R.N.I. No 53449/91 DL-SW-1/4124/20-22 Vol - 31 No. 22 Page 24 Rs. 7.00 28 June - 4 July 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 Pakistan conspires Alternatives Pakistan to the animal & FATF to wreck UNSC stuck products need in a rut reform process normalization PAGE 4 The United Nations Security Council (UNSC) is the The rise of the United Nations’ top forum which is responsible for Environmental maintaining international Peace and security. It has 15 seats including five permanent State members with veto power and 10 non- The raging pandemic has permanent members who come from all turned the perceptions of regions of the world and is elected for two- what we thought of as year terms. The five permanent members are PAGE 22 ‘modern day gift... PAGE 20 the US, Russia, China, Britain and France whose support is essential for any reform to be adopted. Seizing the moment saves Over the decades, the UNSC has fallen out of tune with times. Otherwise, how do us happiness, else we end you explain the non-inclusion of India- the second most populous country on Planet with leftovers Each and every one of us, in this world, is leaving through different Earth? Prime Minister Modi... PAGE 3 moments, some with great joys, satisfactions, excitements, and accomplishments. Will Biden-Putin While some are living life meet smoothen the through great hardships, griefs, sadness, or roadblocks between struggles. While some are US - Russia? PAGE 5 PAGE 24 living life quite... Saudi Arabia takes a step forward,

as Iran moves backwards PAGE 2

1 twitter@NewDelhiTimes facebook.com/newdelhitimes www.NewDelhiTimes.com 2 28 June - 4 July 2021

Opinion NEW DELHI TIMES Erdogan keen to jump into the Afghan frying pan Biden’s April statement on Ottoman-era Pakistan. But America won’t like to have an also trying to win back America’s affection, By NDT Special Bureau ◆ mass killings and Armenian genocide. The ally with genocidal-past! Erdogan is fanning lost love, dollars and of course F35 to gain @NewDelhiTimes term of genocide “seriously saddened” religious fundamentalism and promoting mojo on the world stage! Erdogan who is in power for 18 years as Islamic Ummah. [email protected] Prime Minister and then President. Turkey, His cruel deeds in Nagorno- Afghanistan should be left to Afghans alone, fiercely proud of its Ottoman history, Karabakh are still fresh in and allowed to decide what they want. The ools trade where the devils fear—so ascribes those killings to civil war and popular memory. troop’s withdrawal should facilitate Afghans F goes an old proverb. The same could unrest. Erdogan admitted deciding their own fate through not be truer for anybody else than Turkish to “rumours here and peaceful negotiations or even war. President Erdogan. Just a day before his there” but hoped “to first face-to-face meeting with US President leave them behind” Erdogan wants to charge the world Joe Biden, Erdogan offered to keep troops and move ahead but lacks matching credibility. After the in Afghanistan to protect Kabul airport, the and turn a Truely unceremonious ouster of Russians and main exit route for western diplomats and Americans, Turkey - the least powerful humanitarian workers. He projected country in the NATO — strides the Afghan Turkey as the ‘only reliable’ country horizon as a new colonizer. that can stabilise Afghanistan after the American troops pull-out. Er speaking, Erdogan, like Imran, always craves for Turkey attention and thinks too much of himself. dogan has reportedly discussed his has got Afghanistan is not Ertugrul’s fantasy land. Afghan plans with Biden on the side- nothing to do with lines of NATO Summit in Brussels on Afghanistan. The Turkey playing geostrategic games in June 14. Western powers are willing to Turks came from the Afghanistan would hurt justified aspirations let Turkey stay and protect the Kabul West to South Asia 1000 of regional players. Erdogan should have airport. years ago and wreaked offered assistance to the Afghan government The Taliban abhors the presence havoc. Turkey must not and the Taliban for stabilizing Afghanistan. of American and NATO troops in entangle itself in Afghan Afghanistan and asked all foreign affairs. The Taliban claims to have seized more than forces including Turkish troops 40 districts since early May, forcing military deployed there as part of NATO Entering Afghanistan even as a Muslim leaders to strategically retreat from a number contingent to quit Afghanistan. On country and not as NATO nation to guard of rural districts. One such attack killed at June 12, it warned that foreign forces western interests there will have serious least 20 members of an elite commando in an should hold “no hope” of keeping consequences for the Turks. Erdogan should ambush in northern Afghanistan in mid-May. a military presence in Afghanistan after desist from jumping into the frying pan the troop’s withdrawal as the security new page with America. uninvited. There are other ways to please America cannot risk handing over of embassies and airports would be the the US than putting the Turkish nation in the Afghanistan to Erdogan- the Islamist responsibility of Afghans. Pakistan hoped to have a free run in line of fire. fundamentalist who dreams of Ummah and Afghanistan but got rattled when America has the blood of Nagorno-Karabakhs on its The US-Turkey relations were tense in asked Islamabad to provide ground bases The EU paid Turkey to take refugees from hands. Erdogan’s offer will have long-term recent years over the US support for to protect Kabul from falling into Taliban’s Syria. With that winding down, Ankara seeks implication for regional stability. Wait, Kurdish fighters in Syria, Turkey’s purchase hands. Now Erdogan stepping up to the plate a new source of revenue to milk NATO for wait, and wait. America must watch out for of Russian weapons system S-400 and as the leader of Ummah lessens pressure on its military presence. In addition, Erdogan is Erdogan’s real intentions. Saudi Arabia takes a step forward, as Iran moves backwards These tremors in Islamdom were so deep Marxists and socialists, or who were aligned and fundamental, they left the Imams, to the opposition Mujahideen Khalq. ◆ By Tarek Fatah Muftis and mosque clerics who had always Sun columnist Candice Malcolm has detailed Author & Columnist, Canada looked towards Riyadh for inspiration – the horror of those times in her column @TarekFatah both financial and religious – in a state of here on June 21. “Within two minutes, this [email protected] stunned silence. They still have not reacted. Death Commission would decide whether a hen the de facto ruler of Saudi Arabia, Even the Islamist scholars in Canada held prisoner would live or die – most were put W Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, their breath, not knowing what to say or to death. This cruel madness continued for challenged the fundamental precepts of how to react to the changing winds in months, as the Death Commission ordered Islamic Sharia in an interview on April 28, Islam. Of course, there was Turkey’s Recep the killing of thousands of political prisoners Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s Imran Khan in just a few weeks. Some activists put that

the tremors were so deep, they left most PC : Getty Images Muslims and their clerics in a state of silent to fall back on, but this Lone Ranger and number closer to 30,000.” Tonto team are neck-deep in their own shock. Amnesty International too has responded also granted blanket impunity to government Islamization projects; one waging jihad officials and security forces responsible for MBS, as the crown prince is known, had to the election of Raisi in very harsh against rape-inducing women’s wear and the unlawfully killing hundreds of men, women questioned the very validity of ‘Hadith’ words. Secretary General Agnès Callamard other battling Kurdish women in AK-47s. and children and subjecting thousands literature – sayings attributed to Prophet said: “That Ebrahim Raisi has risen to the of protesters to mass arrests and at least Muhammad – that provide much of what is But what we secular and liberal Muslims presidency instead of being investigated hundreds to enforced disappearance, and today considered Islamic Law in places as thought as fresh air that would cleanse for the crimes against humanity of murder, torture and other ill-treatment during and in far apart as Aceh in Indonesia to University centuries of stale morbidity, medieval anger, enforced disappearance and torture, is a the aftermath of the nationwide protests of campuses in California in the West. hatred of each other (particularly African grim reminder that impunity reigns supreme Blacks), and ‘ownership’ of women, was not in Iran.” November 2019.” As an example, the hijab suddenly lost to last long. To date, not a single Canadian Islamic voice its religious justification and much of the She noted that in 2018 Amnesty documented has praised Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Islamic laws that created the Taliban lost While the social climate of Saudi Arabia how Raisi had been a member of the ‘death bin Salman for his liberalism nor have they their validation. improved dramatically, on Friday, its commission’ which forcibly disappeared neighbour to the north, across the Persian and extrajudicially executed in secret denounced the new Iranian President who Many of us who had for decades fought Gulf, the Islamic Republic of Iran, ended thousands of political dissidents in Evin and stands accused of mass murder. the Saudization of Islam were taken aback up with someone who has been involved in Gohardasht prisons near Tehran in 1988. The question to Prime Minister Justin by MBS’s statements. The man who is mass murder as the country’s new President. Trudeau and his opposition also remains turning his country slightly away from The circumstances surrounding the fate of the unanswered: funding overseas jihads and civil wars had Iranians hitherto knew Ebrahim Raisi as one victims and the whereabouts of their bodies quietly heralded women’s rights and in an of the officials of what was in the late 1980s are, to this day, systematically concealed by Will Canada maintain any ties with a country unprecedented move included the Hindu known as the ‘Death Commission’ that had the Iranian authorities, amounting to ongoing led by a man accused of mass murder? Will texts of Mahabharat and Ramayana into the as its task the putting to death of political crimes against humanity. Callamard added he permit the Iranian-born MPs in his caucus school syllabus. prisoners found to be ‘not Muslim’ i.e. that under Raisi’s watch “the judiciary has to utter a few words of condemnation? www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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Editor’s Desk NEW DELHI TIMES Pakistan conspires to wreck UNSC reform process influence has grown significantly in the positions of various groups and countries. several previous occasions that the IGN last decades and all these four countries Pakistan was quick to endorse the IGN can no longer be used as a smokescreen. ◆ Dr. Ankit Srivastava are now key players and have an influential proposals that suited its hollow as well as Tirumurti clarified that “with this amended Chief Editor voice in the international multilateral narrow agenda. roll-over decision, we will move ahead @AnkitNDT order. to the next session with the hope that we [email protected] In previous years, the General Assembly will finally be able to come together to The process to restructure the President’s proposal used to be adopted by make decisive progress towards the long he United Nations Security Council Security Council has been under way consensus but Bozkir’s pro-Pakistan stand overdue reform of the Security Council”. T (UNSC) is the United Nations’ top since 2009 when the UN General forced G4 to amend the proposal to make He also expressed that by agreeing to forum which is responsible for maintaining Assembly established a forum – the the elements paper, which was prepared include “our leaders’ promise to “instil international Peace and security. It has 15 Intergovernmental Negotiations (IGN) by the IGN’s co-chairs, the sole basis for new life’’ in our roll-over decision, we seats including five permanent members which operates on the basis of consensus. future negotiations. The G4 members, are re-affirming once more that what we with veto power and 10 non-permanent And that exactly has been the undoing of acutely aware of the orientation of the are engaged in, in the IGN, is not simply members who come from all regions IGN! Assembly’s President who hails from a series of academic debates. Our mandate of the world and is elected for two-year Turkey and a blind supporter of Pakistan, is to deliver on Security Council reform, terms. The five permanent members are Pakistan who has more holes than swiss want the negotiations to be held on the not to just discuss it ad infinitum”. the US, Russia, China, Britain and France cheese can’t leave any stone unturned basis of a “single consolidated text”. The whose support is essential for any reform when it comes to India. Pakistan is not UfC opposes in tooth and nail this text- Existing permanent members of the to be adopted. a contender of Permament Membership based negotiations. Security Council are reluctant to let (not even in dreams) but got into an any other country to become permanent Over the decades, the UNSC has fallen overdrive to deprive India of its rightful Given current President’s partisan member which might dilute their power. out of tune with times. Otherwise, how representation. approach, the G4 members find it safe to They will seldom allow permanent seat do you explain the non-inclusion of stall the current IGN process on Security of the UNSC to especially India or Japan. India- the second most populous country It ganged up with Italy under a forum Council reforms to next General Assembly Therefore, any expansion of the UNSC is on Planet Earth? Prime Minister Modi in called Uniting for Consensus (UfC) to President, Abdulla Shahid of Maldives. null and void idea yet and G4 has to live his UN address hinted at such gross non- scuttle all the efforts of G4. Uniting for Hopefully, he can restart the process with this harsh reality. representative character of the UNSC. Consensus, also called Coffee Club was to do justice to G-4’s justifiable bid for Boycotting the UN Assembly meetings to initially started in 1990’s with Italy as permanent membership. express dissatisfaction is an option. But Miffed with gross injustice, four its leader. This forum highly politicised quitting the UN in protest to start their countries—India, Brazil, Germany and the matter and occupied the forefront of The issue was considered again on June own organization to rival the current UN Japan—together known as the Group of opposing the expansion of the Council. 22, in the General Assembly where India could prove be too risky. India has Modi Four (G4), seek justiciable reform of the To instigate other nations, it started and its G4 allies forced General Assembly who can actually make this dream come 15-member UNSC. They want permanent advocating for more non-permanent seats President Volkan Bozkir to accept an to reality. Already in last seven years, he seats in the Council to meet the valid to smaller nations. It proved to be a spoiler amendment to the decision on rolling has met all permanent and non–permanent aspirations of their people. Each of these rather than a reformer for G4. Security Council reform negotiations to members of the United Nations and every four countries have figured among the the next Assembly session. UfC should one has pledged their unanimous support. elected non-permanent members of the The IGN negotiations have not made avoid the continuation of the bruising Council since the UN’s establishment. much head way over more than a decade confrontation on the issue. Sooner or later the Security Council will Their economic and due to UfC’s persistent refusal to accept have to be expanded in response political the current reality, show due flexibility The UNGA’s decision to roll over the to the changing situation to and allow the new entrants. The IGN work to the next session and remain relevant. How can a new situation arose on June 16, including the amendment proposed by democratic country of 1.4 when the General Assembly the G4 nations marks an endorsement billion people be denied President, Volkan Bozkir from of their principled stand which have a seat to for long? Turkey circulated a proposal to been at the forefront of multilateral roll over the IGN process on efforts to speed up and achieve the long- Let us hope for the best Security Council reform to the pending UNSC reforms. and keep our fingers next Assembly session and to crossed. forward the paper on elements of Permanent Representative convergence and divergence, based of India to the UN on the negotiations held during the Ambassador T S current session, along with the Tirumurti said in the more comprehensive Framework General Assembly Document of 2015, which lists the that he has said on

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International NEW DELHI TIMES Pakistan & FATF stuck in a rut ◆ By Sujay Dhawan should also not forget the terror launchpads Pakistan built around the LOC in Pakistan Senior Editor Occupied Kashmir and near Durand Line. @SujayDhawan [email protected] Pakistan tried its best to pressurise India on starting trade and peace talks but India did akistan was put in the grey list by the not pay any heed. Pakistan tried to downplay P Financial Action Task Force (FATF) Indian PM’s image by maligning his image in the year 2018. After many deliberations, regarding farmer’s protest or anti–CAA Pakistan requested the FATF to reconsider Shaheen Bagh protests and what not but the decision but to no avail as they have put nothing worked, instead Modi’s popularity Pakistan in the grey list. This is not only even rose higher. embarrassing but frustrating as well for Pakistan now. It was not able to get its name Imran Khan’s rant about women dressing removed from the list. This will also mean and rape, Qureshi’s anti-Semitic remarks that the loan Pakistan was eyeing on to take and General Bajwa’s arrogance; all this from the IMF will be delayed for long time and much more have further maligned now. Pakistan’s image internationally. COVID Anti-Money Laundering (AML) & pandemic handling or the FATF action plan Countering Financing of Terrorism (CFT) compliance, you name it and Pakistan has deficiencies have costed a fortune for mismanaged or damaged it. Pakistan. It is not easy to get away with AML/CFT. Pakistan has managed to show The FATF will review its decision again in progress in countering 26 points out of October this year, until then Pakistan can mandatory 27-point action plan laid down either sulk or clear up the mess. But truth by the FATF but that one point which is will remain unchanged. A country whose existence is only because they are safe haven

still pending is most essential. The FATF PC : Getty Images demands stringent action against terror for international terrorists, dons, radicalists leaders like Masood Azhar and Hafiz Saeed. President Dr. Marcus Pleyer said and I knocked what not doors to get its name and imperialists, can never get rid of grey quote, “Pakistan remains under increased removed from the FATF grey list but this listing. To top this, it has atomic bomb. We To show anti-terrorist watch dog that they monitoring. It had made significant progress time no one can help. should not be shocked if tomorrow Pakistan are working on progressive path, Pakistan but some serious deficiencies in mechanisms issues a threat that if they are not given loan arrested Hafiz Saeed & Masood Azhar but to plug terrorism financing remained.” Pakistan has been harbouring terrorists for from the IMF or not removed from the FATF the FATF wants Pakistan to investigate and several decades and this is not something grey list, they will nuke India or Bangladesh prosecute them now. The FATF is breathing down Imran Khan’s new. It will certainly not be a simple walk or perhaps their own country. neck and it won’t stop until and unless AML/ in the garden for Pakistan to just uproot the In month of February this year, FATF CFT deficiencies are rectified. Pakistan has ghettoizing terrorists from its soil. And we My advice - Beware of Pakistan International Political Scenario of the Week Georgia ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes The 2021 Pride Week will take place during July 1-July 5, in the capital Tbilisi. The [email protected] Pride Week will consist of three events - Public screening of the ‘March for Dignity’ France - British documentary film, featuring events around the first Tbilisi Pride on July 1; Extinction Rebellion (XR) is a global an open-air Pride Fest, which will bring environmental group. The XR terms itself as together queer artists and musicians on July a decentralized, international and politically 3 and ‘March for Dignity’ will conclude non-partisan movement using non-violent the Pride Week’21 on July 5. The right direct action and civil disobedience to wing in Georgia has objected to the holding persuade governments to act justly on the of the Pride Week. Levan Vasadze, the Climate and Ecological Emergency. The leader of the “Unity, Essence, Hope” Party, XR has announced that as part of the “Earth known with its Georgian abbreviation ERI, Uprisings” campaign, a series of large-scale demanded to ban the gay parade. “We call blockades will be held in Ile-de-France on the authorities not to let radical groups to denounce the ecological impact of the destabilize the situation ... This is extremely construction industry and of the Grand Paris contradictory to the norms of our society, project. According to the XR, “Inhabiting as well as the prospects for restoring the cities or the countryside, the concretization territorial integrity of the country,” he said. and artificialization of soils affect us all. There is a possibility of clash between the right-wing groups and the organizers of the France, Georgia, Greece, Israel, Italy, Japan, security. On June 23, 2021, the Russian 2021 Pride Week. Large useless projects deplete our resources, Latvia, Lithuania, Moldova, Morocco, Embassy in the USA tweeted, “The scale destroy the soil in France and around the Ukraine Norway, Pakistan, Poland, Romania, and obviously aggressive nature of the world. We can resist them, regain power and Senegal, Spain, South Korea, Sweden, military drills #SeaBreeze in no way make visible the environmental, political From June 28 to July 10, Ukraine will host Tunisia, Turkey, Ukraine, the United Arab match the real security needs in the Black and financial scandals that have been its annual military exercise Sea Breeze 2021 Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the Sea region. Increase risks of unintended playing out for decades.” According to the in the Black Sea region and will focus on United States. This is the largest scale incidents. Inspire militaristic ambitions in XR, this is absurd rail project comprising multiple warfare areas including amphibious on which the annual Ukrainian military #Kiev. We call on the #US and its allies more than 200km of new tracks and 68 warfare, land maneuver warfare, diving exercise will be ever conducted. 30 ships to stop military operations in the Black stations whose main purpose is to improve operations, maritime interdiction operations, have been deployed, along with 40 aircraft Sea. The example of multilateral efforts traffic between airports and Paris. Public air defense, special operations integration, and 5,000 troops. Russia has announced that on maintaining stability in the region money is swallowed up by loaders with the anti-submarine warfare, and search and it will closely follow the preparations for is #Blackseafor aimed at strengthening complicity of the state and elected officials. rescue operations. Ukraine and the US are and the course of the Ukrainian-American confidence-building measures at sea. The XR has called for the dismantling of cohosting the exercise in the Black Sea with exercise Sea Breeze with the involvement of Every problem emerging in the region large unnecessary projects and also the participation and support coming from 32 NATO countries and will, if necessary, react can be resolved by the littoral states disarmament of the infrastructure that countries in total: Albania, Australia, Brazil, appropriately to the developing situation in themselves without ‘imposing’ help from supports them. Bulgaria, Canada, Denmark, Egypt, Estonia, the interests of ensuring Russia’s military the outside. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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International NEW DELHI TIMES Will Biden-Putin meet smoothen the roadblocks between US-Russia? once, not once, not one time, did they bother ◆ By Himanshu Sharma to produce any kind of evidence or proof. Editor Just unfounded accusations.” @_Himansh_ [email protected] The US has also been critical of Russian aggression in Ukraine. After the summit, n June 16, the US President Joe Biden Biden said in an interview, “I communicated O and Russian President Vladimir Putin the United States’ unwavering commitment met in Geneva, Switzerland. After the high- to the sovereignty and territorial integrity profile meeting, both the White House of Ukraine”. Ahead of the Summit, Biden and Kremlin issued the following joint had said that Ukraine could join NATO if statement: “We, President of the United “they meet the criteria”. Russia has said that States of America Joseph R. Biden and Ukraine joining NATO would be a red line President of the Russian Federation Vladimir

PC : Getty Images for Moscow. Putin, note the United States and Russia have demonstrated that, even in periods of friendly,” he added. “I think we managed to raise issues of fundamental human rights Kremlin Spokesman Dmitry Peskov said, tension, they are able to make progress on to understand each other, we managed to because that’s what we are, that’s who we “This is something we are watching very our shared goals of ensuring predictability understand each other’s positions on key are. The idea is, “We hold these truths self- closely and this really is a red line for us - in the strategic sphere, reducing the risk of issue, they differ on many things and we evident that all men and women…” We as regards the prospect of Ukraine joining armed conflicts and the threat of nuclear noted the differences. At the same time, we haven’t lived up to it completely, but we’ve NATO”. war. The recent extension of the New established areas and points where we can always widened the arc of commitment and START Treaty exemplifies our commitment possibly bring our positions closer in the included more and more people.” Ukrainian Foreign Minister Dmytro Kuleba to nuclear arms control. Today, we reaffirm future.” has welcomed the discussions on Ukraine in the principle that a nuclear war cannot be Cybersecurity has been another bone of the Biden-Putin Summit and remarked that won and must never be fought. Consistent However, tensions continue to remain contention between the two nations. On it was now time for Russia to pull back from with these goals, the United States and between the US and Russia primarily over April 15, 20201, Biden signed an executive Ukraine. Russia will embark together on an integrated three factors – the human rights situation in order imposing fresh sanctions on Russia bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue in the Russia and specifically the case of Alexie over a pattern of malicious cyber-attacks Even as the US and Russian Ambassadors near future that will be deliberate and robust. Navalny, the alleged Russian role in the against the US and allies, including the return to Moscow and Washington Through this Dialogue, we seek to lay the cyberattacks in the US, and the situation in December 2020 SolarWinds attacks, which respectively, ties between the US and Russia groundwork for future arms control and risk Ukraine. Addressing a press conference after it has now formally attributed to the Russian are likely to be strained. Jake Sullivan, reduction measures.” the Summit, Biden remarked, “We don’t state-backed APT29, or Cosy Bear. the US Assistant to President for National derive our rights from the government; we Security Affairs said that the US is preparing After the Geneva Summit, Putin praised possess them because we’re born — period. The US has repeatedly blamed Russia to impose additional sanctions on Russia Biden and called him an astute negotiator. And we yield them to a government. And for these attacks but Putin rejects these over the poisoning of imprisoned opposition “He perfectly knows the matter,” Putin said. so, at the forum, I pointed out to him that allegations. In an interview to a news channel, leader Alexei Navalny, and continue “He is fully concentrated and knows what that’s why we’re going raise our concerns Putin remarked, “We have been accused of restrictions against Russian organizations he wants to achieve. And he does it very about cases like Aleksey Navalny. I made it all kinds of things - Election interference, participating in the construction of the Nord shrewdly”. “The atmosphere was quite clear to President Putin that we’ll continue cyberattacks and so on and so forth. And not Stream 2 pipeline. BfV acknowledges that Left-wing violent crime is on the rise in Germany violent. In addition to left-wing extremist- Wordy statements defending acts of ◆ By NDT Bureau related criminal offences, which increased violence can be found on left-wing extremist @NewDelhiTimes by 2.8 percent to over 6,600 in 2020, blogs and leaflets. BfV President Thomas there were five attempted homicides and Haldenwang remarked that the inhibition [email protected] numerous assaults. In a report published threshold is sinking referring to left-wing on its website in 2020, the BfV found that radicals, in comments on the BfV website n May 14, the German Federal Public PC : Getty Images violent left-wing radicals are “committing that were present in early May but had since O Prosecutor General (Generalbundesanwältin more and more serious criminal and violent been removed by June. The use of violence it broadly enough that it can no longer be beim Bundesgerichtshof: GBA) filed accusations offences.” against civilians, particularly police officers, effectively erased by authorities through the against four accused members of a “left-wing is seen as a justifiable form of resistance Do It Yourself Media (DIYM) project. extremist criminal” organisation. The offenders It has been reported that internet spread and also left-wing radicals’ online postings were charged with causing serious bodily harm, The DIYM software can be used to mirror and justification of attacks on individuals support Haldenwang’s claim. robbery, property damage, document forgery, websites that are part of the project. This and occupational groups has increased. and serious breach of the peace. They were approach includes a number of new dark Although anarchist and left-wing Since August 2020, researchers have accused of targeting “far-right individuals” web-only sites, such as OMPF – offene extremist militants in Germany have discovered that the internet content of and neo-Nazis over a two-year period while medien plattform (since April 2020), mostly avoided attacking people in favour left-wing extremist groups is frequently based in Leipzig. Leftspace (since June 2020), and “geistige of targeting property, this approach looks duplicated on both the dark and open Gefährdungen” (from July 2020) on the to be eroding. web. Activists, on the other hand, appear Since 2015, incidents in Germany have open web. They are, in the end, clones of the unsettled by the heightened investigations suggested that the highly networked left- original Indymedia sites. wing extremist milieu in Europe is capable For example, on November 3, 2019, a and are attempting to block the removal of of carrying out substantial coordinated acts. construction company’s authorised signatory content that could be prosecuted. In 2017, The amount to which the left-wing extremist Riots at the launch of the European Central was assaulted and beaten up in her Leipzig the website www.linksunten.indymedia. movement can mobilise in favour of its Bank in Frankfurt in March 2015 were apartment. In response, a post on the activist org — a particularly extreme form of www. imprisoned sympathisers will be a major eclipsed by more serious riots in Hamburg website www.indymedia.org expressly indymedia.org – was banned and its servers signal of its future state. The confrontation during the G20 meeting in July 2017, with praised the attack, citing claimed expensive were seized in Germany. Despite the fact between Israel and Hamas in the Gaza about 8,000 people recognised as a threat of improvements as justification. that this had few practical implications, it Strip in May 2021, as well as the continued violence among more than 100,000 peaceful became evident that authorities are eager to operations of Turkish nationalists and demonstrators. Furthermore, online behaviour implies take more drastic measures. Kurdish activists in Germany, have prompted that left-wing extremists are performing violent actions by left-wing extremists. The number of left-wing extremists – which more reconnaissance on potential targets. Left-wing extremists are increasingly using German authorities include anarchists – There have been reports of comprehensive blog formats, particularly WordPress systems Furthermore, in September 2021, Germany climbed to 34,300 in 2020, according to the dossiers being published online and requests like blackblogs.org, a “non-commercial, will conduct a federal election in which domestic intelligence agency, the Federal for “home visits” on potential targets. The anti-fascist, anti-sexist, anti-racist, privacy- right-wing populists will compete; this is Office for the Protection of the Constitution accused reportedly observed victims before oriented blog platform for radical activists.” likely to spark protests as well as attacks (Bundesamt für Verfassungsschutz: BfV). beating them with hammers and iron bars, Since August 2020, the left-wing scene and death threats from left-wing extremists Almost 10,000 of them are considered according to the GBA’s charges in May. has attempted to secure content and spread against their usual targets.

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International NEW DELHI TIMES

The Government of Sudan can now avail Sudanese Revolutionary Forces funds from both these banks and African EXIM Bank recently announced support of US $ 700 million for development too. The support civilian government upturn in finances is likely to stabilize the

growth and economy in coming months. The PC : Getty Images Family Support Programme is expected to allaying fears of coup pacify the population and make their lives Darfur where armed militias oppose the easier. ◆ By NDT Bureau government. In its previous avatar, the SRF @NewDelhiTimes was involved in carrying out attacks on oil Protests in Sudan are likely to continue in supply lines disrupting its production and the coming months. The high three digit [email protected] transport. The deal reduces such risks. The inflation levels have put serious strain SRF is expected to ask for power-sharing on people. The family support measures disruption of traffic to major economic hubs n June 8, Sudan government decided in its influence areas including the capital, are unlikely to completely assuage the like ports. O to end all the subsidies on fuel. The Khartoum. concerns of the population or compensate decision opens the door to International any substantial measure. However, an early However, if the government fails to secure Monetary Fund debt relief and concessional Sudan’s economy has been witnessing high expansion of the monetary support measure support of international lender, it will not be funding. Sudan has witnessed massive levels of inflation and recession since the to cover much of the Sudan’s 4.28 crore able to expand the family support measure protests leading to the decision. On transitional government took charge. The population will prove helpful in cooling leading to protests. The SRF’s support will be June 13, the former Armed Opposition IMF had made it mandatory that its support down protests and generate support for the critical to reduce tensions but the discussions Coalition signed a peace deal supporting the is conditional to government removing the hard economic decisions by the government. on sharing of power and representation in government resolution to cut the subsidies. fuel subsidies. The transitional government the Parliament will determine the future. Following the deal, the military coalition agreed to phasing out the fuel subsidies The support of foreign donors like Saudi If members of the SRF withdraw due to was recognized officially as the Sudanese and the IMF agreed to help. Fuel subsidies Arabia, the UAE, international financial conflicting interests, tensions may increase Revolutionary Forces (SRF). have fallen from over 10 per cent of GDP institutions is critical for the transitional in the disturbed areas of Darfur, Blue Nile to complete phase-out in coming days. With government. Continued support measures and South Kordofan disturbed regions. The government’s decision gives complete support of the World Bank and other donors, in terms of debt reliefs and funding will Stability in these regions with addressing of control over power prices to the distribution the government is running the Sudan Family help Sudan in expediting further reforms. the human rights concerns are important for companies. The support the armed forces Support Programme. Under this programme, Return in economic stability is expected to continued support from the SRF. removed is because of the fears of coup. The families were paid a basic support income cool down much of the protest sites within decision is expected to provide stability to ranging from 5 to 25 US dollar per month. a few months. The Sudanese Professionals However, recent announcements by the UN the government and the economy. However, The support measure covered over 80000 Association doesn’t seem averse to a power that humanitarian agencies were allowed protests are likely to continue led by the families in May but is expected to grow to sharing deal with the government as the access to disturbed areas supporting the Sudanese Professionals Association which cover 4/5th of the population eventually in broad coalition of opposition in Sudan aid delivery is good news. A successful is a coalition of opposing civilian groups. coming years. has parties willing to negotiate with the power-sharing agreement on the Parliament government. However, the transport sector formation and sharing of seats will ensure The power-sharing deal with the SRF Sudan has successfully overcome the which is adversely affected due to steep Sudan enters into a phase of political and reduces the risk of violence and unrest financial shortcomings which hampered the rise in fuel price will continue to protest economic stability after the transition in the disturbed areas of Sudan such as IMF and the World Bank support previously. using road blockages, demonstrations and government came to power in 2019. Calls to regulate LAWS grows urged states to prohibit weapons systems primarily from the United States and Russia. human judgement and control in relation that could, by themselves, target and attack to a specific attack, limits on situations of human beings, calling them “morally One of the most important organizations that use, such as constraining them to situations repugnant and politically unacceptable”. has made repeated calls for regulation of where civilians or civilian objects are not The United Nations has been formally LAWS is the International Committee of the present, requirements for human–machine Red Cross’ (ICRC). The ICRC states that the

