June 28-29, management between the and each country. They exchanged and agreed 2021 to Hanoi has further strengthened two countries. Preferential Contact New Delhi Times on guidelines and measures to continue the relations between the two countries. policies will be issued to developing the great friendship, special During the visit, the Laos leader held talks encourage enterprises of For Complaints & Suggestions solidarity, and comprehensive cooperation with Vietnamese Party leader Nguyen Phu the two countries to invest between Vietnam and Laos in an extensive, +91-9999331600 Trong, met President Nguyen Xuan Phuc, in the fields of potential effective and substantive manner. They also Prime Minister Pham Minh Chinh, and and strengths of the two A-2/59, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi-110029 exchanged views on regional and international National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh sides, while solutions issues of mutual concern. Hue. Thongloun Sisoulith appreciated the will be synchronously Visit us at : twitter@NewDelhiTimes comprehensive achievements Vietnam The two sides expressed their firm belief that deployed to increase facebook.com/newdelhitimes has recorded after 35 years of “Doi moi” the cause of renewal, national construction two-way trade turnover, Printer and Publisher: Dr. (Mrs.) Pramila Srivastava, on behalf of Dr. Ankur Srivastava, Printed at Sudhir Printers, 151, Desh Bandhu Gupta Market, Karol Bagh, Delhi - 110005, Published at A-2/59 Safdarjung Enclave New Delhi-110029. Ph.: 26102520, 26105846 Fax: 26196294 Email: [email protected], Vol. 31, No. 27 Editor : Dr. Ankit Srivastava www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper