11 July

Nagaland Post www.nagalandpost.com

Vol XXXI No. 215

DIMAPUR, SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2021 Pages 12 ` 5.00

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international, Page 9

Pandemic isn’t slowing down: WHO

NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (AGENCIES): Coronavirus infections are rising across most regions of the world as the delta variant spreads, clear evidence that the pandemic isn’t on the wane, said the World Health Organisation’s chief scientist, NDTV report stated quoting the Bloomberg.

While vaccination levels in some countries are reducing severe cases and hospitalisations, large parts of the world face oxygen shortages, a lack of hospital beds and higher mortality, said the WHO’s Soumya Swaminathan in an interview with Bloomberg Television. “In the last 24 hours, close to 500,000 new cases have been reported and about 9,300 deaths -- now that’s not a pandemic that’s slowing down,” Swaminathan said.

goes back to normal is a very dangerous assumption right now anywhere in the world,” Mike Ryan, the head of the WHO’s health emergencies program, said in a media briefing on Wednesday.

2nd wave not yet over, MHA warns states

World Health Organisation’s chief scientist Soumya Swaminathan.

Cases are rising in five of six WHO regions, and mortality rates in Africa have jumped by 30% to 40% in two weeks, said Swaminathan. The main reason for the increases are the fast-spreading delta variant, slow vaccination rollouts globally and the relaxation of safety measures like mask mandates and physical distancing rules.

The WHO this week

urged governments to be careful when reopening so as not to put at risk the gains made. In England, remaining legal restrictions are set to be removed on July 19, and measures like wearing masks will become a personal choice. The US and much of Europe have also loosened curbs as cases dropped. “The idea that everyone is protected and it’s kumbaya and everything

Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Saturday sounded a note of caution against reported blatant disregard of COVID-appropriate behaviour at hill stations and other tourist locations, stressing that the second wave of the pandemic is not yet over.

Bhalla was reviewing the steps taken by the state governments for checking the spread of Covid-19 at hill stations and tourist locations, a home ministry statement said.

DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) president K. Therie has slammed the fivepoint resolution adopted by the Core Committee on Naga Political Affairs at its first meeting at the Rhododendron Hall, Police Complex , Chümoukedima.

Therie in his hard-hitting statement termed the

Fuel prices hit new highs District

Petrol price per litre

Diesel price per litre

Tsg

Rs.102.58

Rs.94.76

Kiphire

Rs.102.50

Rs.94.72

Noklak

Rs.102.35

Rs.94.66

Mon

Rs.102.14

Rs.94.39

Phek

Rs.101.90

Rs.94.12

Zbto

Rs.101.89

Rs.94.08

H&FW concerned over Covid testing hesitancy Closure of NH-29

Llng

Rs.101.65

Rs.94.02

Mkg

Rs.101.61

Rs.93.88

Wka

Rs.101.05

Rs.93.36

variants to come up and circulate undetected and also compel the authorities to enforce lockdown “Knowing your Covid19 status is extremely critical to monitor your health and symptoms as ‘timing’ of medical interventions is the difference between life and death in Covid-19 management. Even in children, more serious complications like MIS-C can be diagnosed and managed more effectively if Covid-19 status of the child is known,” H&FW noted.

While reminding all that the pandemic was not yet over, H&FW said anyone with fever, cold, cough etc. should be treated as Covid19 positive unless tested and proven otherwise.

Though the state’s average weekly sample positivity rate has gone down to 6%, the department however said that positivity rate in three districts were above 10 per cent-- Kohima (10%), Mokokchung (11%) and Wokha (15%).

State logs 111 fresh cases: Nagaland on Saturday witnessed a surge in Covid-19 infections after 111 new positive cases were reported and nil deaths.

Of the fresh cases, 51 were from Kohima, Dimapur-19, Tuensang-10, nine in Mokokchung, eight in Zunheboto, four in Kiphire, three each in Longleng and Wokha and two each in Mon and Peren, pushing the total caseload to 25898.

stretch on July 11

DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): In order to facilitate the overlaying of bridge deck slab at Dzudza village in the ongoing KohimaDimapur four lane road construction, deputy commissioner Kohima Gregory Thejawelie has informed, all vehicular movement along the aforementioned stretch shall remain closed from 4 a.m. to 12 noon of July 11.

In this regard, light vehicles have been advised to take the alternative route-Jotsoma-Khonoma-Mezoma-Sechuma-Zubza/Kiruphema-Peducha(Lalmati) and vice versa or 10th Mile Tsiesema Basa-Peducha (Lalmati) and vice versa.

sports, Page 12

Core Committee resolutions meaningless: Therie

(Read more on p-5)

DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): State Health & Family Welfare (H&FW) department in its weekly bulletin released on Saturday expressed concern that many people in were still reluctant in naming contacts by a positive case and symptomatic people not coming forward for testing, ultimately resulting in Nagaland having the lowest testing rates in the country While pointing out that stigma around Covid-19 has been detrimental to the whole process, the department asserted that unless people come forward, the virus will continue to circulate in the community and cause surge or deaths when the right conditions are met.

It will also allow new

World No. 1 Barty wins first Wimbledon title

Kma

Rs.100.41

Rs.92.76

Peren

Rs.99.79

Rs.92.30

Dmu

Rs.99.46

Rs.91.99

DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): After a day’s pause, the state-owned oil marketing companies on Saturday increased the prices of petrol and diesel pushing the prices of two auto fuels to new highs across the country.

According to a price notification, petrol price was hiked by 35 paise per litre and diesel by 26 paise per litre. Petrol price has already crossed the Rs.100-per-litre mark in ten districts of Nagaland except Dimapur and Peren districts, where the price is inching closer to breach the century mark.

5-point resolution as “bereft of feasible and practical directives”. He said it has ignored both Framework Agreement as well as the Agreed Positions by “nullifying them” as well as “insulted the stakeholders.”

He also hit at the Core Committee in appealing to all NPGs to “resume talks”. Therie said this did not make sense as the

Governor had stated at the inaugural session of the Nagaland Legislative Assembly on February 2021 “that talks are over for Nagaland”.

T h e r e f o r e, T h e r i e maintained, that the resolution for making the appeal, was “a direct confrontation with the Hon’be Governor, who is the head of the state government.”

He also said the resolution also “undermined 24 years of hard negotiations” as well as “public suffering by way of multiple extortion.” Therie said he wondered as to what has happened “ to the wisdom of the elected Hon’ble members” and opined that “perhaps God has taken away their wisdom.”

(Cont’d on p-8)

Nagaland begins ‘Unlock 2’ from today HIGHLIGHTS OF ‘UNLOCK 2’ GUIDELINES & REGULATIONS

DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): The state government has decided to further allow more activities as part of the ‘Unlock 2’ process for a period of seven days starting July 11.

The decision comes after the HPC on Covid-19 during its meeting held on July 8, reviewed the Covid19 situation, and noted that while the seven days moving average of the positivity rate of Covid-19 in the State was showing a declining trend,

it still continued to remain above 5%. However, HPC was of the view that there has been improvement in the overall Covid-19 situation as reflected by the various parameters, and therefore considered further relaxations and re-opening of more activities while continuing with the existing lock down measures as the positivity rate was still above 5%.

In this regard, chief secretary directed for extension of the existing lockdown

measures for one more week, with further relaxations and re-opening of activities. (See infographics). Accordingly, DTFs of Dimapur and Kohima have also issued the district-specific guidelines. (‘Unlock 2’ guidelines at www.nagalandpost.com) Odd-even to continue: Commissioner of police Dimapur, R. Tetseo has informed that the existing odd-even rule for vehicular movement will continue till July 17.

Centre earned over `4 lakh cr from fuel hikes, claims Cong BAHARAMPUR (WB), JUL 10 (PTI): Congress leader in Lok Sabha, Adhir Ranjan Chowdhury, on Saturday claimed that the Centre has earned Rs 4.91 lakh crore revenue as petrol and diesel prices have been hiked 69 times since January 1 this year.

Chowdhury, also the West Bengal Congress chief, urged the TMC government in the state to follow the footsteps of the Chhattisgarh administration and do away with Value Added Taxes (VAT) to reduce fuel prices.

“Unmindful of the sufferings of the people, the Narendra Modi government in Delhi has effected 69 hikes in petrol and diesel prices since January 1 and earned Rs 4.91 lakh crore revenue.

“The BJP government is not showing any concern for the plight of the common man. We

This is it!

“The Euro cup has become your evening and night entertainment.

After this it’ll be IPL.“ K Y M C

urge the Centre to roll back fuel price hike, as petrol breached the Rs 100-per-litre mark, diesel neared century and LPG rate touched Rs 850 per cylinder,” the senior Congress leader told reporters.

Chowdhury also claimed that the BJP-led government at the Centre has earned a total of Rs 25 lakh crore through repeated fuel price hikes since coming to power in 2014.

He said that the petrol price dipped by Rs 12 per litre after the Congress government in Chhattisgarh did away with VAT, and urged other state administrations, including that of West Bengal, to follow its lead.

“We know that the TMC government in West Bengal will have to forego a revenue of Rs 1,300-Rs 1,400 crore yielded from VAT, but a party that has (Cont’d on p-8)

State govt rolls out Sputnik V vaccine DIMAPUR, JUL 10 (NPN): State health department on Saturday informed that the Sputnik V vaccine will be administered to all beneficiaries above 18 years from July 12 onwards.

According to state immunization officer (IUP), Dr. Ritu Thurr, initially, the two-dose vaccine will be made available for 4800 persons at two private hospitals-- Bethesda Hospital Kohima (Helpline: 9485238298) and Faith Hospital Dimapur (9077747777). Vaccines will be available from Monday to Saturday from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and (Cont’d on p-8) the process for K Y M C

2

state

Nagaland Post, Dimapur SunDAY, JULY 11, 2021

‘World Population Fortnight’ launched

Medical officers and staff during the programme held Staff of CMO office and others during the programme held in Tuensang. in Kohima on July 11.

Participants during the programme at Duncan UPHC on July 11.

DIMAPUR: World Population For tnight was launched at various districts across the state under the theme, “provision of family planning services even in a crisis for a selfreliant nation and family” to commemorate “world

population day” which is celebrated every year on July 11 to focus attention on the urgency and importance of population issues.

Kohima: Office of Chief Medical Officer (CMO), Kohima, along with District Health Soci-

ety (DHS), NHM department of health & family welfare, held district review meeting & launching of “world population fortnight” at PMTI conference hall on July 9.

A press release from the CMO office informed that during the programme, technical session on Nagaland Health Project (NHP) was highlighted by CMO, Dr. Vezokholu Theyo and non-communicable disease (NCD) programme

by Dy. CMO, Dr. Khriesilie Sachu.

The release added that prior to mobilisation fortnight, advocacy and awareness campaigns would be carried out in all blocks and villages under Kohima

district, which would include exhibition of family planning methods, use of contraceptives, need for delay in marriage and first child birth, motivation of eligible couples for availing family planning services, awareness on HIV/AIDS, etc.

In her closing remark, Dr. Theyo stressed on the importance of observing world population stabilisation fortnight by mobilising and carrying out intensive awareness to reach maximal target even at this time of pandemic of COVID-19.

She also added that all health provider should be accountable and prompt in carrying out the activities.

Security forces apprehend one for extortion in Phek DIMAPUR: Security forces in a joint operation with the state police apprehended an “NSCN (IM)” cadre in general area Meluri, Phek district, Nagaland on July 8.

According to PRO HQ IGAR (N), based on a specific input, the joint team apprehended the cadre who was “involved in illegal extortion activities” and recovered one Maruti Suzuki 800 car along with one mobile phone at general area Meluri under Phek district.

The apprehended individual along with the recovered items was handed over to Meluri police station for further investigation, PRO informed.

SF and police personnel along with the apprehended cadre.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

E a r l i e r, t h e p r o gramme was chaired by DPO (RCH-UIP), Dr. Rupert Peseyie.

Tuensang: Chief Medical Officer (CMO) Tuensang office launched the fortnight at conference hall of CMO Tuensang.

A press release by CMO office informed that the programme chaired

by CMO Dr. Lanuchuba, discussed sensitisation and awareness on COVID-19 while carrying out the population fortnight.

The team also discussed to carry out random sample testing for COVID-19 and to keep positive persons in COVID Care Centre (CCC) in order to break the chain of transmission.

Dr. Lanuchuba also reminded the staff to collect IEC materials on family planning, OCP, PTK, IUCD etc. for the fortnight.

Medical officer (MO) thermology district hospital, Dr. Imlong, informed that district hospital was not a COVID-19 hospital and that it was also open for other general OPD. He asked people to come forward to avail medical services without hesitation.

Dimapur: Urban Primary Health Centre (UPHC) Duncan Bosti Dimapur also organised a programme on July 10 to commemorate “world population day”.

2nd quarterly Lok Adalat: NSLSA settles 24 cases in nine districts

Panel lawyers and others during the Lok Adalat sitting in Kohima.

DIMAPUR: Nagaland State Legal Services Authority (NSLSA) settled 24 cases out of the 38 that were listed during the second quarterly Lok Adalat (people’s court) held in nine districts on July 10.

In a press release, NSLSA public relations assistant Ketholeno Neihu informed that the settlement amount to Rs. 36, 35,776.

In the National Lok Adalat held by legal services institutions all across the state in concert with the rest of the country, eight Lok Adalat sitting benches were constituted by the District Legal Services Authorities (DLSAs) in the respective district headquarters.

In total, disputes, matters and cases were listed for dealing which included cases in pending stage as well as in pre-litigation stage mostly in the category of bank recovery, criminal compoundable cases & Motor Accident Claims Tribunal (MACT).

Other settlement amount also included fine money, bank recovery amount and compensation amount among others.

With pervasive pursuance by the conciliators through arbitration, conciliation and amicable efforts, the benches were able to resolve and settle 24 such disputes and cases.

The sitting was organised in Dimapur, Ko-

hima, Longleng, Kiphire, Mokokchung, Mon, Tuensang, Phek and Wokha.

The NLA is presided over by chairperson DLSAs & chief judicial magistrate/district & sessions judge or secretary or CJM/junior magistrate (first class) as presiding officers and panel lawyers as conciliators.

It may be mentioned that the settlement amount is the amount mutually agreed for payment between the litigants (or) parties who are involved in a dispute where the parties on arriving at a consensus, the willing amount to settle the disputes for the damaged caused or a negotiated amount for payment on a claim by a party.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Revelation 14:13

“…Blessed are the dead who die in the Lord…”

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT Lt. M. Kughato Sema

Born : 15/12/1933 – Died : 06/07/2021 We, the bereaved family members of Lt. ELIYAMO PATTON through this column, express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every individual and well wishers who stood and supported us through prayers, physically, materially and financially at the sudden demise of our beloved Father.

We convey our special thanks to: 1. Yimpang Ekhung Bhandari (YEB)Town 2. Medical Colony Bhandari.