PC : Getty Images discussing the issues relating to LAWS since interaction, notably to ensure effective the Group of Governmental Experts (GGE) use of autonomous weapon systems entails human supervision, and timely intervention ◆ By NDT Bureau on LAWS met for the first time in 2017 risks due to the difficulties in anticipating and deactivation. with a mandate to assess questions related and limiting their effects. This loss of human @NewDelhiTimes to emerging technologies in the area of control and judgement in the use of force The statement by the ICRC said that it [email protected] lethal autonomous weapons systems. At the and weapons raises serious concerns from “supports initiatives by States aimed recommendation of the 2019 GGE on LAWS, humanitarian, legal and ethical perspective. at establishing international limits on On May 12, 2021, the ICRC made the ethal Autonomous Weapons Systems guiding principles were adopted by the 2019 autonomous weapon systems that aim at following recommendations relating to the L (LAWS) may be defined as weapons Meeting of the High Contracting Parties to effectively addressing concerns raised by regulation of LAWS: designed to independently select and engage the Convention of Certain Conventional these weapons, such as efforts pursued in targets without the need for manual human Weapon (CCW). The main guiding the Convention on Certain Conventional 1) Unpredictable autonomous weapon control. According to the United States principles are as follows: International Weapons to agree on aspects of a normative systems should be expressly ruled out, Department of Defense, LAWS may be humanitarian laws applies to development and operational framework. notably because of their indiscriminate understood as “weapon systems that, once of LAWS; Accountability for development effects. This would best be achieved with a Considering the speed of development in activated, can select and engage targets of LAWS should be made in accordance prohibition on autonomous weapon systems autonomous weapon systems’ technology without further intervention by a human with international humanitarian laws should that are designed or used in a manner such and use, it is critical that internationally operation”. The growth in LAWS has been be retained; Human responsibility for the that their effects cannot be sufficiently agreed limits be established in a timely accentuated by factors such as advances development of LAWS; LAWS should not understood, predicted and explained; manner. Beyond new legal rules, these limits in computing, Artificial intelligence be anthropomorphized and Risk assessment may also include common policy standards (AI), remote sensing and a host of other and mitigation factors for LAWS should be 2) The use of autonomous weapon systems and good practice guidance”. technological advances. considered. These principles were broadly reiterated in the 2020-21 GGE which to target human beings should be ruled International deliberations on LAWS began concluded its work in April 2021. However, out. This would best be achieved through a In June 2021, a report the Stockholm in May 2013 at the Human Rights Council it did not produce a substantive declaration prohibition on autonomous weapon systems International Peace Research Institute and since then, human control, decision- and as of now, there is a stalemate. that are designed or used to apply force (SIPRI) and the ICRC stated that a making, and/or judgment has been at the against person; common understanding of human control center of discussion. All eight Convention There have been calls by many states, is an important step in mitigating the on Conventional Weapons (CCW) meetings primarily of the Global South, to prohibit 3) The design and use of autonomous risks of LAWS. The report recommends on lethal autonomous weapons systems LAWS. The Non-Aligned Movement weapon systems that would not be controls on the weapons systems since 2014 have seen strong interest in the (NAM), the largest collective grouping prohibited should be regulated, including parameters of use including measures importance of retaining human control over of the Global South, has called for a through a combination of limits on the that restrict the types of targets and LAWS and the use of force. “legally binding international instrument types of target, such as constraining them the task for which LAWS are used; stipulating prohibitions and regulations to objects that are military objectives by controlling the environment in which Since 2018, the United Nations Secretary- on lethal autonomous weapons systems”. nature, limits on the duration, geographical LAWS are used and exercising controls General António Guterres has repeatedly The opposition to such proposals has come scope and scale of use, including to enable through human machine interactions. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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International NEW DELHI TIMES Shusha Declaration further strengthens Turkey’s regional strategic foothold Republic of Turkey to a qualitatively new Azerbaijan. It states: “If, in the opinion of Gas Corridor which will have major ◆ By NDT Bureau and allied level on the basis of friendship one of the parties, there is a threat or an act of repercussions on the regional economic @NewDelhiTimes and brotherhood between the two countries aggression from a third state or states against security. The Shusha Declaration also calls to serve the interests of the two countries their independence, sovereignty, territorial to increase the competitiveness of the East- [email protected] and peoples. integrity, the inviolability or security of West Transport Corridor passing through the their internationally recognized borders, territory of the two countries. Azerbaijan The Shusha Declaration marks an endorsement n June 15, 2021, Turkish President the parties will hold joint consultations and Turkey, using the technologies of of Turkey’s border of Azerbaijan and vice O Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited the city and, in order to eliminate this threat or intelligent transport systems, will further versa. According to the Declaration, “The of Shusha, which was taken by Azerbaijan acts of aggression, carry out initiatives in develop the transit and transport potential sides proudly declare that Azerbaijan, having from Armenia in the war that escalated accordance with the purposes and principles on the Azerbaijani-Turkish sections of won a victory during the 44-day Patriotic war, in Nagorno-Karabakh and lasted for 44 of the UN Charter and provide each other international transport corridors. put an end to the aggressive policy of Armenia days and ended by Russian mediation. On with the necessary assistance in accordance that lasted for 30 years, liberated its lands from Thus, the Shusha Declaration has significantly November 9, 2020, Russia announced it had with the UN Charter. After determining occupation, secured the victory of justice and enhanced the regional standing of Azerbaijan, brokered a lasting cease-fire deal between through urgent discussions, the volume the restoration of international law. Azerbaijan and strengthened its relationship with Turkey. Armenia and Azerbaijan over the disputed and form of such possible assistance, a highly appreciates the moral and political “Today is a historic day,” Aliyev said after Nagorno-Karabakh territory. The deal saw decision will be made to secure defence support of the Republic of Turkey in ending the signing. “The declaration raises our Azerbaijan reclaim control over large parts needs for the adoption of joint measures the 30-year Armenian aggression, liberating relations to the highest level.” Erdogan, the of Nagorno-Karabakh and surrounding and coordinated activities will be organized areas, including Shusha. Shusha, came the occupied lands and restoring the territorial first foreign leader to visit Shusha after it under Armenian control in 1992 in fighting integrity of Azerbaijan. The parties will was retaken by Azerbaijan, also promised over the separatist Nagorno-Karabakh continue their efforts aimed at strengthening to open a Turkish consulate in the city. “In region. Its retaking by Azerbaijan’s forces in stability and security in the Caucasus region, that way, we will ensure that our activities November was important both symbolically restoring all economic and transport links, are carried out faster and more effectively,” and strategically because it sits high above normalizing the relations between countries he said. The Shusha Declaration also boosts PC : Getty Images the region’s nearby capital, Stepanakert. of the region and ensuring long-term peace. the security standing of Turkey as it calls for In this context, the special geographical possible establishment of a Turkish military of power-wielding and administrative On June 15, Erdogan and Azerbaijan location of the Nakhchivan Autonomous base in Azerbaijan boosting the Baku- agencies of the Armed Forces.” Turkey and President Ilham Aliyev signed the “Shusha Republic of the Republic of Azerbaijan will Ankara military alliance. Azerbaijan will also engage in exchange of Declaration on Allied Relations between the be taken into account. The sides emphasize personnel aimed at strengthening the defence Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic that the contribution made by Turkey to the Armenia has been critical of the Shusha capability and military security, conducting of Turkey”. The Declaration is guided by operation of the Turkish-Russian Joint Center Declaration. According to a statement issued joint exercises and trainings, increasing the the “Agreement on the Development of in the territories of Azerbaijan liberated from by Armenian Foreign Ministry, “Although interaction capabilities of the armed forces of Friendship and Comprehensive Cooperation occupation plays an important role in ensuring the Turkish-Azerbaijani declaration states the two countries, cooperating closely in the between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the peace, stability and prosperity of the region. in a separate point that the document is not management of weapons and ammunition on Republic of Turkey” and the “Protocol on The Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic directed against a third party, nevertheless, the basis of modern technologies, and ensuring Cooperation and Mutual Assistance between of Turkey, guided by the principles of its entire content targets the Armenian coordinated activities of authorized agencies the Republic of Azerbaijan and the Republic independence, sovereignty, territorial integrity, people. It clearly points to the alliance and institutions for this purpose. of Turkey” signed on February 9, 1994, inviolability of internationally recognized of the two states that carried out a 44-day as well as the “Agreement on Strategic aggression against the Artsakh Republic borders, non-interference in the internal affairs Azerbaijan and Turkey will support the Partnership and Mutual Assistance” signed against the self-determination of the people of states, determine the political and legal implementation of military exercises together between the Republic of Azerbaijan and of Artsakh, the territorial integrity of the mechanisms of their allied relations”. with the armies of other friendly states. the Republic of Turkey on August 16, 2010 Republic of Armenia, and the rights of the and emphasises on the raising relations The Shusha Declaration also enhances Another important issue touched in the Armenian people around the world who between the Republic of Azerbaijan and the security cooperation between Turkey and agreement is the creation of a Southern survived the genocide.” Chinese nuclear facility leakage attracts all eyes According to the available evidence, a ‘Level Zero’ event based on the facts significant discharges. In the worst-case ◆ By NDT Bureau minor amounts of radioactive isotopes of available so far. scenario, radiation levels rise to the point @NewDelhiTimes krypton and xenon gases are leaking into where plant operators are unable to work the reactor’s primary water coolant. These In previous decades, the US power reactors safely, prompting the plant’s shutdown and [email protected] gases are produced during the fissioning of might have continued to operate despite a replacement of the defective fuel, which uranium fuel to generate heat and power. little leak in a fuel rod, but this is no longer may take weeks. This would have financial here has been a possible radiation leak permitted under the 21st Century safety T from the Taishan Nuclear Power Plant and reputational consequences, particularly These gases are normally confined in metal- culture. Downplaying any leak is consistent for the fuel supplier. (NPP) reactor in Guangdong Province, clad fuel rods, but it is not uncommon for with China’s political posture. China, which was reported on June 14, 2021. the fuel cladding to leak, allowing gas to Nuclear safety, like aviation safety, is The news provides skewed information, yet escape into the coolant. This is undesirable, Similar events in the past indicate that if a fuel generally good-but getting there requires a the available data allows for an assessment but coping with the possibility is part of a rod starts to leak, it will continue to leak at the paranoid regulatory culture that treats even of the main issue as well as the ostensibly contemporary plant’s safe design. same or increasing rate until it is replaced. The the tiniest issue with the utmost care and minor impact on public health. reactor will have to be shut down and opened transparency. This does not appear to be the Any gases in the water coolant are collected for inspection and repair of the damaged rod or case in this case. The Taishan NPP’s reactor, which was and treated at Taishan before being rods if the leak is large enough, or if there is a commissioned in the year 2018, is one removed from the coolant. Noble gases large breach of the fuel. According to Najmedin Meshkati, a of the world’s topmost modern nuclear such as krypton and xenon, which do not professor of engineering at the University reactors. Framatome, which is owned by react chemically, must be released into the This will result in a multi-million-dollar of Southern California and a nuclear safety French Company Électricité de France, was atmosphere in a regulated manner. interruption when the plant is shut down expert, the lack of such a culture within designed in France, and it was constructed and a big unscheduled repair project is government regulators and power utilities in China. China General Nuclear Power Although the scale of this leak cannot carried out. Framatome will be keen to was a key contributor to the incidents Corporation owns 70% of the plant, while be approximated from press sources, the avoid negative publicity, which might have a that followed in both the Chernobyl and Framatome owns the other 30%. emission of noble gases from one single significant financial impact on this project as Fukushima disasters. leaking element is unlikely to cause safety well as the development of similar reactors In May 2021, Framatome informed the problems for plant workers and citizens elsewhere, including in Finland and the China produces more than 10% of the world’s US government of an “imminent radiation offsite. China, on the other hand, claims that United Kingdom’s Hinkley Point C. nuclear power and has roughly a third of threat” at the reactor, but did not provide any there is no impact, and the US government the new nuclear power facilities under further details about the incident. According has issued no warnings. It is not an accident that the event construction. The government must ensure to Framatome’s assessment, the Chinese recounted in the news occurred. It’s only that the atomic energy sector is handled in a government was tolerating higher-than- Similarly, by June 15, the International a minor problem regarding the plant’s way that prioritizes safety and transparency normal radiation levels in gas emissions Atomic Energy Agency had no evidence that management of radioactive materials and over political and public-relations concerns from the reactor, but as usual, China denies a radiation event had happened at Taishan. possible emissions into the environment for the health of its citizens and the potential this. Regardless of the reasons, this episode On the IAEA’s ‘International Nuclear and under carefully controlled circumstances. to decarbonize the world’s most polluting had been known for at least two weeks and Radiological Event Scale,’ this event would There’s no way a leak in the fuel cladding power grid. It’s just as important to fix it as was still happening at the time of writing. most likely be a ‘Level One’ or perhaps could result in a nuclear meltdown or it is to replace Taishan’s broken fuel rods.

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 8 28 June - 4 July 2021

International NEW DELHI TIMES Malaysian King requests to reconvene Parliament, the unusual political action prompts government change is a constitutional monarchy in which the that has drawn widespread criticism. Last ◆ By NDT Bureau King’s function is mostly ceremonial and week, the Monarch, who is technically @NewDelhiTimes he follows the Prime Minister’s political known as the Yang di Pertuan Agong, advice on matters concerning politics and took the unprecedented step of engaging [email protected] administration. Although given the King’s with a number of political figures due to ollowing a special meeting of the endorsement from the conference of rulers the gravity of the issue. Two-time Prime F conference of Malay rulers, which and the King’s advice to recall the Parliament Minister Mahathir Mohamad and opposition includes Malaysia’s nine state Sultans, from all significant political figures during leader Anwar Ibrahim were among those Malaysia’s King, Sultan Abdullah Sultan the past week, Muhyiddin is unlikely to who criticized Muhyiddin’s handling of the PC : Getty Images Ahmad Shah, declared on June 16 that comply with the King’s requests and recall pandemic and demanded that Parliament be the Parliament in the coming weeks. reconvened promptly. the Parliament should resume “as soon as The rulers of the nine states gave Muhyiddin possible”. Since Mahathir Mohamad’s retirement as The return of the Parliament enhances a more pointed censure than the Monarch, Prime Minister in February 2020, the King Muhyiddin’s chances of being deposed in who did not directly ask for the State of Malaysia’s King has urged Prime Minister has grown more interested in political the next 12 months. Muhyiddin’s alliance Emergency to be lifted. The rulers stated Muhyiddin Yassin to call a special session concerns. In March 2020, the monarch has a thin three-seat majority in the most in their own statement that the State of of the Parliament as soon as feasible. requested Muhyiddin to form a government recent Parliamentary vote in December 2020 Emergency should not be extended beyond Under a State of Emergency, the body after determining that Muhyiddin had for the 2021 budget. Since then, a significant August 1 since it has done little to assist has been suspended for five months. The majority support in the Parliament following element within Muhyiddin’s coalition, reduce the pandemic. They went on to say conference added in a separate statement individual consultations with all 222 the United Malays National Organisation that, given its present COVID-19 issues, that the national State of Emergency, in members of the Lower House. Muhyiddin’s (UMNO), has opted not to back him in the Malaysia requires a stable government with place since January, to deal with growing plea to declare a national State of Emergency upcoming general election and has held widespread public support. coronavirus disease (COVID-19) infections and suspend the Parliament in January 2021 talks with Anwar Ibrahim, the leader of the should not be extended when it expires on Malaysia is constitutionally uncharted to cope with a surge in COVID-19 cases was opposition Hope’s Pact (Pakatan Harapan: August 1. In order to regulate COVID-19, territory, and Muhyiddin’s refusal to obey granted by the King, but his initial request PH) coalition, hinting that Muhyiddin could the King approved the establishment of a the King’s order to recall the Parliament, was denied in October 2020. The King’s face a no-confidence vote when he releases State of Emergency in January, which led potentially precipitating a constitutional actions established a precedent for future the federal budget for 2022 in October or to the suspension of the Parliament and crisis, is unlikely. A crisis of this magnitude interventions, such as choosing a future November. A successful no-confidence vote gave Muhyiddin the right to pass legislation would be unusual, and it could lead to the Prime Minister without Parliamentary would result in an early general election or without legislative approval. Monarch requesting someone else to form approval or a general election. the King appointing a new Prime Minister. the next administration, as he did follow The remarks are likely to intensify political The fact that the State of Emergency has It’s unknown whether Muhyiddin will Mahathir’s resignation in 2020. pressure on Muhyiddin, whose opponents done little to reduce COVID-19 infections follow the Monarch’s suggestion. The accuse him of buying time and consolidating The King names opposition leader Anwar has lent credence to the critics’ interpretation. Malaysian leader declared on the eve of the his own shaky political position by extending Ibrahim, who is backed by a strong UMNO Last month, daily infections reached nearly leadership meeting that the Parliament can the State of Emergency, which expires on faction led by former Prime Minister Najib 9,000, nearly five times higher than when only reconvene if new COVID-19 infections August 1. Muhyiddin has hobbled along Razak, to form the new government, which will the State of Emergency was imposed, fall below 2,000 per day and 40% of the with a shaky Parliamentary majority since have a greater majority than the current one. earning Malaysia the unwelcome distinction populace is properly vaccinated. He believes taking power in March of last year and of having the highest per capita rate of it will happen in September or October. The Muhyiddin is under pressure to keep his has been forced to parry attacks from both infection in Southeast Asia. The outbreak number of infections is presently around promise to call a general election after a opposition parties and within his own camp. compelled the government to enforce a 5,000 each day, and just over 10% of faster-than-expected drop of COVID-19 The King’s intervention is unprecedented, wide-scale lockdown, which is still in effect, Malaysia’s population has received at least cases. An improbable but decisive election and it portends a regime shift. Malaysia as well as a tardy vaccination deployment one dose of vaccine. result would boost government stability. Can a symbol legitimize the violent past of an extremist organization? ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes [email protected]

witter recently awarded a blue tick T to the Twitter account of the Popular Front of India (PFI) Karnataka chapter. This resulted in a wide range of protests spanning lengths and breadth of the country with dissenting voices of intellectuals, civil account. It is termed as ‘verified’ by Twitter. activities across India but also in the Middle accountability from Twitter keeping in mind societies, nationalists as well as that of This blue tick is sought after eagerly by East including Syria. Hundreds of its cadres the interest of the nation but Twitter is hell security agencies. Why this hue and cry over Individuals/organizations to gain publicity joined the ISIS and the cases are under bent on defying the laws of the land. a mere symbol? What is the significance of & increase their number of followers & in investigation by the NIA. The PFI is known a blur tick? Since the matter came to light, the process, expand their base. for instigating communal disharmony Freedom is not absolute especially if it those unaware of Twitter terminologies are for gaining publicity and cheap political clashes with national security. By providing Memories are still afresh of the D J Halli confused over the nature of protest. This mileage. A recent discovery by Kerala forest legitimacy to organizations like the PFI, violence that occurred in Bengaluru at unawareness is being utilized by the PFI to officers in the Padam forest area exposed the Twitter has proved that new laws are needed the behest of Social Democratic Party of justify the decision and play victimization involvement of the PFI in imparting IED & to check the activities of social media giants India (SDPI)-the political wing of PFI. The card in the process. bomb making training to its cadres. for the sake of the security of the nation. violence fueled by religious intolerance was so intense that it destroyed an entire police Coming back to the question if blue tick has Twitter- a popular social media platform is station with damage to properties amounting At a time when Twitter is engaged in bitter the potential to legitimize the violent past used by individuals/organizations to occupy to crores. This raised question on the war with the Information and Broadcasting of an extremist organisation, the answer the public space and disseminate their intentions of PFI and its sister organizations. Ministry over its repeated failures to comply thoughts, ideologies & propaganda. A blue with the newly amended IT Act, its decision to is certainly in negation. After all, years of tick associated with any handle (Twitter Ranging from kidnapping to political award blue tick to an extremist organization violence can’t be negated by a mere sign account) gives a sense of legitimacy to the killings, PFI is involved not only in terrorist raises suspicion. The government wants with a colour. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

28 June - 4 July 2021 9

International NEW DELHI TIMES Colombia’s Expanding War against Drugs A Nightmare for Insurgents some 2,500 combatants. Cucuta, is located Threats Command (Spanish: “the largest seizure of ◆ By NDT Bureau in restive Norte de Santander province, Comando Contra el Narcotráfico marijuana to date in the @NewDelhiTimes where the 30th Brigade operates and the y las Amenazas Transnacionales, entire Amazon ELN is said to have a strong presence CONAT), a military command [email protected] there. Its principal strategy is to carry out of the National Army of Colombia “armed resistance” against what it terms the tasked with providing assistance n June 15, 2021, an attack took place oligarchies from Bogotá and multinational to counter-narcotics efforts. “The O near the military base of the 30th corporations that want to extract or exploit unit was born to hit, repress, and Army Brigade of Colombia in Cucuta, Colombian natural resources without break down the structures of drug Colombia, the north-eastern border city near supporting local communities. The ELN trafficking and transnational Venezuela, where the United States soldiers is said to be involved in illegal economic threats linked to illegal were present. At least 36 people were activities such as kidnapping, extortion, mining, the trafficking of injured, and the infrastructure of the military illegal mining and most importantly, it wildlife and people, and - base was destroyed. Colombian Defence is also said to have made forays into the of course - any transnational Minister Diego Molano described the blast booming drug trafficking market. form of terrorism,” President region”. as a “vile terrorist attack” that targeted Ivan Duque said at a military base The ELN is not the only insurgent On June 4, Colombian soldiers and sought to injure in Tolemaida. The new unit, consisting of group involved in drug trafficking. The 2021, on as many troops as possible. He blamed the 7,000 personnel, will be deployed to high- Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia the basis of National Liberation Army (ELN), a guerrilla risk drug trafficking zones. group, for the attack. However, the ELN (FARC) is also involved. The International intelligence has denied any involvement in the attack. Crisis Group in its report dated February Diego Molano, the Colombian Defence leads provided The ELN statement reads the following 26, 2021, and titled ‘Deeply Rooted: Coca Minister, has stated that drug trafficking by the Colombian Navy, Brazil verbatim- “The communication guerrilla Eradication and Violence in Colombia’, today represents the biggest threat to the anti-drug authorities found salutes the Colombian people. We allow noted that dismantling the illicit drug country. “Not combating this means leaving 144 kilograms of marijuana as 15 kg of ourselves to inform them that no structure of economy was one of six main planks of at the mercy of criminal drug trafficking cocaine hydrochloride. The investigations the National Liberation Army has to do with the landmark 2016 peace accord between organizations and illegal armed groups who established the involvement of the FARC the attack that occurred on Tuesday, June 15, the state and the guerrilla Revolutionary are trying to destroy our democracy in every members in the drug trade. It is estimated in Brigade 30 in the city of Cúcuta, Norte de Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC). That way”, he remarked. that by June 2021, Colombian Navy and Santander”. accord promised to institute a nationwide Brazilian authorities have prevented the crop substitution program enabling roughly The US Embassy in Colombia has reiterated FARC dissidents from obtaining more than 200,000 coca-growing families to pursue its support to the Colombian government to $17 million, due to the seizure of 3,244 kg other legal businesses. fight insurgency. From its official Twitter of creepy marijuana and 15 kg of cocaine account, it wrote: “The United States is hydrochloride. It sought to sever links between the proud of its long-standing cooperation insurgency and drug trafficking, while with the Colombian Armed Forces, which In its annual report, the United Nations establishing state authority in pockets of the includes joint training and exercises. With of Drugs and Crime (UNODC) said that country where criminal rule and poverty had pain and sadness, we send our solidarity drug traffickers were able to produce long allowed cocaine production to thrive. to the members of Colombian National 1,228 metric tons last year, an 8% increase Four years later, few of those promises have Army injured in Cúcuta. Cooperation with compared to 2019. It is also estimated that been met. Coca cultivation began rising to the Colombian Armed Forces is one of the the potential cocaine exports that went historical highs during peace negotiations, pillars in our efforts to combat transnational up by 2.6% to 772.3 metric tons, a record driven in part by the expectation that any PC : Getty Images crime in the region.” Thus, a war that was figure, and this was despite the fact that eventual accord would benefit coca farmers to curtail the drug trade in the America’s, security forces were able to increase its who pledged to substitute their crops. This has now resulted in Colombian–US forces cocaine seizures. The ELN is a revolutionary left-wing armed trend worsened as the government struggled coming together to counter the growing group involved in the continuing Colombian to meet the promises made to farmers. insurgents and guerrilla groups. conflict, which has existed in Colombia Bogotá has not been able to transform the According to an estimate by a former since 1964. The ELN advocates a composite economic fundamentals that make coca Colombian Minister, cocaine production communist ideology of Marxism-Leninism – fast-growing and destined for a loyal The problem of drug-trafficking is not only generated between $8 billion and $12 billion and liberation theology. It is estimated that international market – such a reliable crop. spread to the border region with Venezuela last year, which is the equivalent to 2.6% and one-fifth of the ELN members have taken but has also spread to the border with Brazil. 4% of Colombia’s Gross Domestic Product. up arms. The ELN has been classified as a Colombian President Ivan Duque has In Brazil, large criminal factions and smaller Despite all the efforts aimed at combating terrorist organization by the governments shown firm commitment to fight the drug gangs are using the Amazon River routes, drug trafficking by President Ivan Duque, of Colombia, the United States, Canada, the trafficking through a series of measures. boats, personnel, and infrastructure used to the problem continues to persist. One can European Union and Venezuela’s National On February 26, 2021, Colombia launched smuggle cocaine from Colombia. In March only hope that the efforts find manifestation Assembly. The ELN is estimated to have the Counternarcotics and Transnational 2021, Colombian army troops conducted in bringing change on ground levels. 5 dead, hundreds injured by rare tornado in Czech Republic rare tornado believed to be the most elementary school has no roof and insulation electricity in the southeast. A devastating in the Czech Republic’s any more, only walls remain from what were modern history has torn through the houses ... It’s really terrible.” Meteorologist Martin Setvak said it was country’s southeast, killing at least five the most damaging tornado in the country’s people and injuring hundreds, rescue Some 360 extra police officers were modern history. services and police said. dispatched to the area, along with army personnel. Rescue crews from across the “It certainly was at least the strongest F3 PC : AP Photo AP PC : The tornado touched down as strong country, joined by counterparts from nearby intensity but very likely it was F4” in the thunderstorms hit the entire country. Seven Austria and Slovakia, were using drones, six-notch Fujita scale, Setvak said. towns and villages sustained heavy damage helicopters and sniffer dogs to search F4 causes devastating damage, with winds that included buildings turned to rubble through the rubble. of up to 260 miles an hour. and overturned cars. The storms were for help. accompanied by hail which in some cases Police said at least five people were found Setvak said it’s still unclear whether it was was as big as tennis balls. dead, but regional government chief Jan “I’d like to offer my condolences to the a single twister or several independent ones. Grolich said the death toll was likely to rise. families of the victims,” Babis said. “We ... According to Setvak, the country Hrusky Deputy Mayor Marek Babisz told will do all we can to help the people because “It’s a huge tragedy,” Prime Minister Andrej experienced anywhere between one and Czech public radio that half of his town was it’s a real apocalypse.” He said some 2,000 seven tornadoes annually up until 2020, but almost completely wiped out. Babis said. Babis was in Brussels to attend buildings have been damaged. an EU summit and was planning to visit the all were relatively weak. “The church is without the tower, the afflicted region. He said he has asked the EU Over 40,000 households remain without Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 10 28 June - 4 July 2021

International NEW DELHI TIMES Biden’s plans to counter China seem to fall flat democratic nations. Neutralist EU leaders ◆ By NDT Bureau Germany, Italy, European Commission @NewDelhiTimes President and European Council President viewed China more a market opportunity [email protected] than an existential geopolitical threat and blocked the US, the UK, Canada and France t June 8 meeting of G7 in Cornwall, from criticizing Beijing’s human rights A the U.K., US President Joe Biden’s record! perception of the world became an oversimplification of a very complicated place. The world of today has two Currently Japan, India and the Anglosphere discernible superpowers—the US and countries are lining up firmly in the American China; the other great powers below the camp on the need to balance against China. above two being Anglosphere countries (the However, both Russia (certainly tilting UK and Canada), the EU (France, Germany, toward Beijing) and the EU (tilting toward Italy), Japan, India, and Russia. The success Washington) are struggling to maintain in the new bipolar competition era hinges on a neutralist stance independent of either any superpower’s ability to craft alliances superpower. with the second-rung great powers. Biden is oriented to alliance even though Trump tried Russia, founded on the principle of Great to go alone. Russian nationalism, fears a subordinate position in any Sino-Russian alliance. It After his European visit, the US President, is wary of being swallowed whole by the Joe Biden, might have very well muttered Chinese whale. The EU remained under the to himself what Roman Emperor had done US domination for decades and now finds PC : Getty Images millennia back: vini, vidi, vici- implying “I the perceived riches of the Chinese market came, I saw, and I conquered”. than pro-Chinese. Biden understands this as experimental template for Biden’s thesis. too alluring, hence not fully committing to the basic new strategic division of the world America expected all these democratic the American camp. These powers didn’t have much leverage and hopes this democracy-versus-autocracy allies to easily agree to a common position during the US-Soviet Cold War years but theme to catch up intellectually. Some US balancing China but was disappointed! The great powers today would pursue have acquired, over past decades, a great deal commentators label the new idea as “the independent neutralism rather than align of latitude in setting the trajectories of their Biden doctrine” because it suits America’s G7 agreed on global taxation of with either superpower. Biden may be foreign policies. Biden rightly condemns geostrategic position. With the great powers multinationals (Amazon, Google, Facebook) naïve to believe that all the democratic Trump administration for not doing enough (Russia excluded) glued to its side, America but that was planned well in advance of the great powers would be with him; the G7 to ally with these great powers. Biden seeks hopes to claw back to its preeminent global Cornwall meet. It agreed to another World decisively proved otherwise. alliances for geostrategic opening but gets role in the new era, but Biden’s worldview Health Organization (WHO) investigation limited to ideology of democracy. as too simplistic. into the causes of Covid pandemic. Except Rather China’s imperialistic ambitions, these two, there was no agreement on jointly reflected through the Belt & Road Initiative, The great democratic powers of the modern The G7 meeting, comprising mostly of tackling China - the single most important seaports in Hambantota & Gwadar and of world, except Russia, are more pro-American the other great powers, served as a perfect foreign policy challenge for all the course lending loans to African Nations. Chauvin gets 22 1/2 years in prison for George Floyd’s death ormer Minneapolis police Officer But he added: “Real justice in America will F Derek Chauvin was sentenced to be Black men and Black women and people 22 1/2 years in prison for the murder of of color who will not have to fear being George Floyd, whose dying gasps under killed by the police just because the color of Chauvin’s knee led to the biggest outcry their skin. That would be real justice.” against racial injustice in the U.S. in generations. Outside the courthouse, a crowd of about 50 people clasped hands or placed them on each The punishment — which came after other’s shoulders. The reaction was subdued Chauvin broke his yearlong silence to offer as people debated whether the sentence was condolences to the Floyd family and express long enough. Some cursed in disgust. hope that they eventually have “some peace of mind” — is one of the longest prison At George Floyd Square, as the intersection terms ever imposed on a U.S. police officer where Floyd was pinned to the pavement is Photo AP PC : in the killing of a Black person. now known, members of the crowd broke Chauvin, who did not testify at his pleaded for mercy for her son, saying his into applause, and several said, “We’ll take trial, removed his mask and turned reputation has been unfairly reduced to that Still, Floyd family members and others were it.” toward the Floyd family, speaking only of “an aggressive, heartless and uncaring disappointed. The sentence fell short of the briefly because of what he called “some person” and a racist. 30 years prosecutors had requested. And Chauvin was immediately led back to additional legal matters at hand” — an with good behavior, Chauvin, 45, could get prison. He showed little emotion when the apparent reference to the federal civil “I want this court to know that none of these out on parole after serving two-thirds of his judge pronounced the sentence. His eyes rights trial, where his words could be things are true and that my son is a good sentence, or about 15 years. moved rapidly around the courtroom, his used against him. man,” she told the judge, adding: “Derek, I “Just because it’s the most time doesn’t COVID-19 mask obscuring much of his want you to know I have always believed in mean it’s enough time,” said Nekima Levy face. “I do want to give my condolences to the your innocence, and I will never waver from Armstrong, a Minneapolis protest leader. Floyd family. There’s going to be some that.” The fired white officer was convicted in April other information in the future that would Judge Peter Cahill went beyond the 12 of second-degree unintentional murder, be of interest. And I hope things will give “I will be here for you when you come 1/2-year sentence prescribed under state third-degree murder and second-degree you some peace of mind,” he said without home,” she said. guidelines, citing Chauvin’s “abuse of a manslaughter for pressing his knee against further explanation. Floyd’s neck for up to 9 1/2 minutes as the Prosecutor Matthew Frank, in asking the position of trust and authority and also the judge to exceed the sentencing guidelines, particular cruelty” shown to Floyd. 46-year-old man gasped that he couldn’t Defense attorney Eric Nelson had asked that breathe and went limp on May 25, 2020. Chauvin be let off on probation, saying the said “tortured is the right word” for what the Floyd family attorney Ben Crump said former officer’s “brain is littered with what- officer did to Floyd. the family had gotten “some measure of Bystander video of Floyd’s arrest on ifs” from that day: “What if I just did not “This is not a momentary gunshot, punch to accountability” but is hoping Chauvin gets suspicion of passing a counterfeit $20 bill agree to go in that day? What if things had the face. This is 9½ minutes of cruelty to a the maximum at his upcoming federal civil at a corner store prompted protests around gone differently? What if I never responded man who was helpless and just begging for rights trial. Crump said this was the longest the world and led to scattered violence in to that call? What if? What if? What if?” his life,” Frank said. sentence a police officer has ever received in Minneapolis and beyond, as well as demands Minnesota. for overhauling police departments. Chauvin’s mother, Carolyn Pawlenty, Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

28 June - 4 July 2021 11

International NEW DELHI TIMES Tens of thousands Macron: EU needs to fight attend Pride ‘illiberal values’ inside bloc parade in Israel’s rench President Emmanuel Macron have flouted the bloc’s democratic standards Tel Aviv F said that the European Union needs and values for years. ens of thousands of people attended a to fight a “cultural” and “civilizational” The EU has repeatedly warned that T Pride parade in Tel Aviv in one of the battle to stop the rise of illiberal ideas democratic standards are being challenged largest public gatherings in Israel since the across the 27-nation bloc that he believes in some countries, particularly in Hungary onset of the coronavirus pandemic. are threatening European values at their and Poland. Earlier this year, the European core. The vibrant parade and beach party are held Union’s executive arm also condemned Photo AP PC : on the seafront promenade in the Israeli city, Macron spoke at the end of summit of EU Slovenia’s right-wing Prime Minister Janez a rare hub of gay culture in the conservative leaders in Brussels where they strongly Janša for a series of aggressive comments Middle East. Elsewhere in the region clashed with Hungary’s Prime Minister about journalists. called into question by Hungary, but which homosexuality is widely considered taboo over new legislation that bans the display of we certainly have to discuss at greater depth “We must give content, perspectives and and is outlawed in many countries. LGBT issues to children in that country. and length,” she said. The Hungarian law meaning to our liberal values, in the political was signed by Hungarian President Janos Some 250,000 people attended the Tel Aviv Macron condemned the new law in the sense of the term, in the philosophical sense Ader after Hungary’s parliament passed the parade honoring the LGBTQ community name of “human dignity” and “individual of the term, and show the strength of our bill last week. It prohibits sharing content in 2019, before it was called off last year freedom,” throwing his support behind the democracies,” Macron said. “It is not so much on homosexuality or sex reassignment to because of the pandemic. EU’s executive commission’s plan to start the backsliding of the laws — which we must people under 18 in school sex education legal action against Hungary. obviously and intransigently fight — that Organizers estimated the turnout at the event programs, films or advertisements. concerns me. It is the backsliding in the minds at 100,000, saying it’s one of the largest But the French President insisted it would be and mentalities. And as such it is a cultural, The government says the law aims to worldwide since the pandemic struck. wrong to point the finger at Orban without civilizational battle that we must fight.” protect children, but critics say it links reflecting on the reasons pushing some homosexuality with pedophilia. Orban has “Pride events in Tel Aviv-Yafo are a long- countries in eastern Europe to turn their back Macron admitted he does not hold a magic ruled out rescinding the law, insisting it does standing tradition, centered on a message of on democratic values. recipe to fix what he sees as a “deep trend” in not target homosexuals. equality, acceptance, and human and civil Europe but suggested that bringing intellectuals rights,” Mayor Ron Huldai said. “This year, “How do people in Europe come to this?” and civil society into the debate could help European Commission President Ursula von der more than ever, we will celebrate together, Macron told journalists. “We see in several revive democratic values in countries where Leyen said she detailed the commission’s legal march together, and fight together for member countries like Hungary, Poland and their appeal has been eroded. concerns during the summit and that it’s now up equality.” many others, an anti-liberal conservatism to the Hungarian government to respond. against our values. We have to respect it. He also said the just-launched Conference But it is now undermining those values and of the Future of Europe could serve as a “There was an overwhelming support in what has built the core of our western liberal springboard for “deep change” in Europe. the room that we will defend our values, democracy for centuries.” because Europe is first of all a Union of German chancellor Angela Merkel said values,” she said. “It is first of all a Union of The Hungarian law has also turned the the debate over the Hungarian law raises values, of protection of minorities, of non- spotlight on the EU’s inability to rein in broader questions about the direction the discrimination, and a culture of tolerance the “illiberal democracies” among its ranks EU is heading in, whether it should strive and acceptance is a bed rock against like Hungary and Poland. Critics charge for “ever closer union” and what should be discrimination.” that the two countries’ deeply conservative, done when clashes arise over fundamental nationalist and anti-migrant governments values. “This is something that isn’t just Credit : Associated Press (AP) Photo AP PC : Security chief named Hong Kong Israel fully reopened this spring after No. 2 official amid carrying out one of the world’s most successful vaccination campaigns, but clampdown a recent outbreak driven by the more contagious delta variant has raised concerns. community.” Cheung, the former No. 2, will be retiring from government service. Authorities are once again requiring people to wear masks in indoor public The leadership changes come a year after places, and are advising mask-wearing PC : AP Photo AP PC : Beijing imposed a sweeping national at large outdoor events like the Pride security law on the former British colony and celebrations. one day after Hong Kong’s last remaining pro-democracy newspaper, the Apple Daily, Several marchers said they were sad to have hina promoted Hong Kong’s top pro-democracy protests and its hard-line published its final edition. missed the parade last year. C security official to the territory’s No. enforcement of Beijing’s security policies. “It is not just a celebration, it is also a Police froze $2.3 million of the newspaper’s 2 spot as Beijing looks to the government The U.S. and other Western democracies demonstration for our rights, for our assets, searched its office and arrested of the Asian financial hub to clamp down have imposed visa bans and other sanctions existence, so it feels really good to be here five top editors and executives last week, on free speech and political opponents to on Lam, Lee and other members of the again to march with everyone,” said Noam accusing them of foreign collusion to restore stability following anti-government administration. Klar. protests. endanger national security. Its founder, Jimmy Lai, is facing charges under the Violent clashes between police and pro- Nina Korolev said it was the first time she national security law of foreign collusion Chief Executive Carrie Lam said Secretary democracy demonstrators in 2019 prompted attended a Pride parade. and is currently serving a prison sentence for Security John Lee would replace Matthew the central government to adopt a firm line for involvement in the 2019 pro-democracy “It is so delicious, it is amazing,” she said. Cheung as the city’s chief secretary, while against political concessions, a policy seen protest movement. “I’m very proud that I can be here in a police chief Chris Tang would take over through by Lam, Lee, Tang and Siu, who free country with free people together. All Lee’s role. Raymond Siu Chak-yee, Tang’s made restoring public order their top priority. The U.S. President Joe Biden said it was a humans must have the same rights.” deputy, will be the new head of the police “sad day for media freedom in Hong Kong Thousands of people marched through force. “They have had distinguished performance and around the world,” and accused Beijing Jerusalem earlier this month in a much in the government over the years and of having “insisted on wielding its power smaller Pride parade, celebrating LGBTQ Hong Kong’s government has long been possess proven leadership skills,” Lam said to suppress independent media and silence rights in the conservative city amid heavy lauded for its professionalism and efficiency, of those promoted. “I am confident that dissenting views.” police security. but its image has been battered in recent they are competent for their new posts and years by its banning and suppression of would rise to the challenges in serving the Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

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International NEW DELHI TIMES EU greenlights major funding plan for refugees in Turkey uropean Union leaders greenlighted with Syria and Iraq. E plans to give Turkey another 3 billion euros ($3.6 billion) over the next few years Merkel said the EU will continue to work to provide fresh assistance to Syrian refugees on improving a customs arrangement it has on its territory and to help the country boost with Turkey providing favorable tariffs on border controls. certain goods. “Of course, we expect further constructive behavior from Turkey. We have “It’s about additional funds of 3 billion euros, seen an improvement of the situation in the then afterwards also funds for Lebanon and Mediterranean Sea,” she said. Jordan,” German Chancellor Angela Merkel told reporters. She said the plan, drawn up An additional 2.2 billion euros would be by the EU’s executive branch, “will soon be spent to help refugees and displaced people formally endorsed.” in Jordan, Lebanon and Syria, according to the commission plan. Turkey reacted coolly to the plan, saying But Turkey’s Foreign Ministry said in a it’s a way for Europeans “to ensure the EU’s Photo AP PC : statement that “reducing cooperation on own peace and security.” migration to a financial dimension is a big Well over 1 million migrants entered the EU delusion.” It called for greater cooperation in 2015, many of them fleeing conflict in completed. Separately, it is providing a support actions in Turkey.” between Turkey and the EU to deal with the Syria and Iraq. The arrivals through Turkey further half a billion euros for refugees there issue. It said that “in programming the actions overwhelmed facilities in the Greek islands, this year. under this package, will gradually move from The ministry called for a review of the and sparked one of the EU’s biggest-ever humanitarian priorities to socio-economic Turkey-EU migration deal reached in 2016 political crises. Turkey is estimated to now host around 3.7 million refugees from the conflict in Syria. support and development. This will include in a manner that “responds to the needs of the day and common interests.” It said that To persuade Turkey to stop people leaving Lebanon and Jordan are also sheltering funding for migration management and other European decisions about Turkey were its territory, the 27-nation bloc offered hundreds of thousands each. But Turkey is border control, notably at Turkey’s eastern far from “containing expected and necessary the country 6 billion euros for Syrian also a source of great concern for the EU, border.” steps.” refugees and the prospect of fast-track EU particularly disputed energy exploration membership talks and visa-free travel in work in the east Mediterranean that had It’s the first time that such EU funding has The ministry specifically complained that no Europe for its citizens. Arrivals quickly heightened tensions with EU member states been earmarked for migration management decision was taken to implement a “positive dropped to a relative trickle, and the EU is Greece and Cyprus. and border controls. The earlier funds were agenda” in relations between the bloc and keen to update the arrangement. spent directly on shelter and education Turkey, including agreement on the customs In a working paper prepared for the projects for Syrian refugees in Turkey. None union update. It insisted that Turkey has Membership talks are at a standstill, and summit, seen by The Associated Press, the of that money went directly to the Turkish fulfilled its “responsibilities in terms of Turkey has still not fulfilled several criteria commission said the support “has been government. reducing tension and initiating a dialogue” to secure visa-free travel, but the European highly effective and efficient.” It proposed with Greece. Commission has handed over most of the that “a further 3 billion euros from the EU The precise border area was not specified, funds and will pay the rest as contracts are budget shall be dedicated until 2024 to but it’s likely to refer to Turkey’s frontiers Credit : Associated Press (AP) Lava streams from crater as Report: Over 600 Indonesia’s Mount Merapi erupts bodies found at Indigenous school in Canada PC : AP Photo AP PC : eaders of Indigenous groups in L Canada said investigators have found Church that operated the school had more than 600 unmarked graves at the removed the markers. site of a former residential school for Indigenous children — a discovery that On Twitter, Canadian Prime Minister Justin follows last month’s report of 215 bodies Trudeau said he was “terribly saddened” to found at another school. learn of the latest discovery.