3. A.G. Church Bhandari.

4. Yimpang Yanchungi Evan/ Hapoi Evan.

5. A.G. Church Yimpang.

6. C.H.C Staff Bhandari.

7. Serika Yamo Wopan.

8. O. N. Ngullie (Wopan Thanthungphen).

We sincerely apologize our inability to mention each and every individual through this column, but it is our sincere prayer that our Almighty God grand shower of blessing to you all abundantly.

Loving Wife, Children, Grand children and Relatives

dp-3186

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

(Born : 01/06/1939 – Died : 06/07/2021) Through this column, we the bereaved family members of Lt. R. Tsumongo Kithan, Retd. Govt. Primary Teacher of Sanis Village would like to express our deepest gratitude to each and everyone who stood by us during the prolonged illness and demise of our beloved father on 6/07/2021.

We convey our special thanks to : 1. Sanis Village Baptist Church 2. Sanis Village Council 3. Lotha Baptist Church, Mon Town 4. Doctors and nurses of CHC, Sanis 5. GPS Yonchucho Village 6. St. Paul School, Sanis 7. Wokha District Pensioners Association 8. Shri. Zibenthung Kithan, ADC Sanis 9. Shri. Yanithung N Ngully, SDO (C), Anjanyang 10. Dr. K. William Humtsoe, DVBO, Wokha We regret our inability to mention everyone but it is our sincere prayer that our Almighty God bless you all abundantly.

Loving wife and family members wc-135 K Y M C

Through this column, we would like to express our sincere gratitude to all those who stood by us physically, morally and financially at the demise of our beloved father Hupoyi Dawhuo, the Church Adviser of Thenyizumi Baptist Church under Phek District who left us after a brief illness for his heavenly abode on 4th July 2021 at the Bethel Medical Centre, Kohima.

We regret our inability to repay and thank each and every individual personally for your love shown to our father during his short stay here on this mortal world but we sincerely pray that our Almighty God bless you abundantly and give you all long life for His glory. ~Loving children, in-laws, grandchildren and relatives k-1166

Born : 06/03/1975 – Died : 01/07/2021 We, the children along with our Mother would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every individual who supported us emotionally, materially, financially and spiritually at the sudden death of our beloved father Lt. M. Kughato Sema on 1st July 2021.

Our sincere thanks to :1. 8 NAP Commandant 2. 8 NAP Unit Commander Delhi 3. 8 NAP unit Commander Dimapur 4. Alaphumi Union Dimapur 5. Rev. Shikuho Zhimomi, Pastor Sumi Baptist Church Padumpukhuri 6. Mr. Apeto, Asso. Pastor, UMC We regret our inability to thank all individually for all your support. However, we pray that our Almighty God bless each one of you abundantly.

Loving wife, children and family members dp-3178

Late A. Pangerchiba Longchar (A. Panger Ao) Waromung 1st December 1943 – 27th June 2021 The family of Late A. Panger Ao wishes to thank you all most sincerely for your expression of sympathy and kindness at our time of bereavement.

Your kind words and sympathy are felt by us all in your endless empathy.

May God bestow His blessings upon each and everyone.

Apa, if we could write a story of yours It would be the greatest ever told Of a kind and loving Apa

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

dp-3170

Apa, in this life we loved you dearly In this death we love you still In our hearts you hold a place, That no one could ever fill.

Loving wife, children and family members

GRATITUDE We, the bereaved family of Lt. Temjeninba Imsong convey our heartfelt gratitude to all who stood and supported us in all possible ways during his brief hospitalization and demise on 28-05-2021.

We regret our inability to acknowledge each and every individual but it is our earnest prayer that our Almighty God takes into account all the good deeds and bless you all immensely.

Like the briefness of the wind, in the blink of an eye, called away too early; For the heavens above said it was time to go his way We as mortals in sorrow and in pain we mourn Knowing the fact that you are gone But it was heavens gain Your memories full of humility kindness A loving husband a caring father an inspiring brother and a noble son Who derived joy from making others happy Those wonderful memories would always linger and will always be treasured to comfort us. dp-3188

LOVING WIFE, DAUGHTERS, PARENTS & BROTHERS

20.01.1955 – 05.07.2021 We, the family members of Late Gangaidulu would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to each and every individual who stood by us spiritually, physically and financially during her illness and her demise.

We deeply regret our inability to thank each and everyone but we pray that our Almighty God bless you all abundantly.

We would like to convey our special gratitude to: 1. Dr. Dibyajyoti Kalita, MD Medicine, DNB Nephrology and staff of Renofresh, Dibrugarh, Assam.