PC : AP Photo AP PC : The bodies were discovered at the Marieval “My heart breaks for the Cowessess Indian Residential School, which operated ndonesia’s most volatile volcano lava rocks, ash and volcanic gasses mixed First Nation following the discovery of I from 1899 to 1997 where the Cowessess Indigenous children buried at the former erupted, releasing plumes of ash high together. She described the volcano’s lava First Nation is now located, about 85 miles into the air and sending streams of lava with dome as growing rapidly, causing hot lava Marieval Residential School,” he said, (135 kilometers) east of Regina, the capital adding that ’’we will tell the truth about searing gas clouds flowing down its slopes. and gas clouds to flow down its slopes. Parts of Saskatchewan. No casualties were reported. of the lava dome were collapsing, sending these injustices.” rocks and ash flowing down the southwest A search with ground-penetrating radar Saskatchewan Premier Scott Moe said the Clouds of hot ash shot 1,000 meters flank of the volcano. resulted in 751 ’’hits,″ indicating that at entire province mourns the discovery of the (3,280 feet) into the sky and an avalanche least 600 bodies were buried in the area, said unmarked graves. of lava and searing gas spilled down Ash covered several villages and nearby Chief Cadmus Delorme of the Cowessess. Mount Merapi’s trembling slopes up to 3 towns, she said. The radar operators have said their results Don Bolen, Archbishop of Regina, kilometers (1.8 miles) at least six times since could have a margin of error of 10%. Saskatchewan, posted a letter to the the morning as the volcano groaned and Mount Merapi has seen increased volcanic Cowessess First Nation on the archdiocese’s rumbled, said Hanik Humaida, the head of activity in recent weeks and ash plumes “We want to make sure when we tell our website. Yogyakarta’s Volcanology and Geological extended about 1.8 kilometers (1.2 miles) to story that we’re not trying to make numbers Hazard Mitigation Center. the southwest of the volcano before dawn, sound bigger than they are,” Delorme said. “The news is overwhelming and I can only Humaida said. “I like to say over 600, just to be assured.” imagine the pain and waves of emotion that A series of strong pyroclastic flows were you and your people are experiencing right released from the actively growing lava Indonesia’s Volcanology and Geological He said the search continues and the radar now,” Bolen wrote. dome in the inner summit crater of the Hazard Mitigation Center did not raise hits will be assessed by a technical team 2,968-meter (9,737-foot) high volcano, Merapi’s alert status, which already was at and the numbers will be verified in coming Bolen said two years ago he apologized to Humaida said. the second-highest of four levels since it weeks. the Cowessess people for the “failures and began erupting last November. sins of Church leaders in the past.” Pyroclastic flow is a volcanic phenomenon Delorme said that the graves were marked includes turbulent and hot avalanches of hot Credit : Associated Press (AP) at one time, but that the Roman Catholic Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

28 June - 4 July 2021 13

THIS DAY | THAT YEAR | NEW DELHI TIMES

June 28, 1967

Israel annexed East Jerusalem, which from its point of view effected the reunification of its capital city on this day that year.

June 29, 2007

Apple releases the first iPhone on this day that year.

June 30, 1972

The first leap second was added to Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) on this day that year.

July 1, 2002

The International Criminal Court (ICC), created by the Rome Statute, was established on this day that year.

July 2, 2001 59-year-old American Robert L. Tools became the first person to receive a self-contained artificial heart transplant called the AbioCor at the Jewish Hospital in Louisville, Kentucky on this day that year. PC : Getty Images

July 3, 1962 Algeria gained its independence from France after the signing of the Évian Accords in the spa town of Évian-les-Bains PC : Getty Images on this day that year.

July 4, 2012 Discovery of Higgs boson particle was announced by scientists at the European Organization for Nuclear Research (CERN) on

this day that year. PC : Getty Images

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 14 28 June - 4 July 2021

Delhi/NCR NEW DELHI TIMES India’s first women Olympic Civil work on Delhi Metro’s Pink medallist is the first VC of Line’s Trilokpuri Stretch completed using unique construction method

Delhi Sports University ◆ By NDT Bureau ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes [email protected] @NewDelhiTimes [email protected] he Delhi Metro Rail Corporation T (DMRC) has said in a statement that to eightlifter Karnam Malleshwari- who expedite work on the Trilokpuri section of W won the bronze medal in the women’s Pink Line, the Delhi Metro adopted a unique 69 kg event at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 construction method by using steel girders and became the first Indian women to win instead of the conventional concrete ones. an Olympic medal – has been appointed as the first Vice Chancellor of the Delhi Sports PC : Getty Images A press release by the DMRC said: University. “Construction of concrete girders would have required the establishment of a casting Apart from the medal at Sydney Olympics, yard and it would not have been feasible to Malleshwari won many national and set up a casting yard for such a small stretch international medals, She was awarded within a short duration of time. Therefore, with the Rajiv Gandhi Khel Ratna in 1999, steel girders were installed on this stretch. PC : Getty Images Arjuna Award in 1994, and Padma Shri in that station was also delayed due to land 1999 A total of 40 steel girders have been placed acquisition issues. Delhi Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal on 10 spans for the 290-metre-long section. tweeted: “Delhi Sports University is These steel girders have been fabricated The work on installing these steel girders starting. Our big dream has come true. I and brought from a workshop at Ambala in and casting of deck slab was completed in am extremely proud to say that Olympic Haryana. This has not only saved time but April just before the second surge of the medalist Karnam Malleswari ji will be the also there was no need to create a separate Covid pandemic. This was a significant first Vice Chancellor”. casting yard for the concrete casting of the achievement because the civil construction expertise will help in producing “many more girders. on this stretch was started in early 2020 and Deputy Chief Minister Manish Sisodia Olympic medalists who will make India was repeatedly hampered by the pandemic said Karnam Malleswari’s experience and proud.” The length of these girders varies from induced lockdowns and issues such as non- 16 to 38 metres. The height of the viaduct availability of workforce. Now, track laying stands at about 8 to 9.5 metres. A curved and other ancillary works have commenced span of radius 200 metres is also a part of on this stretch between Mayur Vihar Pocket this stretch. Earlier, for the construction of – 1 and Trilokpuri Sanjay Lake following the Chhattarpur Metro station also, DMRC the completion of civil work. In addition, had adopted a similar method of using Overhead Electrification work is also under steel structures because the construction of progress.” NDMC hikes annual fees for grant and renewal of various trades licenses for 2021-22 PC : Getty Images

Guest houses with up to 20 beds will now pay ◆ By NDT Bureau ₹ 2,568 instead of ₹ 2,400, those with 21-50 @NewDelhiTimes beds will pay ₹ 6,527 instead of ₹ 6,100, those with 50-100 beds will pay ₹ 13,054 instead of [email protected] ₹ 12,200 and those with over 100 beds will pay he New Delhi Municipal Council ₹ 26,215 instead of 24,500. T (NDMC) has announced a hiked by The license fees for cafes and coffee shops up to seven per cent in the annual fees for with more than 50 seats has been increased grant and renewal of various trades licenses from ₹ 12,200 to ₹ 13,054. Office canteens, for 2021-22, including those for hotels, sweet shops, gyms, circuses and auditoriums restaurants, coffee shops, lodging houses were charged a license fee of ₹ 1,200 which and sweet shops. has now been increased to ₹ 1,284, officials said, adding that cinema halls, dancing halls NDMC officials said that the maximum hike in hotels, clubs and spas will pay ₹ 6,527 in the license fee is for the five-star hotels, instead of ₹ 6,500. which were earlier required to pay ₹ 61,200 per annum. They will now have to pay to ₹ The hike in the license fee for the year 2021- 65,484 for the purpose. The annual license 22 will be implemented with effect from fee for butchers, fish-mongers and poulters April 1. There will not be any increase in has been increased from ₹ 1,200 to ₹ 1,284. license fee for small kiosks and stalls. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

28 June - 4 July 2021 15

National NEW DELHI TIMES India will formulate a National Space Transportation Policy Transportation Policy-2020 - Norms, ◆ By NDT Bureau Guidelines & Procedures (NGP)” for @NewDelhiTimes implementation in public domain inviting comments and suggestions by July 21. [email protected] The National Space Transportation Policy ndia is planning to formulate an 2020 aims to unlock the potential of the I effective national space transportation space sector in the country with respect policy that will put in place a technological to space transportation systems. This and regulatory pathway so that the private primarily involves the creation of a fertile ecosystem can prosper in the area. environment within the country for Indian entities to develop launch vehicles and The Department of Space (DoS) said the launch them from Indian Territory within participation of private agencies in providing the framework of international treaties launch services has increased globally and and safety regulations. The policy seeks to some of them have become significant provide opportunities for Indian entities to players in the commercial market for the capture a share of the global launch services same. India is also witnessing the emergence market while allowing the Government of a ‘New Space’ wherein the private players agencies to accelerate focused R&D to build in the space sector aim to tap the commercial space transportation capabilities for future potential of small satellite launch services space endeavours along with commercial by developing small satellite launchers for exploitation. The establishment of space the global market, it said. enterprises has the potential to boost the economy by creating direct & indirect The DoS placed the “Draft National Space employment. PC : Getty Images E-filing portal of Modi holds out prospect Jim Corbett Income Tax Appellate National Park and Tribunal launched by of elections in Kashmir Rajaji Reserve will Union Law Minister now remain open Ravi Shankar Prasad for tourism round ◆ By NDT Bureau @NewDelhiTimes the year [email protected] ◆ By NDT Bureau n June 25, Ravi Shankar Prasad, @NewDelhiTimes O Union Minister for Law & Justice, [email protected] Communications and Electronics & IT, formally launched the e-filing portal of ttarakhand Forest Minister Harak Income Tax Appellate Tribunal (ITAT), ‘itat U Singh Rawat announced that the state’s e-dwar’ two Tiger Reserves — Corbett and Rajaji — The newly developed e-Filing Portal would would now remain open for tourism round enable the parties to file their Appeals, the year. Miscellaneous Applications, documents, paper books, etc., electronically. PC : Getty Images

PC : Getty Images ndian Prime Minister Narenda Modi democracy in J&K,” referring to Jammu and PC : Getty Images I offered the possibility of elections Kashmir, one of the two regions. in Kashmir, nearly two years after The Minister said that that this initiative “Delimitation,” he said, referring to of ITAT must not be seen as a solitary scrapping the region’s semi-autonomous status. redrawing parliamentary and assembly step. Instead, it should be seen as a larger constituencies so the number of voters in narrative of transformation that the country The actual prospect of elections came after each constituency are roughly the same, is undergoing through digital medium. It a meeting between Modi and Kashmiri must “happen at a quick pace so that Corbett located in the Kumaon region and enables innovation and empowerment political leaders. Modi said his government polls can happen and J&K gets an elected Rajaji Tiger Reserve located in the Garhwal and opens new avenues for growth. He was committed to local elections there. Government that gives strength to J&K’s region were previously closed for tourists expressed hope that ‘itat e-dwar’ will be development trajectory.” from 30 June to 15 November every year. widely accepted by the lawyers and tax The meeting was the first outreach by litigants alike. New Delhi to Kashmir since the restive Delimitation would be a first step toward Rawat said that the decision to keep both To mark the launch. a virtual function Himalayan region was split into two federal eventually holding local polls. the tiger reserves open throughout the year was organized at the national level which territories. Calling the meeting “an important step in has been taken after discussions with the top was attended by the functionaries of ITAT the ongoing efforts towards a developed and officials of the forest department. from all the 28 stations. The members of The controversial move had been deeply progressive J&K,” Modi tweeted that he had various Bar Associations also joined the unpopular and deepened alienation in India’s told the leaders of Jammu and Kashmir “that He said that the opening of the Tiger Reserve virtual function. It was also attended by only majority Muslim region, which has been it is the people, specially the youth who have throughout the year is part of the plan to the Officers of the Income Tax Department, under federal rule for about three years. to provide political leadership to J&K, and augment the income of the department, Chartered Accountants, Taxpayers and other ensure their aspirations are duly fulfilled.” which has been badly affected for more legal luminaries in the field of tax, from Modi said in a tweet after the meeting that, than one and a half years due to the Covid across the country. “Our priority is to strengthen grassroots Credit : Voice of America (VOA) epidemic.

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Neighbourhood NEW DELHI TIMES Pakistan premier Rights group: Facebook amplified Turtle carcasses criticized for Myanmar military propaganda wash ashore in comments on acebook’s recommendation algorithm that a group opposed to the junta may F amplifies military propaganda and have executed 25 civilians it captured and Sri Lanka after sexual violence other material that breaches the company’s allegations that troops had burned down a own policies in Myanmar following a village. ship fire rime Minister Imran Khan faced military takeover in February, a new report P growing criticism at home after by the rights group Global Witness says. Myanmar, also known as Burma, had over early a hundred carcasses of turtles seemingly blaming a rise in sexual violence 22.3 million Facebook users in January N with throat and shell damage, as well in Pakistan on women wearing “very few A month after the military seized power in 2020, more than 40% of its population, as a dozen dead dolphins and a blue whale, clothes.” Myanmar and imprisoned elected leaders, according to social media management have washed ashore in Sri Lanka since a Facebook’s algorithms were still prompting platform NapoleonCat. container ship burned and sank, raising fears users to view and “like” pro-military pages of a severe marine disaster. with posts that incited and threatened “What happens on Facebook matters violence, pushed misinformation that could everywhere, but in Myanmar that is doubly Ecologists believe the deaths were directly lead to physical harm, praised the military true,” the report says. As in many countries caused by the fire and release of hazardous and glorified its abuses, Global Witness said outside the Western Hemisphere, mobile chemicals while the Singapore-flagged in the report, published. phones in Myanmar often come pre-loaded X-Press Pearl burned for 12 days and sank last week off Sri Lanka’s main port in the capital Colombo. Government officials, however, said these causes were “provisionally” confirmed and the investigation was continuing. PC : AP Photo AP PC : The fire started on the ship on May 20 and His comments drew nationwide condemnation dead marine species started washing ashore from human rights activists and the country’s days later. opposition, which sought an apology. The controversial statements aired over the A ship manifest seen by The Associated weekend came in an interview on Axios, a Press said 81 of the ship’s nearly 1,500 documentary news series on HBO. containers held “dangerous” goods. “If a woman is wearing very few clothes it The Sri Lankan navy believes the blaze will have an impact, it will have an impact was caused by its chemical cargo, most of on the men, unless they’re robots,” the Prime which was destroyed in the fire. But debris Minister said. “I mean it’s common sense.”