2. Doctors and staff of Urovision Hospital Dibrugarh, Assam.

3. Indisen Village Council, Dimapur.

4. Ragailong Colony Council, Dimapur.

5. Women Society Ragailong Colony, Dimapur.

6. Holy Cross Parish, Dimapur.

7. St. Paul Church, Burma Camp, Dimapur.

8. St. Paul Church Women Society.

9. St. Paul Church Youth Department.

10. Dimapur Yimjenkimong Fellowship.

11. Staff of Progressive Motors.

12. Mollywood Society.

Loving Family Members dp-3182

LT. TALITULA LONGKÜMTSÜR-WAROMUNG (1928 – 05/07/2021) Words are not enough to express our heartfelt gratitude to all the well-wishers for your love and unceasing prayers and the generous support extended towards our family of Lt. Talitula since the time of her illness till the day she breathed her last. The amount of comforting and encouraging words through phone calls and visits in person during times like this gives us immense peace and solace to our grieving souls. Our heartfelt gratefulness also goes to the Ao B/C Diphupar, Women Ministry of Ao B/C Diphupar, Waromung Fellowship Diphupar Area for the immeasurable support & encouragement to our family.

Our deepest apologies for not mentioning every individual here, but each of your love and support is counted by our Almighty and He will richly bless everyone in His time.

May the Lord bless you all with full measures and keep you safe.

“If we live, we live for the Lord, and if we die, we die for the Lord. Therefore, whether we live or die, we belong to God” Romans 14:8

dp-3181

Loving Husband, Children, Grand-Children & Family Members K Y M C

nagalandpost.com Poll Q.: Is relaxing lockdown at this stage, wise as the virus is deadlier and still spreading ?

100% 90% 80% 70% 60% 50% 40% 30% 20% 10% 0%

A B C

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– –––––––––––––––––––––––––––––– ––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

B

Yes. No. Can’t Say.

C

39% 55% 6%

Next poll Q: Have prices of food

items risen beyond rationale due to the pandemic lockdown?  Yes.  No.  Can’t Say.

WEATHER FORECAST July 11

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala A p.m. t-storm in spots

32 26

Aizawl

An afternoon thunderstorm

Guwahati A morning t-storm; cloudy

28 21 32 26

A stray a.m. t-storm; cloudy

29 22

Itanagar Not as warm with a t-storm

27 24

Imphal Shillong

Cloudy, a shower and t-storm 23 19

Kohima

Cloudy with a thunderstorm

26 19

Dimapur Cloudy with a thunderstorm

30 25

Mostly cloudy with a t-storm

Mkg

27 21

Tuensang A t-storm around in the p.m.

21 17

Not as warm with a t-storm

24 22

Wokha

NECUD initiates social services

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

A

Zunheboto Couple of thunderstorms

24 19

Stranded passengers and people sheltering at Dimapur Railway station during the food distribution.

DIMAPUR: Amid the COVID-19 pandemic, North East Christian University Dimapur (NECU) initiated various social activities for the welfare of the people.

Besides various philanthropic programmes, the university converted its newly completed boys’ hostel into a Covid care shelter, free of cost. The initiative was taken up from June 2, 2021, with an objective to cater to Covid patients and those who had to undergo home isolation.

A press release from NECU informed that the hostel was transformed into a shelter to provide a home for people who did not have adequate facilities at home and for returnees who had

to undergo a week’s quarantine.

There was a nominal charge of Rs.300 per day for food and lodging and applications were routed through the local Burma camp east block GB. For a month, NECU has also been providing one meal in the evenings to over 200 persons living around Dimapur Railway Station.

From the third day, recipients were gathered in the parking lot of the station while adhering to COVID19 SOPs. For some of the needy who were handicapped and could not move from their dwellings, the food packets were provided in their place of stay. Some of them also

included stranded passengers.

A group from the Jain community joined NECU for about five days, to prepare and distribute the meals. During this time, as many as 330 persons were fed and the university also distributed toiletries to the food recipients.

As per initial assessment, NECU otherwise issued 200 coupons to those staying around the railway station prior to the distribution.

Meanwhile, the university as part of its philanthropic venture also provided evening meals to around 20 children from the orphanage and has been conducting job placement drives for the

under-privileged since June 5. NECU initiated finding placements for the needy living under the flyover.

It may be mentioned here that the placements were solely initiated for the underprivileged.

During the services conducted at east block colony Burma camp, the GB, village members, volunteers from Baptist Church, Pentecostal Church, deputy commissioner Dimapur, Appolistic church and gospel centre A G Church extended their support and assistance.

Financial support was also received from Shalom Bible Seminary, Khiangmugam Church, families and individuals.

The COVID care programme was initiated and implemented under the guidance of vice chancellor, professor Dr Darlando Khathing while the field work was carried out by NECU director Dr C K Senthil Kumar and Neisakuonuo.

It may be mentioned that NECU was established by the Nagaland Legislative assembly recognised by University Grants Commission (UGC) and sponsored by council of Baptist Churches in North East India (CBCNEI)

ATMAs organise field day, demonstrations Mikato Shohe.

Later, demonstration on yellow sticky trap was conducted at Luhezhe village by Aketoli Chophy (ATM Aghuna block).

Altogether 28 farmers and SHG members from R. Hovishe and Luhezhe villages attended the programme.

HFC ministry’s community dev office inaugurated DIMAPUR: Hope for children (HFC) ministry of Believers Easter Church Dimapur Diocese inaugurated community development office at railway colony, Dimapur.