PC : AP Photo AP PC : including burned fiberglass and tons of Asked directly by interviewer Jonathan plastic pellets have severely polluted the Swan whether the way that women dress That’s even though the social media giant with Facebook and many businesses do surrounding waters and a long stretch of the could provoke acts of sexual violence, Khan vowed to remove such content following not have a website, only a Facebook page. island nation’s famed beaches. said: “It depends on which society you live the coup, announcing it would remove For many people in the country, Facebook in. If in a society where people haven’t seen Myanmar military and military-controlled effectively is the internet. Post-mortem analysis on the carcasses that sort of thing, it will have an impact on pages from its site and from Instagram, are being performed at five government- them.” which it also owns. It has since enacted On March 23, just before the peak of run laboratories and separately by the Government Analysts Department, said an It was the second time in two months that other measures intended to reduce offline military violence against civilians, Global official of the wildlife department who spoke Khan sparked outrage after suggesting that harm in the country. Witness said it set up a new, clean Facebook on condition of anonymity as the official was women’s attire plays a role in provoking account with no history of liking or not authorized to speak to the media. sexual violence against them. Facebook said that its teams “continue to following specific topics and searched for closely monitor the situation in Myanmar in “Tatmadaw”, the Burmese name for the In April, in an online show on state-run real-time and take action on any posts, Pages armed forces. It filtered the search results to Pakistan Television, Khan claimed that or Groups that break our rules.” show pages, and selected the top result — a wearing a veil — the traditional head military fan page whose name translates as covering worn by conservative Muslim Days after the Feb. 1 coup, the military “a gathering of military lovers.” women — would protect women from temporarily blocked access to Facebook sexual assault. because it was being used to share anti-coup Older posts on this page showed sympathy comments and organize protests. Access for Myanmar’s soldiers and at least two Khan’s government has faced criticism over was later restored. In the following weeks, advertised for young people to join the its failure to curb sexual attacks on women Facebook continued to tighten its policies military — but none of the newer posts since he came into power by winning a against the military, banning all military since the coup violated Facebook’s Photo AP PC : simple majority in parliamentary elections entities from its platforms and saying it policies. However, when Global Witness’s in 2018. would remove praise or support for violence account “liked” the page, Facebook began “Provisionally, we can say that these deaths Pakistan has been rocked by high-profile against citizens and their arrest. recommending related pages with material were caused by two methods — one is due sexual attacks, including last September inciting violence, false claims of interference to burns from the heat and secondly due to when a woman was gang-raped in front of “Once again, Facebook shows that it’s good in last year’s election and support of violence chemicals. These are obvious,” said Anil her children after her car broke down on a at making broad sweeping announcements against civilians. Jasinghe, secretary of the environment major freeway at night near Lahore. and bad at actually enforcing them. They’ve ministry. had years to improve their work in Myanmar A March 1 post, for instance, includes a Sexual harassment and violence against but once again they are still failing,” said death threat against protesters who vandalize He refrained from giving an exact cause, women is not uncommon in Pakistan. Sophie Zhang, a former Facebook data surveillance cameras. saying “post-mortem analysis are still being Nearly 1,000 women are killed in Pakistan scientist and whistleblower who found conducted.” each year in so-called “honor killings” for evidence of political manipulation in “Those who threaten female police officers allegedly violating conservative norms on countries such as Honduras and Azerbaijan from the traffic control office and violently Thushan Kapurusinghe of the Turtle love and marriage. while she worked there. destroy the glass and destroy CCTV, those Conservation Project blamed the fire and chemicals the ship carried for killing the The weekend interview with Khan in who cut the cables, those who vandalize The struggle between the military regime turtles. Islamabad covered a wide range of issues, with color sprays, (we) have been given an that deposed Aung San Suu Kyi’s elected but his comments seemingly linking how order to shoot to kill them on the spot,” reads government and those opposing it has With over three decades experience on turtle women dress to sexual violence garnered part of the post in translation, according to sharpened in recent months. conservation, Kapurusinghe said the dead by far the most attention. The former cricket the report. “Saying this before Tatmadaw turtles had oral, cloacal and throat bleeding star drew broad criticism on social media starts doing this. If you don’t believe and Soldiers and police have killed hundreds of and “specific parts of their carapace have from both civil rights groups and everyday continue to do this, go ahead. If you are not protesters. Last week, the United Nations’ burns and erosion signs.” Pakistanis. afraid to die, keep going.” office in Myanmar expressed concern about Credit : Associated Press (AP) escalating human rights abuses after reports Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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North America NEW DELHI TIMES US votes against Regional human UN resolution rights body condemning US condemns Nicaragua crackdown embargo on Cuba he President of the Inter-American T Commission on Human Rights said he United States voted against a that Nicaragua had entered a new phase of T U.N. resolution that overwhelmingly repression with at least 20 opposition figures condemned the American economic arrested in recent weeks and “constant embargo of Cuba for the 29th year, human rights violations.” maintaining the Trump administration’s opposition and refusing to return to the Photo AP PC : Antonia Urrejola told members of the Obama administration’s 2016 abstention. financial sanctions and restricted travel by legislative elites,” Rodriguez said. Organization of American States’ Permanent U.S. citizens in a blow to its tourism sector, Council that the crackdown appeared to be The vote in the 193-member General The General Assembly’s last vote in part of a government strategy to snuff out Assembly was 184 countries supporting which caused the country record losses November 2019, during its 74th session, estimated at around $5 billion. internal dissidence ahead of the Nov. 7 the condemnation, the United States and was 187-3 with the U.S., Israel and Brazil elections, in which President Daniel Ortega Israel opposing it, and Brazil, Colombia and “All these measures remain in force today voting “no,” and Colombia and Ukraine will seek a fourth consecutive term. Ukraine abstaining. Four countries did not and are being fully implemented,” he said. abstaining. The assembly’s 75th session vote -- Central African Republic, Myanmar, “And paradoxically, they are shaping up the began in September 2020, but because of the An extended “de facto state of exception” Moldova and Somalia. behavior of the current U.S. administration COVID-19 pandemic the vote on the Cuba in Nicaragua has “intensified the closure of particularly during the months when Cuba resolution was postponed from last fall to. democratic spaces,” she said. Before the vote, the U.S. Mission’s political has experienced the highest COVID-19 coordinator, Rodney Hunter, told the General Assembly resolutions are not In the past month, the regional human rights infection rate, the highest number of fatalities assembly that the Biden administration voted legally binding and are unenforceable, but body has received 27 requests for protective and a much worse economic impact.” “no” because the United States believes they reflect world opinion and the vote has measures for people persecuted or threatened sanctions are key to advancing democracy Rodriguez said the restrictions remain given Cuba an annual stage to demonstrate in Nicaragua, virtually the same number as and human rights which “remain at the core despite the Democratic Party platform the isolation of the U.S. on the embargo. in all of 2020. of our policy efforts toward Cuba.” that “promised voters to swiftly reverse It was imposed in 1960 following the the actions taken by the administration of “Sanctions are a legitimate way to achieve revolution led by Fidel Castro and the Donald Trump, particularly the elimination foreign policy, national security, and other nationalization of properties belonging to of restrictions on travel to Cuba, financial national and international objectives,” U.S. citizens and corporations. Two years remittances and the implementation of the Hunter said, “and are one set of tools in later it was strengthened. bilateral migration accords, including the our broader effort toward Cuba to advance granting of visas.” Former Cuban President Raul Castro and democracy, promote respect for human then-President Barack Obama officially PC : AP Photo AP PC : rights, and help the Cuban people exercise He said “a large majority” of Americans restored relations in July 2016, and that year the fundamental freedoms enshrined in the support lifting the embargo, restoring the U.S. abstained on the resolution calling Universal Declaration of Human Rights.” freedom to travel and establishing normal for an end to the embargo for the first time. relations. But Obama’s successor, Donald Trump, “We therefore oppose this resolution,” Urrejola said many of the recent arrests sharply criticized Cuba’s human rights he said. Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno “There are some who put the blame of this involved the use of force and raids of record, and in 2017 the U.S. again voted Rodriguez accused the Biden administration pernicious inertia on the electoral ambitions homes without judicial orders. Some people against the resolution. of following Trump administration policies associated to Florida or the balances, in were taken to secret hearings without legal that tightened economic, commercial and no way transparent, of the political and Credit : Associated Press (AP) representation. Authorities refuse to tell relatives where they are being held or the state of their health. Infighting in Gulf cartel blamed Ortega’s government has maintained that massive street protests sparked by a change for Mexico border killings to the social security system in April 2018, were an attempted coup that received force for cartel leaders; now they and the day and shutting down by nightfall. foreign backing. Cyclones operate their own smuggling, At least 328 people were killed and more trafficking and extortion territory east of “There is a lot of uncertainty, because no one than 2,000 were wounded as the government Reynosa, in Rio Bravo and Matamoros. knows for sure what is happening,” said one PC : AP Photo AP PC : Reynosa resident. put down those protests in the following months, according to the commission. he top prosecutor in Mexico’s border Barrios said trucks carrying gunmen from T state of Tamaulipas said that infighting the Scorpions and Cyclones drove into The federal prosecutors said they were Many of those arrested in recent weeks face between rival factions of the Gulf drug cartel Reynosa and opened fire “to destabilize taking over the case, and President Andrés allegations of crimes against the state, often was the motive behind a weekend shooting Reynosa and gain territory there.” Manuel López Obrador pledged “a thorough involving receiving funding from overseas. that killed 19 people, 15 of whom appeared investigation.” Nicaragua’s representative at the to be innocent bystanders. He said their aim was “to create terror in a portion of the public so they could come in But the killings in Reynosa, and the latest OAS, Ricardo Alvarado, described the and take control.” nationwide homicide figures, suggest that commission’s report as “fallacious and bad State prosecutor Irving Barrios told local López Obrador’s “hugs not bullets” crime intentioned.” It charged that the commission station Radio Formula that apparently two There is evidence that the groups of hitmen strategy is doing little to decrease deaths. was “used as the tip of the spear by the gangs that operate just outside the border riding in a half-dozen pickup trucks sought United States against Nicaragua.” city of Reynosa launched the attack to to sow panic and also robbed people. There were 2,963 homicides in May, weaken the rival Metros faction. the latest month for which figures are Alvarado accused the U.S. and other “They came firing left and right, available, higher than May 2020 and well countries of interfering in Nicaragua’s The Metros have long dominated Reynosa, everywhere,” Barrios said. “They robbed above the numbers that prevailed when upcoming elections. He called Ortega’s across from McAllen, Texas. The area is a stores, they broke into an auto repair shop López Obrador took office in December opponents “terrorist groups, mercenaries lucrative corridor for trafficking contraband and stole cell phones and several vehicles, 2018. and traitors directed and financed by the and migrants across the U.S. border. all with the goal of spreading terror.” (U.S.) government.” The government says homicides declined In a televised speech Ortega railed against All three factions — the Metros, the Four of the gunmen were killed in shootouts 2.9% in the first five months of 2021 U.S. interference and said those arrested Scorpions and the Cyclones — were part of with police and National Guard members, compared to 2020, but that may be were not targeted because they were the Gulf Cartel, but struggles for leadership and a fifth was wounded and is in custody. because January and February of this Presidential hopefuls, but rather because and territory broke out after the arrest of year were marked by Mexico’s worst drug lord Osiel Cárdenas Guillén in 2003, Some Reynosa residents who spoke on they were allegedly plotting to overthrow coronavirus wave, when public activities his government as he claimed they tried in and the Gulf Cartel’s split with their former condition of anonymity for fear of reprisals were curtailed. henchmen, the Zetas, around 2010. The said many stores and restaurants were either April 2018. Scorpions were once a specialized security closed or opening for only a few hours per Credit : Associated Press (AP) Credit : Associated Press (AP)

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Africa NEW DELHI TIMES Libya conference sees hope on elections, foreign forces ibya’s transitional government underlined challenge will be to start bringing all L its commitment to holding elections armed groups in Libya under a joint on Dec. 24 at a conference with powers that military command. have interests in the North African country, while the German hosts vowed to keep up Speaking ahead of the conference, Blinken pressure until all foreign forces have been said that “we share the goal of a sovereign, withdrawn from Libya. stable, unified, secure Libya free from foreign interference — it’s what the people Germany and the United Nations brought of Libya deserve, it’s critical to regional together 17 countries at the conference in security as well.” Berlin. Libya’s transitional leadership was joined by Foreign Ministers from Egypt, Photo AP PC : “For that to happen, national elections need Turkey, Tunisia, Algeria, France and Italy, to go forward in December and that means U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken, and urgent agreement is needed on constitutional senior officials from Russia, the United Arab and legal issues that would undergird those Emirates and others. elections,” he said. “And the Oct. 23 cease- fire agreement has to be fully implemented, The meeting followed up on a January 2020 including by withdrawing all foreign forces conference where leaders agreed to respect in our country and pave the way for free, understand that a withdrawal would have from Libya.” an arms embargo and to push the country’s inclusive and safe elections on Dec. 24.” to be carried out “step by step” and added warring parties to reach a full cease-fire. that it would have to be balanced, so that one Conference participants supported efforts Germany has tried to act as an intermediary. The conference saw powers involved in side doesn’t gain an advantage. toward a reconciliation process and Libya recommit to refraining from interfering committed to helping Libyan authorities “in German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas said in the country’s internal affairs and stating Mangoush said there was “progress” developing a comprehensive approach to the meeting “marked a new phase” and that that foreign forces and mercenaries need to regarding mercenaries, “so hopefully within addressing migration,” including the closure “we are no longer only talking about Libya, be withdrawn “without delay” — something the coming days mercenaries from both of detention centers. but above all with Libya.” on which there has been little progress. sides are going to be withdrawn,” creating more trust and leading to further steps. Aid group Doctors Without Borders said this Participants welcomed progress since the Asked what guarantees the countries process was launched. An October cease- A senior U.S. official, speaking on week it was suspending its activities in two involved are giving to withdraw foreign detention centers in Tripoli after “repeated fire agreement including a demand that fighters, Maas pointed to the fact that they condition of anonymity because he was all foreign fighters and mercenaries leave not authorized to speak publicly about the incidents of violence toward refugees and had gathered for the conference. He said migrants held there.” Libya within 90 days led to a deal on the that “we will not let up, and we will not rest, closed-doors talks, said Russia and Turkey elections in December and the transitional tentatively agreed to begin a process of until the last foreign forces have left Libya It said staff had witnessed guards beating government that took office in February. removing foreign fighters. The official ... wherever they come from.” detainees at one center and received reports Libyan Foreign Minister Najla Mangoush said the deal is not yet done but they of people being shot at in another. said the transitional government came “with He said Russia and Turkey, which have are prepared to discuss an incremental a vision of how best to re-establish stability been heavily involved on opposite sides, withdrawal of about 300 each. A further Credit : Associated Press (AP) Vaccine technology transfer Early agreement center to open in South Africa reached in he World Health Organization dispute over Suez T is in talks to create the first-ever technology transfer hub for coronavirus Canal ship Photo AP PC : vaccines in South Africa, a move to boost supply to the continent that’s desperately in he owners and insurers of the At first, the Suez Canal Authority demanded need of COVID-19 shots, the head of the T giant container ship that blocked $916 million in compensation, which was U.N. agency announced. the Suez Canal for nearly a week earlier later lowered to $550 million. this year have reached an agreement in The new consortium will include drugmakers principle over their dispute with canal Since it was freed, the Panama-flagged, Biovac and Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines, authorities, representatives from both Japanese-owned vessel, which carries cargo a network of universities and the Africa Photo AP PC : sides said. between Asia and Europe, has been ordered Centres for Disease Control and Prevention. by authorities to remain in a holding lake Stann Marine, the lawyers representing They will develop training facilities for mid-canal, along with most of its crew, as produce vaccines, lamented Lara Dovifat, a the vessel’s owners and insurers, and the other vaccine makers to make shots that use its owner and the canal authority try to settle campaign and advocacy adviser for Doctors Suez Canal Authority both confirmed the a genetic code of the spike protein, known as the compensation dispute. Without Borders. development. mRNA vaccines. In a statement, the UK Club, one insurer for “The faster companies share the know- The disagreement centers on the “We are now in discussions with several the ship’s owners, the Japanese company how, the faster we can put an end to this compensation amount the Suez Canal companies that have indicated interest in Shoei Kisen, said it is working with other pandemic,” she said in a statement. Authority is claiming for the salvage of the providing their mRNA technology,” said insurers and the canal authority to sign a vessel Ever Given, which ran aground in final agreement “as soon as possible.” WHO director-general Tedros Adhanom Numerous factories in Canada, Bangladesh, March, blocking the crucial waterway for Ghebreysus at a virtual press briefing. That Denmark and elsewhere have previously six days. Specialist tugboats and dredgers “Once the formalities have been dealt with, technology is used in the Pfizer-BioNTech called for companies to immediately share eventually freed the 400-meter-long arrangements for the release of the vessel and Moderna vaccines. their technology, saying their idle production (quarter-mile-long) cargo ship carrying will be made,” the statement said. lines could be churning out millions of doses some $3.5 billion in cargo. Africa will soon be able to “take if they weren’t hampered by intellectual The two sides have traded blame for the responsibility for the health of our people,” as property and other restrictions. In an on-air phone call to Egyptian talk show vessel’s grounding, with bad weather, poor a result of the new WHO-backed technology “Al-Hiyat Al-Youm” the head of Egypt’s decisions on the part of canal authorities, transfer hub, South African President Cyril More than 1 billion coronavirus vaccines Suez Canal Authority, Lt. Gen. Osama and human and technical error all being Ramaphosa said in the press briefing. have been administered globally, but fewer Rabie, said the parties had agreed on a thrown out as possible factors. than 1% have been in poor countries. compensation amount. But he said it would It is “just not equitable and not fair” not be made public as they had signed a non- The Ismailia Economic Court adjourned a that some people are denied access to South Africa accounts for nearly 40% of disclosure agreement until the signing of the hearing on the case after the Suez Canal’s COVID-19 vaccines because of where they Africa’s total recorded COVID-19 infections final contract. attorneys said they were looking into a live, Ramaphosa said. and is currently suffering a rapid surge, but new offer made by the vessel’s owners. The money would cover the salvage vaccine rollout has been slow, marked by Lawyers did not share any details of the Poor countries in Africa and elsewhere are operation, costs of stalled canal traffic, and delayed deliveries among other factors. offer. facing dire shortages of COVID-19 jabs lost transit fees for the week the Ever Given despite some countries having the ability to Credit : Associated Press (AP) blocked the canal. Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

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South America NEW DELHI TIMES Brazil’s Environment Minister 5.8-magnitude resigns amid criticism, probes quake shakes Peru coast; no reports of razilian Environment Minister Ricardo began expressing concern about surging B Salles announced his resignation, deforestation, Bolsonaro’s administration damage giving up his post amid sharp criticism of received no rebuke from then U.S. President his tenure and two investigations into his Donald Trump on his environmental 5.8-magnitude earthquake hit Peru’s actions involving allegedly illegal timber policies. On the campaign trail last year, A central coast, causing some residents operations. U.S. President Joe Biden called on Brazil of the capital to run out of their shaking to curb Amazon deforestation in order homes or buildings. There were no to slow climate change, and this year his immediate reports of damages. administration began talks with Salles’ ministry in an attempt to find solutions. The U.S Geological Survey said the quake’s epicenter was 6.4 miles (10.3 kilometers) Preliminary data, based on satellite images, west-southwest of Mala in Canete province, has shown year-on-year increases of Amazon and had a depth of 50 kilometers. deforestation for three straight months, most recently by 41% in May. The data is considered The quake was felt in the capital of Lima and a reliable leading indicator for more complete some rocks fell onto a roadway on the city’s PC : AP Photo AP PC : calculations released at year end. Pacific coastline, but authorities reported no Brazilian activists said Salles’ departure was major damages. The move comes as talks with the U.S. overdue. government aimed at curbing Amazon Earthquakes are frequent in Peru, which lies deforestation have hit obstacles. Salles Adriana Ramos, coordinator of the on the Pacific’s so-called Ring of Fire. had insisted Brazil needs external financial policy and legal program at the nonprofit support to take stronger action, while critics Socioenvironmental Institute, said Salles’ Credit : Associated Press (AP) PC : Getty Images cautioned Washington to await concrete tenure will be remembered by the loss results before reaching any agreement with of international confidence, an increase a Brazilian administration that has hobbled in emissions from deforestation and the Colombia reaches 100,000 deaths enforcement of environmental laws. dismantling of environmental controls.

“I understand that Brazil this year and next, Márcio Astrini, executive secretary of from COVID-19 as cases surge the Climate Observatory, a network of for its international and national agenda, olombia reached 100,000 confirmed In Colombia, the rise in cases comes as the needs a very strong union of interests and environmental groups, told The Associated Press that Salles’ legacy is “the worst possible.″ C deaths from COVID-19 this week, government lifts some of the last restrictions efforts and, so that can be done as smoothly becoming just the tenth country in the world it had put in place to control the spread of the as possible, I tendered my resignation to “There were two straight years of to hit the grim milestone. coronavirus and allows nightclubs, bars and the President,“ Salles told reporters at the deforestation in the Amazon, fires in Brazil cinemas to open for the first time in more Presidential palace. and invasions of public areas. He paralyzed The South American nation of 50 million has than a year. been registering a growing number of daily Salles and President Jair Bolsonaro have the collection of environmental fines, persecuted inspectors and followed a path of cases since April and over the past seven Cities like Medellin and Bogota are also been outspoken supporters of development days it had the world’s third-highest per preparing to hold trade shows and music in the Amazon, which critics say has environmental destruction in the country,″ Astrini said. capita death rate from COVID-19, according events that will be attended by thousands encouraged land grabbing and illegal mining to data published by Oxford University. of people, while 10,000 people recently in protected areas. As some foreign investors Credit : Associated Press (AP) attended a soccer match in the coastal city President Iván Duque blamed antigovernment of Barranquilla. protests that began at the end of April for Australian judge many of the fatalities, saying that “more than 10,000 deaths could have been avoided” if says woman can be Colombians had not held large gatherings extradited to Chile Photo AP PC : over the past seven weeks. But epidemiologists in Colombia said it’s n Australian judge dismissed a too soon to tell how much of an impact woman’s appeal against extradition A the protests had on the current surge in to Chile, where she is wanted on kidnapping COVID-19 deaths. charges dating to Augusto Pinochet’s military dictatorship in the 1970s. “The protests definitely played a role” in coronavirus contagion, said Diego Rosselli, Adriana Rivas had appealed a magistrate’s a professor of epidemiology at the Javeriana Photo AP PC : decision in October that she could be Rivas faces potential maximum penalties University in Bogota. “But at this moment extradited on allegations that she kidnapped of a life sentence on each of five charges, putting any number on how many deaths Municipal governments say they have no seven people in 1976 and 1977, including and 20 years on each of the remaining two they caused is mere speculation.” option but to allow these events in order to Communist Party leader Victor Diaz and counts. party member Reinalda Pereira, who was More than 25,000 people have died from regain jobs and help the economy get back five months pregnant. Her lawyers argued Rivas was not a DINA COVID-19 in Colombia since May 1, or on its feet. agent and her work was mundane. Her tasks about a quarter of those who have died from Rivas was an assistant to Manuel Contreras, Colombia’s unemployment rate doubled last included collecting laundry, making coffee the disease since the first case of coronavirus year as the government implemented several the head of the DINA secret police during and translating, they said. was registered in Colombia in March of last Pinochet’s dictatorship. Rivas, 68, denies lockdowns to slow down contagion and the year. country’s GDP shrank by 7%. ever meeting the alleged victims, who have They also contended the alleged victims were Rosselli said more contagious variants of never been found. detained following arrests, not kidnapped, Vaccination sped up in June with up to the virus may have contributed to the sharp and that those actions were carried out by 350,000 doses administered in one day, but Federal Court Justice Wendy Abraham in acceleration in death rates, as has happened the state, not by an individual. only 10% of Colombia’s population is fully Sydney ruled that Rivas could be extradited in nearby countries like Argentina and vaccinated. on the seven charges of aggravated Abraham said she did not have to determine Brazil. kidnap and ordered her to pay the Chilean Rivas’ guilt or innocence in deciding Doctors fear that recent decisions to allow Fatigue with sanitary measures – like using government’s court costs. She can appeal the whether she could be extradited. more gatherings will increase the number facemasks – crowded living arrangements judgment before a full bench of the Federal of severely ill patients arriving at hospitals, and fewer restrictions on gatherings have Court. Rivas’ lawyers had argued the magistrate which are already struggling to cope. In also fueled contagion in Colombia and was mistaken in finding that Rivas ought to Bogota, Cali and Medellin, more than Abraham said there was no substance to elsewhere in South America. The region have known the detentions were unlawful 95% of intensive care beds at hospitals are Rivas’ submission that the lower court had makes up just 5% of the world’s population and would lead to torture and murder. already occupied. “engaged in a rubber stamping exercise” in but accounts for almost a quarter of all approving her extradition. Credit : Associated Press (AP) COVID-19 deaths. Credit : Associated Press (AP)

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Opinion NEW DELHI TIMES The rise of the Environmental State the tidal market forces, but it is time to governance was a subject on the idealistic accept humbly that Nature’s de-stabilizing fringes of our polity and this construct being ◆ By James Sangma encounter with modernity is not serving us considered a ‘utopian solarpunk fantasy’ Environment & Power well. but now it’s time for states - especially Minister Meghalaya the forest economies like Meghalaya and This variant of capitalism has turned rogue @JamesSangma1 others - on the frontlines of climate change and we have to find its ideological opponent. - to institutionalise and integrate it into our he raging pandemic has turned the Naomi Klein- in her book that doubles up operational heart. T perceptions of what we thought of a stunning polemic - has a chapter entitled This institutionalisation is critical to as ‘modern day gift horses’ - internet, ‘When Science says that political revolution incentivise the systemic approach towards electricity and all those countless runs is our only hope’ - where she describes ‘a nature first’ system. to our refrigerators’ from our quarantine a geophysicist’s Bred Werner’s startling bunkers into a source of debilitating lifestyle presentation to the annual conference of Extreme climate events have crossed the ailments - pummeling us closer to the mental the American Geophysical Union in which natural disaster benchmark and have become health collapse. Werner approaches the question of the a ‘quotidian’ reality. And it is time to rethink sustainability of humankind through a and recast our systems.

And while the suspension of economic PC : Getty Images activity might have caused the planet to dynamic model known as a global coupled At the helm of the environment in a state clunky, Kafkaesque byzantine bureaucratic rejoice, our carbon laced lifestyle, indoors, human-environmental system where he - that continues to be ravaged by the ever mess stands dispelled when seen through has refused to bend its rising curve. The ascribes the current ecological crisis to be iterating threat and years of subscribing to the the lens of this herculean undertaking. She Internet is the sixth biggest emitter followed a result of a global market system that is growth imperatives that required the erosion further points out that NASA had clauses by the usual culprits - cooling and our ‘working too well’. of natural capital- a means that the world in its procurement contacts that prohibited diets - it takes eight pounds of grain to “It is true and is an awful paradox of the economy has deployed for enjoying what is excess profits and provided incentives produce meat for a single pound of meat for times — a healthy economy means a growing routinely celebrated as ‘economic growth’, for innovation and it paid close attention hamburger with the cow that heats up the economy — and a growing economy makes it is time to re-write and operationalise the to the skills of its own staff, encouraging planet throughout its lifespan with a steady demands on the planet that it can no longer ‘environmental state’ paradigm. training and learning and built unorthodox release of methane. sustain”. A vicious cycle that is almost Needless to say, this is our ‘glass ceiling’. collaboration with private stakeholders. In a sliver of good news though - was a Faustian in its approach because we cannot collective questioning of the 21st Century’s wean away from it. Economist Mariana Mazzakato in her book It was a case of ‘minimum government and ‘Mission Economy’ - offers a glimmer maximum governance’. foundational mythologies - hardwired into And only resistance to the dominant culture of hope. She mentions President John F our mental models and cultural narratives in will give some hope of avoiding collapse, he Kennedy’s famous “Moonshot speech” that Young governments like us need to take a terms of development- exponential growth concludes that can slow down this machine. objectives, middle class growth (modelled galvanised the US public behind the Apollo ‘mission oriented Apollo approach’ toward on west styled consumption) and global While Naomi Klien makes it a case of mission to send astronauts to the Moon. speed building a collective manifesto of ‘revolt and protest’ to build a political and social the ‘environment state’ to help neutralise supply chains - built at a blitzing pace of “We choose to go to the Moon in this decade and consensus in order to arrest this fast approaching the fast approaching threat that has cast a industrialisation. do the other things, not because they are easy, but sordid reality, I am taking a step further to serious doubt over our ‘human future’. Governments - like people - too have been because they are hard,” were his famous words. make my case for state-leading the case for Jointly written by: subscribing to the marvels of the industrial environment and climate change- through the And this mission was steered and operated James Sangma - Environment and Power revolution and rampant globalisation - construct of an ‘environment state’. by the government itself. Minister of Meghalaya and calibrating, optimising and thrusting its Iram Mirza - Advisor to Governments on Impact resources to the swivel and tumble of Not too early back, environmental The myth of governments being seen as Programming Anti-Money Laundering Systems are a failure, Need systematic reforms G7 body to prevent money laundering and based on compliance only. Actual money ◆ By NDT Bureau terror financing, were found to be seriously laundering and their effects on the society @NewDelhiTimes lacking in AML systems. The FATF report are neither investigated to its logical end nor consistently highlight that there is inadequate attempted to be stopped using new measures. [email protected] supervision and weak implementation of The increased compliance mechanisms the anti-money laundering norms. Though are found lacking in changing the overall ecently, an investigation by the most countries have come up with domestic behavior of financial institutions. R International Consortium for laws for the AML, implementation remains Investigative Journalists (ICIJ) concerning grossly inadequate. As reported by the ICIJ, While a novel solution to the issue of money the poor efficacy of the anti-money- FATF Executive Director David Lewis laundering doesn’t exist, the problem can be laundering (AML) systems was named the summed it up as- “everyone is doing badly, largely solved using a host of measures. The Pulitzer Prize finalist. The investigations PC : Getty Images but some are doing less badly than other.” most logical solution to the issue would be revealed just how easily banks and therefore to penalize the banks for non-detection of criminals launder dirty money without fresh with no criminal record. Not sharing major risks while also persuading them to Not only were the banks themselves, the detection. crime data results in inefficient solutions decrease reporting substantial numbers of AML departments in major countries to this serious problem. Banks can’t be cases treating it as a liability for them. The investigations cooped into FinCEN (the found to be seriously lacking in manpower expected to device counter-measures if US financial intelligence authority) and also and capabilities to detect and enforce. The specifics regarding data-inconsistencies Secondly, banks must be pushed to expedite AML authorities in the European countries. investigations reveal that despite a two- are not shared with them because the sheer transparency in operations by registering the The report highlighted a particularly digit growth in money laundering alerts number and volume of the transactions beneficiaries. Third, the financial watchdogs concerning issue which is the “role of some every year in the United Kingdom, its AML remains significantly high. and banks alone should not be the only of the world’s biggest banks in facilitating authority has in fact shrunk in size. FinCEN parties in AML. Organizations like non- international money laundering and the has similarly been unable to investigate A serious challenge in the AML operations governmental organizations, independent trafficking of goods and people, corruption major laundering cases where the heads of is surveillance and detection. The persons experts and media should be involved too. that continues to frustrate regulators across the powerful banks can be implicated. And involved in these illegal operations do not This will increase the scope of discovering the world.” it remains short-staffed too. charge exorbitant costs. With rates hovering fraudulent transactions, and also enable below 10%, the market rate is too low for reforms in the AML systems. Well-known Banks like JPMorgan Chase, A major issue in the detection of money any law-enforcement to detect these entities. HSBC, Deutsche bank, Standard Chartered, laundering architecture is the lack of The ease with which laundering happens in Leveraging technological solutions like use of etc., were found to be involved in significant cooperation between the authorities and the banks through corruption makes it easier for Artificial Intelligence to analyze the financial processing of laundered money involving financial institutions. The banks operate with these entities to smoothly conduct operations logs and scoop problematic transactions is trillions of dollars every year. European privacy and therefore need to be efficient without fear of detection. also an area of interest. For effective and Banks were also found lacking in preventing in detection of fraudulent or problematic urgent results, registration of beneficiaries on their premises to be used for money transactions. They have not shared the data The UN Office on Drugs and Crime report national database is suggested as an effective laundering. from criminal investigations, technical estimated that only 0.2 per cent of laundered measure. But the importance of investigating details and backgrounds of people involved money was intercepted before 2011. Critics money laundering can’t be more emphasized Countries rated as low-risk countries by in these operations. Also, investigations find of AML institutions such as global watchdog to prevent crimes, terrorism, and unethical the Financial Action Task Force (FATF), a that most faces behind these operations are FATF point to fact that these institutions are finance. www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

28 June - 4 July 2021 21

Sports NEW DELHI TIMES Hashimoto: World Test Championship final ‘No spectators’ loss exposes familiar chinks in still possible for Tokyo Olympics the armour of Indian Team A “no-spectator games” remains an performances and have played no innings of has very few takers. It was a Test Match option for the Tokyo Olympics, ◆ By Dr. Pawan Mathur note in their recent outings. Also, the place and India had an opportunity to rectify the which open officially in just four weeks, the @PawanMathur of Pujara in the batting order has come under batting failure of the first innings. Instead, President of the Tokyo Olympic organizing the scanner. It is being increasingly felt that the batting performed below par giving the committee said. [email protected] Pujara is consuming a lot of balls but failing WTC to New Zealand on a platter. The admission by Seiko Hashimoto comes to convert his vigil into a substantial score. he Indian cricket team lost the inaugural only four days after she announced that up A word of appreciation also needs to be T World Test Championship (WTC) to 10,000 local fans would be allowed into There is no doubt that Pujara is a quality test said about Kane Williamson’s New Zealand final to a balanced New Zealand side by 8 venues — with numbers not to exceed 50% player but he and the team management need side. Williamson is one of the best batsmen wickets at the Aegis Bowl, Southampton. of venue capacity regardless of indoor or to look into this aspect. Although Rahane did in the world today and is proving to be an There is no doubt that Kane Williamson’s outdoor events. score 49 in the first innings, his average of astute and composed captain. Ross Taylor’s side was the deserving winner of the WTC, 21.91 this year shows that he has been way experienced presence in the middle order Organizers put off the decision on local fans having its bases covered in all departments inconsistent. A few tough decisions now solidifies the batting line up. for several months, and fans from abroad of the game and seizing the initiative from need to be taken by the team management. were banned months ago. The move to allow India at a critical moment in the match. fans went against many medical experts who However, at the same time, familiar chinks The WTC final has also once again brought Henry Nicholas and Tom Latham also step have said the safest Olympics would be with in the armour of the Indian Teams have once to the fore an old problem of Indian cricket up consistently while Devon Conway has no fans due to coronavirus. again resurfaced after this loss. The inability – failing to clean up the opposition lower got off to a dream start in his Test career. PC : AP Photo AP PC :

“What I feel is that no spectating should remain an option for us as we look into things,” Hashimoto said at a news conference. “The situation is changing from time to time so that is why we need to remain flexible and prompt in responding to any change. A no-spectator games is one of our options.” Organizers seemed to back down slightly on

PC : Getty Images fans after a COVID-19 panel for the Tokyo Metropolitan Government reported that of the much-revered Indian batting line- order. In reply to India’s first innings total Conway, Williamson and Taylor are all “there’s a sign of resurgence” of infections up to cope with quality swing bowling has of 217, New Zealand were reduced to averaging above 50 in 2021. New Zealand’s in Tokyo. 192/7 at one stage. However, the last three four-pronged pace attack has also been been exposed again. The turning point of the The panel said infections grew by 11% in the New Zealand wickets added 57 runs which potent. Since the start of 2021, Jamieson has WTC final was the capitulation of the Indian last week — based on the seven-day average proved decisive in a low scoring game. Now, picked 21 wickets in 6 innings at an average batting line up against the four-pronged — with more of the contagious Delta variant compare this with the Indian scorecard. The of 13.85, Boult 16 wickets in 6 innings at an Kiwi pace attack of Tim Southee, Trent cases being detected. Organizers say they last three Indian wickets added 12 and 14 average of 20.62, Southee 14 wickets in 6 Boult, man of the match Kyle Jamieson and will take another look at fans after the runs respectively in the first and second innings at an average of 21.28 and Wagner Neil Wagner. current “quasi-state of emergency” ends on innings of the WTC final. 10 wickets n 6 innings at an average of 28. July 11. India had lost their top 5 of Rohit Sharma, One of the biggest disappointments for These stats show that this New Zealand Shubman Gill, Cheteshwar Pujara, Virat Olympic Minister Tamayo Marukawa India in this Tests was Jasprit Bumrah. He team is full of consistent performers and Kohli and Ajinkya Rahane by 109 runs in delivered another wake-up call when she is hailed today as one of the best all format match winners. Thus, when one of the all- the second innings exposing the batting’s confirmed that a member of the Ugandan bowlers but his recent Test performances time greats of the game and New Zealand’s vulnerability to quality seam and swing team who tested positive for the coronavirus have not been up to the billing. Since the greatest cricketer ever- Sir Richard Hadlee bowling in testing batting conditions. It was upon entry to Japan last week was infected start of 2021, Bumrah has bowled 131.2 – says that the present New Zealand team only due to a characteristically hit or miss with the Delta variant. overs in 7 innings picking up 7 wickets at an is the greatest cricket team in the nation’s Rishabh Pant innings that India managed to average of 50.71 and a strike rate of 112.5. history, it is hard to disagree. Credit : Associated Press (AP) reach 170, giving the bowlers something to bowl at while defending. This is more than double his career average of 23.21 and bowling strike rate of 51.7. The failure of Indian batting consistently Another debate has started around the Indian is a concern for the team management. Just team selection for the WTC final. Playing consider the stats of top 5 Indian batsmen two spinners- Ashwin and Jadeja – on a since the start of 2021 - Rohit Sharma (13 seamer friendly track-proved to be India’s innings, 548 runs, average 44.83- inflated by disadvantage. Yes, Ashwin and Jadeja merit home average,) Gill (13 innings, 334 runs, their place in the starting XI but Indian team average 27.83), Pujara (12 innings, 364 runs, management needed to be brave by adopting average 30.33), Virat Kohli (8 innings, 229 a horses for courses approach and playing runs, average 28.62), Rahane (12 innings, a fourth seamer in favourable seam-bowling 263 runs, average 21.91). conditions.