A press release from, diocesan vicar general of Dimapur Diocese Rev. Fr. Ritesh Kumar informed that the office was inaugurated with the blessings of Moran Mor Athanaisus Yohan I, Justin Mor Thomas Episcopa, Arch Bishop of Kolkata diocese has grace the office.

Regional leader, Benruthung Yanthan of HFC said that Hope for Children was committed to build the community holistically and that they would continue to work to build the lives of the marginalised sections of the society.

Regional leader of HFC, Aren Seb Rengma emphasised on the nature and behaviour of the HFC and community development office. He also informed that the HFC was also working on projects and offices in six other North Eastern states.

DTF Kiphire to award 100% vaxed villages

DIMAPUR: District Task Force (DTF) on COVID19, Kiphire in its meeting has resolved to award those villages and wards achieving 100 percent vaccination. The meeting was held on July 9 at DPDB, conference hall and was chaired by DC & chairman DTF, T. Wati Aier.

According to DIPR report, the deputy commissioner (DC) informed that despite efforts being carried out in the district, it had the lowest percentage in COVID-19 vaccination among the other districts in the state.

In this regard, he urged upon the members and ward chairmen, ward GBs and ward representatives to put more effort in the vaccination drives to achieve the target.

The DC also informed that financial assistance would be provided to the eleven wards to help monitor COVID-19 activities in their respective wards.

Wati Aier suggested the district education officer (DEO) to educate the teachers to create aware-

ness on sensitisation and vaccination drives.

CMO, Motsuthung while briefing on COVID19 status said that six people in the district died due to COVID-19 and out of six people, only one person received the first dose.

While highlighting the status of COVID-19 activities DIO, Dr. K. Pewezo Khalo said that around 30 villages had not yet vaccinated even a single person.

He also said that as per the government directives, the target was to achieve 90% vaccination.

The members deliberated on the third wave preparation with various strategies and activities to be carried out in the entire district.

The DTF and in collaboration with 41 Assam Rifles also decided to conduct intensified special vaccination drive on COVID19 at deluxe point, Kiphire from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. on July 11.

All the eligible beneficiaries have been informed to avail the opportunity.

ANHTU demands release of salary

DIMAPUR: All Nagaland Hindi Teachers’ Union (ANHTU) has asked the finance department to immediately release pending salaries.

In a press release, ANHTU president Ruchunlo Tep said that despite requesting the responsible department and waiting patiently, all “efforts and hope” had gone in vain.

It asked the department to take note of the grievances of Hindi teachers who were appointed in the year

2012-13 (CSS) and whose salaries have not been paid for four months (MarchJune).

Agreeing with the queries made by the finance department, the union, however, said that “whatever investigation has to be done must be done at the right time and not at the last moment”.

Stating that the finance department should not harass teachers in the name of scrutiny, ANHTU said that as per the “agreement” made

with the state government, the salary of CSS Hindi teachers was to be paid after every two months.

It also stated that the agreement included finding a mechanism for timely release of salaries.

The union said that non-release of salaries had left them in great financial crunch.

The union has, therefore, urged to finance department and the authority to resolve the issue of delayed salary.

Dimapur

opportunities to local farmers to sell their produce on a wider scale and hence farmers should step up their pace and grab the opportunity.

A detailed hand on demonstration on bed preparation was shown by ATM Ketsivino Nakhro.

Meanwhile, Agriculture Technology Management Agency (ATMA) Kohima, Chiephobozou block conducted demonstration on paddy transplanting under System of Rice Intensification (SRI) on July 2, at SRI farm school, Nerhe model.

A press release from AT M A Ko h i m a C h i ephobozou block informed that this was a system designed to yield more crops as compared to traditional practice.

The system would help increase sustainability among the paddy growers.

Dimapur: ATMA Aghunaqa Block conducted training on Ergonomics for Farm Workers at R. Hovishe Village with BTM Aghunaqa block as the resources person on July 9.

She said that stooping, bending, lifting, kneeling and long periods of repetitive motion in farm activities can lead to musculoskeletal injuries. She also discussed about the general rules of ergonomics for farm workers and different guidelines to be followed while doing farm work.

Demonstrations was shown on method of sowing soybean by scientist

AICRP- SASRD, Engrala Ao which was followed by demonstration on application of organic, biological and chemical pesticides in maize FAW conducted

by ATM Ahunaqa Block,

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DIMAPUR: Agricultural Technology management Agency (ATMA) organised field day and demonstrations for farmers and SelfHelp Groups (SHGs) in Dimapur and Kohima.

Sechü-Zubza block: ATMA Sechü-Zubza block conducted field day and demonstration programme on July 2 at Khonoma where harvesting of potatoes and demonstration on nursery bed preparation of cabbage, carrot and coriander were carried out.

The event was attended by the members of an FIG from the village, along with farmer’s friend and ATMA functionaries.

ATM Thejavizonuo Kelio said with the present situation arising out of the COVID-19 outbreak and the importance been given more on agriculture and food security during such times have given ample

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur Sunday, JULY 11, 2021

Wokha DTF meeting on July 13 DIMAPUR: Wokha District Task Force (DTF) on COVID-19 meeting has been convened on July 13, 2 p.m. at the Conference Hall of Deputy Commissioner (DC) Wokha office.

The ADC has requested all DTF members and civil society organisations,

NGOs namely chairman Lotha Hoho, president Lotha Eloe Hoho, president Lotha Student’s Union, president Lotha Youth Hoho and the president Wokha District Chamber of Commerce and Industries (WCCI) to attend the meeting.

AR conducts various activities

DIMAPUR: Assam Rifles under the aegis of HQ IGAR (North) has been organising activities such as awareness campaign, vaccination drive, plantation drive and interactions across the state.

Ghaspani Bn: Ghaspani battalion of Assam Rifles conducted awareness campaign on the employment avenues for women at Ghaspani, Dimapur, on July 6.

As part of the event, local youth including women were informed about upcoming army recruitment for women military police, Assam Rifles meritorious sportsman recruitment, SSC exams and various employment opportunities in state services.

Kiphire Bn: Kiphire battalion in collaboration with district administration Kiphire organised a COVID vaccination drive on July 5 and July 6 at Betang village and Mimi Village Kiphire respectively. The battalion also organised a tree plantation drive on July 6 at Thongsonyu Village, Kiphire under the theme, “clean and green Nagaland”. The plantation drive aimed at creating awareness on a pollution free environment.

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Police encounters continue in Assam 1 more killed, 2 injured

Guwahati, Jul 10 (PTI): Amid opposition parties decrying the rising number of police encounters under the Himanta Biswa Sarma government, one more murder accused was killed and two alleged ganja smugglers were injured as they “attempted to escape from custody” in separate incidents in Assam on Saturday.

With the fresh casualties, at least 13 suspected insurgents and criminals have been killed and dozens, including rape accused and cattle smugglers, injured in police encounters in the northeastern state since the second BJP-led government assumed power two months ago.

The latest incidents took place in Chirang and Kokrajhar districts, both part of the Bodoland Territorial Region (BTR).

At least 13 suspected insurgents and criminals have been killed in the last 2 months.

A person accused of the murder of a home guard was killed while attempting to escape from police custody in Chirang district.

“Within 24 hrs Chirang Police cracked the case of brutal murder of Home Guard Eyad Ali. 3 persons arrested & the murder weapons were recovered.

“In an attempt to flee

from Police custody, escaping accused Abdul Khalek sustained bullet injuries and later succumbed to his injuries,” Chirang district police tweeted.

In another incident, Kokrajhar district police intercepted a truck allegedly smuggling 840 kg of ganja worth over Rs 2 crore, at Srirampur near the AssamWest Bengal inter-state

border.

“While recovering another 10 kg of ganja, which the accused had hidden along the highway, the duo attacked the police personnel & tried to escape from the custody.

“In order to prevent it, Police team resorted to control firing, in which both the accused were grievously injured,” the Kokrajhar district police said in a Twitter post.

On July 6, a suspected drug peddler from Manipur was critically injured when he had allegedly tried to escape from police custody near Rani in Kamrup district.

The rising number of shoot-out encounters in the last two months has whipped up a political furore in Assam with the opposition alleging that the police has turned “trigger-happy” under the Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma-led regime, which assumed charge on May 10.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur SunDAY, JULY 11, 2021

Delta plus variant detected Fake call centre busted in Delhi, in Tripura, 1st time in NE 24 held for duping people from NE AGARTALA, JUL 10 (IANS): The highly infectious Delta plus variant of coronavirus has been found for the first time in Tripura after the Delta strain was detected in three northeastern states -- Assam, Manipur and Mizoram, doctors said here on Saturday.

Agartala Government Medical College (AGMC) Microbiology department head Tapan Mazumder said that after the samples of Tripura were tested in the National Institute of Biomedical Genomics (NIBMG) at Kalyani in West Bengal, 138 cases of Delta plus, 10 cases of Delta (plain) and three cases of UK variant were found in the northeastern state.

Majumder, who was present along with Director of Health and Family Welfare Radha Debbarma and Covid-19 Surveillance Officer Deep Kumar Debbarma said that the Delta plus strain is more transmissible and evades the body’s immunity.

“It is a cause of concern

that the Delta plus variants were found in all the eight districts of Tripura and the Delta (plain) and UK variants found in few districts,” he told the media.

Majumder, who is also the Professor of AGMC, said that Delta plus strain also can reduce the efficacy of the Covid-19 vaccine.

The Delta variant of coronavirus has been found for the first time in Assam and then in Manipur and Mizoram following which the doctors and the authorities have asked the people to be more cautious and follow Covid appropriate behaviour. The Delta variant was observed in Europe in March and it was notified and brought into public domain on June 13.

Last month, the scientists in Delhi said the highly transmissible Delta variant of SARS-CoV-2 has mutated further to form the ‘Delta plus’ or ‘AY.1’ variant, but there is no immediate cause for concern as its incidence in the country is still low.

NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (PTI): The Delhi Police has busted a fake call centre and arrested 24 people, including 15 women, from Rohini area, officials said on Saturday. The accused duped victims, mainly from the Northeastern states and Odisha, on the pretext of offering them mobile phones at cheap rates through a lottery scheme, they said.