These averages clearly show that a few Virat Kohli’s comment that the WTC final batsmen in the team are on their basis of past should have been a best of three affairs

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 22 28 June - 4 July 2021

Technology & Health NEW DELHI TIMES Alternatives to the animal products need normalization it will. Apart from the millions of animals animals and petroleum from the fashion and water consumption, than animal leather. By Smt. Maneka that it kills every year, especially young industry.” Vegan leather, an oxymoron, is ◆ The company Desserto has introduced calves, the leather industry is extremely the ethical and cruelty-free alternative to Sanjay Gandhi a vegan leather made from nopal cactus dangerous for the Earth’s survival. The traditional leather. It is meant to look and Member of Parliament leaves, which can be used to make furniture rivers are polluted with the toxic chemicals feel like traditional leather without the and car interiors, wallets, purses, and shoes. @ManekaGandhiBJP used in leather, and leather polish alone kills baggage of pollution and suffering. millions of fish. A 2018 global impact study The nopal cactus grows in abundance am hopeful that in my lifetime I am by Quantis stated that 700 million metric As more and more people grow aware of the across Mexico without requiring any water, I going to see a disruptive change in tons of carbon dioxide are emitted by the leather industry’s effects on the environment making it a low-impact crop. Major luxury the eating and wearing of animal flesh. It is leather footwear industry annually – a major and on animals, the market for cruelty- fashion houses, including Stella McCartney, coming fast: the largest slaughter companies, reason for global warming. free alternatives keeps growing. British Adidas and Gucci parent company, Kering, and the largest investors in the world, have invested in laboratory created real meat The New Zealand shoe company Allbirds, (called clean meat) and milk. These meats which is in partnership with the giant Adidas, are already in the market in countries like has just announced that it is investing Singapore. Perfect Day, which makes milk millions in plant-based leather. Allbirds has cells, is on the market with yoghurt (under been going this way for a long time: shoes the label Smitten) that is made of animal made of eucalyptus and cotton fibre for free dairy. The Netherlands and Israel are far instance, insoles made of castor bean oil, ahead in meat grown from in-vitro animals’ recycled plastic laces. This new material, cell culture, instead of from slaughtered plant leather, is made from vegetable oil, animals. Indeed, if clean meat would replace natural rubber and other bio inputs. The intensive farming as an industry standard, company announced their investment in a the benefits for the environment would be material innovation firm called Natural Fiber immense. As consumers, we would also Welding, Inc., and says it will be adding have “cleaner” meat, meaning a product “the world’s first 100% natural plant-based that doesn’t have the antibiotic residues leather” to its product line-up by December and bacterial contamination that come with 2021. This material, which is called Mirum, slaughtered meat. We would also save the is said to have 40 times less carbon impact lives of over 56 billion animals yearly. Yes, than real leather, and produces 17% less that’s the number of animals that are eaten carbon than synthetic leather made from every year by humans. petroleum-based sources. Mirum will be PC : Getty Images constructed without any polyurethane, The meat industry keeps bringing out meaning that the material can biodegrade at materials company Ananas Anam, set up in statistics that vegans and vegetarians are still have invested in a leather substitute product the end of its life without leaving traces of 2013, was among the first to come out with less than 5% of the market. That is simply called Mylo, a soft leather like material, plastic in the soil, or it can be reground into a plant-based leather alternative called not true. If it were, entire supermarket created from mycelium, the branching new Mirum. Piñatex. The material uses fibres derived sections, and fast-food vendors, would not filament structure that mushrooms, and other from pineapple leaves, sourced from the be catering to them. Impossible Foods, fungi, use to grow. The material consumes Joey Zwillinger, co-founder of Allbirds, said Philippines. These fibres are mixed with which makes plant-based meat, is one of the substantially less water than is needed to in a press release, “For too long, fashion polylactic acid (PLA), a bioplastic derived fastest growing companies in the world. Its produce animal leather, while emitting companies have relied on dirty synthetics from corn to create a flexible and durable current valuation is $4 Billion. fewer greenhouse gases. It takes just days and unsustainable leather, prioritizing speed material. Piñatex is being used by Hugo to produce and is completely biodegradable And the largest slaughterhouse companies and cost over the environment. Natural Fiber Boss and Canadian brand Native Shoes. and non-toxic. in the world would not be investing in an Welding is creating scalable, sustainable To Read Full Article : https://www. alternative meat future. antidotes to leather, and doing so with the Dutch designer Tjeerd Veenhoven has newdelhitimes.com/alternatives-to- potential for a game-changing 98% reduction sourced his vegan leather from the leaves Vegetarians and vegans, finally, have meat animal-products-need-normalization in carbon emissions. Our partnership with from the Areca Betel Nut (Supari). The Palm eaters on the run. NFW and planned introduction of Plant leather project was born as a low-cost plant- To join the animal welfare movement But the wearing of meat in the form of Leather based on their technology is an based replacement for animal leather, plastic contact [email protected], leather – has it gone down? Not yet. But exciting step on our journey to eradicate and rubber, and uses far fewer pollutants, www.peopleforanimalsindia.org Can ET see us? Experts: Benefits of COVID Study finds many vaccine outweigh small heart risk stars with prime ederal officials said that they plan to The problem appears to be most common in F strengthen cautions about a rare side young men after they receive their second of effect of some COVID-19 vaccines — chest two doses, but it is nevertheless rare overall: Earth view Photo AP PC : pain and heart inflammation, mostly among There have been 323 confirmed reports of eeling like you are being watched? It some experts, including the late Stephen teenagers and young adults. the inflammation in people younger than 30, F could be from a lot farther away than Hawking, warn against reaching out to aliens and the vast majority recovered from their you think. because they could harm us, Kaltenegger said it But in an unusual joint statement, top symptoms. doesn’t matter. If those planets have advanced U.S. government health officials, medical Astronomers took a technique used to look for life, someone out there could conclude that organizations, laboratory and hospital life on other planets and flipped it around — so there is life back here based on oxygen in associations and others stressed the instead of looking to see what’s out there, they our atmosphere, or by the radio waves from overriding benefit of the vaccines. tried to see what places could see us. human sources that have swept over 75 of the “The facts are clear: this is an extremely closest stars on her list. There’s a lot. rare side effect, and only an exceedingly Astronomers calculated that 1,715 stars in “Hiding is not really an option,” she said. small number of people will experience it after vaccination. Importantly, for the young our galactic neighborhood — and hundreds One way humans look for potentially habitable people who do, most cases are mild, and of probable Earth-like planets circling those planets is by watching them as they cross in front individuals recover often on their own or stars — have had an unobstructed view of of the star they are orbiting, which dims the stars’ Photo AP PC : with minimal treatment,” the statement said. Earth during human civilization, according light slightly. Kaltenegger and astrophysicist to a study in the journal Nature. That risk “seems to me, and to many others, Jacqueline Faherty of the American Museum There does seem to be a link between the to be much lower than the risk of COVID,” “When I look up at the sky, it looks a of Natural History used the European Space Pfizer and Moderna shots and some cases said Dr. Brian Feingold, a University of little bit friendlier because it’s like, maybe Agency’s Gaia space telescope to turn that of heart inflammation, experts said at a Pittsburgh heart specialist who is not a somebody is waving,” said study lead author around, looking to see what star systems could meeting of an outside panel that advises the member of the panel. Lisa Kaltenegger, director of the Carl Sagan watch Earth as it passes in front of the sun. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Institute at Cornell University. Even though Credit : Associated Press (AP) on vaccinations. Credit : Associated Press (AP) www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper

28 June - 4 July 2021 23

Entertainment & Lifestyle NEW DELHI TIMES doled out in a separate, untelevised ceremony 89-year-old made up half of the legendary on January 15 in Los Angeles. comedy team Nichols and May, with Mike Oscars to honor Elaine Nichols, before embarking on a trailblazing “Sam Jackson is a cultural icon whose career as a filmmaker — writing, directing dynamic work has resonated across genres and acting in comedies like “A New May, Danny Glover, and generations and audiences worldwide, Leaf,” “The Heartbreak Kid” and “Mikey while Elaine May’s bold, uncompromising and Nicky.” Jackson, 72, was nominated for approach to filmmaking, as a writer, director supporting actor for 1994′s “Pulp Fiction.” In an and actress, reverberates as loudly as ever with explosive, often brilliantly foul-mouthed career, Samuel L. Jackson movie lovers,” said David Rubin, academy Jackson’s films have accounted for some $27 President. “Liv Ullmann’s bravery and billion in box office. emotional transparency has gifted audiences with deeply affecting screen portrayals, and They include “Do the Right Thing,” “Jurassic Danny Glover’s decades-long advocacy for Park,” “Django Unchained” and “Die Hard With justice and human rights reflects his dedication a Vengeance.” Ullmann was twice nominated to recognizing our shared humanity on and off for best actress: Ingmar Berman’s “Face the screen.” The honorary awards are given to Face” (1976) and Jan Troell’s “The to honor extraordinary distinction in lifetime Emigrants” (1971). The Norwegian Ullmann achievement, exceptional contributions to the began on the stage before beginning state of motion picture arts and sciences, or one of the movies’ great actor-director

PC : AP Photo AP PC : for outstanding service to the academy. None partnerships with the Swedish filmmaker of the recipients have previously received an Bergman. She starred in 10 of his films, he Academy Awards will present Awards in January. Academy Award. including “Persona,” “Cries and Whispers” T Elaine May, Samuel L. Jackson and and “Autumn Sonata.” Glover hasn’t been May was nominated twice for writing Liv Ullmann with honorary Oscars and The film academy announced the honorary nominated by the academy. Danny Glover with the Jean Hersholt awards. Once a regular feature of the Academy (1978′s “Heaven Can Wait,” with Warren Humanitarian Award at the 12th Governors Awards telecast, the honorary Oscars will be Beatty; and 1999′s “Primary Colors”). The Credit : Associated Press (AP) Harrison Ford Angira Dhar gets hitched to 3D video replaces injures shoulder Director Anand Tiwari in a huge sets in on ‘Indiana low-key wedding Verona as full Jones 5’ set operas resume he Verona Arena amphitheater in arrison Ford is taking a hiatus from T northern Italy has returned to staging H filming “Indiana Jones 5” after full operas for the first time since the sustaining a shoulder injury on set. The pandemic - but with one big difference. 78-year-old was hurt rehearsing a fight scene, a spokesperson for the Walt Disney The monumental sets that normally fill the Co. said. vast amphitheater stage have been replaced by dynamic, 3D images broadcast on huge Production is expected to continue and LED screens, recreating a Sicilian village or the filming schedule will be reconfigured a Fellini-esque film backlot. as needed while treatment options are evaluated.

family member is seen performed the ritual. ◆ By NDT Bureau A glimpse of the simple but cozy wedding PC : AP Photo AP PC : @NewDelhiTimes decor could be seen in the photo. Angira and Anand both posted the same post as well to [email protected] Distancing rules meant that stagehands announce the news of their wedding. It can’t moving sets had to be limited in the get More Couple Goals than that folks. ngira Dhar and Anand Tiwari are cramped backstage in the open-air Roman- era amphitheater, setting in motion a A the most recent Bollywood couple According to the filmmakers’ post, on reimagining of the 98th Verona Arena Opera to get married discreetly. In April, the star April 30th, Angira and Anand solidified

PC : AP Photo AP PC : Festival. revealed she married her Love Per Square their friendship into marriage in front of Foot director Anand Tiwari. Angira shared their family, closest friends, and God. They For this season, technology is standing in for Filming on the fifth installment in the series a couple of photos from the ceremony on wanted to share their joy with their fans and the sets for which the Arena is famous, ones began earlier this month in the U.K. under Instagram. following as life begins to open up once big enough to fill the vast stage and engage the direction of James Mangold. The film is again. We wish them all the happiness in the even audience members sitting far away in set to be released in July 2022. Angira Dhar and Anand Tiwari were seated world as they begin their new journey in life by the haavan fire as the wedding ceremonies together. the uppermost seats. Deadline first reported the news. were performed in the first picture. Angira is seen wearing a beautiful traditional red saree Anand Tiwari, who has appeared in films such “We understood already last year in It’s not the first on set injury for Ford. In 2014, at the wedding, while Anand was dressed in as Udaan, Aisha, Go Goa Gone, Detective November that we needed to have another he broke his leg on the set of “Star Wars: a sherwani. In the candid photo, the couple Byomkesh Bakshy!, and Chhapaak, most plan, in the eventuality that we couldn’t The Force Awakens” when he was crushed exchanged silly smiles which made the recently directed the successful web series use the big sets,” said the Arena’s general beneath a heavy door of the Millennium whole thing look even more genuine and Bandish Bandits in 2020. Love per Square manager, Cecilia Gasdia. “After all, the Falcon while filming at Pinewood Studios endearing. Foot, starring Vicky Kaushal and Angira Verona Arena is used to doing huge shows, in London. Dhar, was his directorial debut. Angira Dhar, a little pharaonic, with great artistic quality.” Angira and Anand were seen holding each has appeared in films like Love per Square Credit : Associated Press (AP) other’s hands in another picture while a Foot and Commando 3. Credit : Associated Press (AP)

India’s only International Newspaper www.NewDelhiTimes.com 24 28 June - 4 July 2021

Think - Tanks NEW DELHI TIMES Seizing the moment saves us happiness, else we end with leftovers We are creatures of anxiety and cannot sometimes we feel rather small, incompetent, ◆ By Dr. Pramila always give up our vigilance simply because incomplete, cowardly, sad, and disappointed. Srivastava we have a few days of vacation, or there is But whatever it is and however pleasant or a new hobby we like to take up or a new unpleasant it may be, we should never forget @PramilaBK opportunity becomes available to us. We and always try to remind ourselves, that we [email protected] may have grown suspicious of large crowds are in all our collective vices and virtues, and fear their capacity to exert intolerance fully capable of meeting these moments in ach and every one of us, in this world, and cruelty upon us. life, however small or large, important or E is leaving through different moments, irrelevant they may be. some with great joys, satisfactions, Therefore, sometimes it may be harder for excitements, and accomplishments. While us to just openly take the plunge and do Life is short, but shorter is our youth, and some are living life through great hardships, something new or try something that we even shorter is our childhood. The time that griefs, sadness, or struggles. While some want to do just because we feel like doing this life has offered us is limited, so are the are living life quite comparably at a boring it. Very often, we may feel like we can, that opportunities that are opened to us, but at the mundane and repetitive pace. Whichever we’re confident and capable enough to rise same time, this very fact should remind us moment we are currently in right now, there up to meet the moment and seize the day, but that life is full of chances and moments. is one responsibility that is uniquely similar we feel ourselves with thoughts of hesitation, to each and every one of us. We may have and in those moments of brief reluctance or We are not forever invincible nor limitlessly even heard of this before, “Carpe Diem” or PC : Getty Images rationing the moment escapes us, we let our capable as we once thought we were when anxiety get the better of us. “Gather ye rosebuds while ye may”. courage that conquers all forms of fears and we were younger, neither are we so weak nor irreversibly flawed. We are what we make Life urges us to seize the day, to grab the hesitation, when we very well know how But it is in these moments that we realize of ourselves, we are what we overcome, we opportunities that are offered to us while hard, unpredictable, and unforgiving reality who we are, it is in these moments we are the collective result of our thoughts, our we may, for the past can only hunt us but can be. Why push ourselves so hard and self-reflect. It is in moments of darkness decisions, and our actions. cannot harm us, and the future is yet to expose ourselves to all the disappointments and grief do we exercise our courage and arrive and is still a mystery. We have only and pains that this life has to offer? the capacity of our inner virtues. We learn Therefore, we should learn to once in a the present and in the present we should, to recognize these moments and upon our Many times, it seems that to get through life while, take life as it’s offered to us. It’s ok to with all capacity live our life to the fullest, to failure or missed moments or opportunities we have learned not to feel, register, or do take the plunge, sometimes not everything make every moment count. As invigorating do we learn our lessons and overcome our everything, especially those things that pass that comes our way turns out the way we and inspirational as it sounds, it is easier weaknesses so that when life should ever through our consciousness. Those among want them to. Most things in life are rarely said than done. To meet life with a sense of offer us another opportunity at a different us who’ve suffered the most, especially at as they seem to be in the beginning, but urgency and great conviction is a task that time, we may know the value of these an early age, have had to become masters the most important thing is, not to miss out reality may not so easily permit us to do, and moments. Therefore, we shouldn’t be so of the art of occasional non-feeling or self- on the opportunities and lessons that these in all honesty, it has been too often unduly cruel and heartless towards ourselves. denial. No wonder that when we face certain moments in life carry with them. For they romanticized in all forms of literature, films, moments in life, we aren’t able to meet those will live forever within us and these moments scriptures, and philosophies. Like mentioned before, life is full of moments so confidently or we hesitate. We moments where we are meant to feel certain and their memory will be the things that we Then why we are told and encouraged to seize hesitate just for a moment, and the moment things, and honestly, these feelings may not leave behind for others to remember us, long each and every moment of our lives, with a is gone and we are left with the leftovers. always be pleasant or very enjoyable. Yes, after our lives have ended. Women Empowerment in the Philippines gets a boost at dimensions such as expanded job performance of boys which remains lower in ◆ By International Institute for Non - Aligned Studies opportunities, wage equality, organized educational participation margin by a tenth. labour, economic security, entrepreneurship @iinsNAM The GEWE also calls for investment in support and gender-equal decision making. shelter which indirectly affects women. [email protected] One of the notable sectors for promotion The vision document calls for investment includes science and technology, Information he Philippines has set out to in urban low-income areas, “access to and Communication Technology, (ICT), T develop a strongly rooted, secure health and birthing clinics, water, electricity macro trade areas and other high growth and comfortable lifestyle. To fulfil this market; Improved access of women to PC : Getty Images sectors. Some notable targets include endeavour, the Philippine Commission of finance for housing and shelter.” It also an increase in 10% of women-owned and ending GBV (gender-based violence); Women has released the Gender Equality envisions more houses owned by women. businesses, and a decrease in poverty among improved understanding and action by men, and Women Empowerment (GEWE) plan rural women by 7%, halving the existing including religious and community leaders, 2019-2025. The GEWE plan lays out broad The most important objective is to heal wage inequality. in cultural transformation for gender principles for the immediate social, political the social fabric is to enable Filipino equality” is targeted to remedy the problem and economic development of women to women to get justice. The document aims For human capital development, a special of conscious discrimination. achieve the UN Sustainable Development focus is laid out on the Muslim and at a significant reduction in gender-based Goals (SDG), 2030. indigenous women, disabled and elderly violence to ensure peace and security of Overall, the Philippines has already set an women most vulnerable. The marginal example in gender equality. It is a leader According to World Economic Forum’s women. The strategic document lays groups who are most exposed to harassment among developing countries to provide for global gender gap index released in 2021, down a path for women of marginalized are addressed for achieving better justice the betterment of women and constantly Philippines dropped one rank to 17th spot communities by investing in their education, objectives. strives to further their conditions gives hope while remaining one of the top performs health, shelter and other development areas. for women across the world. in Asia. With such impressive women Other strategic goals like participation The GEWE document has a specialized (in arrangement with equality, the GEWE report targeting further focus on women health. Maternal Mortality of women in political decision making, improvement in women centric issues in a Rate (MMR) prevails in high numbers still Humanitarian and Disaster Rescue News from Non-Aligned World) timely result-oriented manner is not only among Filipino mothers. The vision aims at (HADR) will require government efforts www.iins.org admirable but also serves as an example for reduction of MMR from 114 per 1,00,000 to incentivize and other developing countries. live births to 90 before 2022. enable omen in diverse fields to contribute. The Contact New Delhi Times A cursory look at the document suggests a Education plays a vital role in transforming socio-cultural norms well researched document with categorical our society. The document notes that highly which drive much of the For Complaints & Suggestions issues and segregated targets to achieve the educated women report significantly lower stereotypes & attitudes on vision. The GEWE aims at a significant +91-9999331600 incidences of Sexual abuse and harassment. women have been given reduction in the gender gap through 7 One of the admirable objectives includes a rethink. A knowledge- A-2/59, Safdarjung Enclave, New Delhi-110029 strategic goal areas. A look at these targets increasing the level of women in science, based advocacy for the suggests a well thought out plan to cover the technology, engineering, agriculture and “promotion of a culture maximum scope of women’s lives. Visit us at : twitter@NewDelhiTimes mathematics by 10 percent in five years. that is supportive of facebook.com/newdelhitimes On the economic front, the GEWE aims Also, the document calls for increased gender equality, diversity, 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. 22 Editor : Dr. Ankit Srivastava www.NewDelhiTimes.com India’s only International Newspaper