Police said Ramkumar (34), Shyam Kumar (35) and Govind (22), all residents of Sultanpuri here, together owned the call centre.

On Friday, the police received information about the fake call centre operating at Rohini Sector-7 which allegedly duped people on the pretext of offering them mobiles at cheap rates through a lottery scheme, a senior police officer said. “The police raided the call centre and nabbed the accused. Enquiry revealed that most of the victims belonged to the North Eastern states,” Deputy Commissioner of Police (Rohini) Pranav Tayal said.

During interrogation, it was revealed that the accused used to collect mobile numbers of people residing in other states from the internet, the DCP said. They randomly made calls to people across the country and induced them with lucrative offers. They told the people that their number had been selected for the offer in which they will get a mobile phone worth Rs 17,000 on payment of just Rs 4,500, police said.

In order to gain the confidence of customers, they used the post office as logistics service provider. However, instead of sending mobiles, they would send cheap wallets, belt, soaps, etc, in the parcel, the police said. Police also raided the warehouse of the accused situated at Rohini Sector-20 and recovered packets that were ready to be delivered. The three owners of the fake call centre were also nabbed from there, the police said. Police recovered three computers, 52 mobiles, 384 packets and other items.

NE’s first Covid genome sequencing facility inaugurated in Mnp Night curfew to continue in Manipur

region of the country was inaugurated in Imphal on IMPHAL, JUL 10: The first Saturday. ever genome sequencing faManipur chief minister cility in the entire northeast N Biren Singh inaugurated Correspondent

92% Covid patients who died weren’t vaccinated: Meghalaya Chief Minister

SHILLONG, JUL 10: Meghalaya Chief Minister Conrad Sangma said that 92 per cent of those who died due to COVID-19 in the state had not taken even a single dose of COVID-19 vaccine, reports NDTV He said that of the 749 Covid deaths in Meghalaya - the state with second highest mortality rate of 1.68 per cent in the region after Nagaland (1.97 per cent) - at least 691 people were not vaccinated.

The Chief Minister’s statement comes as vaccination hesitancy is affecting the state’s inoculation coverage.

The Ministry of Health and Family welfare had on Wednesday said Meghalaya has inoculated only 74 percent of its healthcare workers with the first dose and only 48 percent people in the category have received their second dose. The state has also performed poorly in terms of vaccinating its frontline workers, those

above 45 and those above 18.

So far, nearly eight lakh people have been vaccinated in Meghalaya, including both the first and the second dose.

There have been instances of vaccine hesitancy in several parts of Meghalaya where people aren’t getting vaccinated fearing side effects. Several attempts of the government to spread awareness among people had no major effect so far.

Chief Minister Sangma lamented that there are some elected representatives who have been openly criticizing the vaccination drive.

“I would like to say that being elected members we have a responsibility to ensure our people are protected.

As members we do our research. The entire world is doing research, evidence is clear that vaccination is saving lives,” he said.

the state for detection of COVID variants as genome sequencing would be done within the state.

After inaugurating the facility, Singh said that viral genome sequencing has become very critical in the fight against the COVID pandemic as new variants of concern have emerged as the dominant strains across the world.

He said that the Central government had been putting in much effort to increase sequencing in view of the increasing spread and possibility of a third wave.

He expressed his happiness on ISBD, Imphal on becoming one of the

regional sequencing laboratories approved as part of the consortium of 28 national laboratories to monitor the genomic variations in SARS-CoV-2.

He further stated that sequencing would facilitate in identifying hotspots with variants of concern and provide critical information to aid appropriate public health response.

The analysis of data collected would also help in studying whether the mutation influences transmission, clinical outcomes, and severity and impact the efficacy of public health intervention and vaccines, he added.

Correspondent

IMPHAL, Jul 10: Even as the COVID-19 test positivity rate (TPR) in Manipur still hovering above 10%, the state government has decided to extend the curfew only during the nights.

Day curfew which was last extended till July 10 will be relaxed. There will

be curfew from 7pm to 5am in all the districts of the state till July 20, the state home department stated in an order passed late on Friday.

However, restrictions to curb the spread of the virus except permitted activities will continue.

Above the activities which were relaxed from

the purview of the curfew, opening of authorized service centres of personal computers and mobiles will be allowed from 10 am to 2 pm on the days when grocery shops are closed as per the order.

Further, opening up will depend on the Covid-19 scenario and the progress in vaccination, it added.

Happy Birthday Kushi, May you forever sparkle and shine like the star that you are. We wish you a birthday that is as beautiful, incredible, and unique as you are. Happy 1st Birthday beloved daughter!

With love....

Maa, Papa, Uncle & Aunty Dearest Little Princess.... Aselu..!!

I am happy to watch you grow; you bring happiness to our life. May your dreams come true. On this auspicious day wishing you a blessed and happy birthday.

With Love and Care --Tso_

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Manipur CM N Biren Singh inaugurating first ever COVID19 genome sequencing facility in Imphal on Saturday.

Indian SARS-CoV-2 Genomics Consortium (INSACOG) sequencing facility at the Institute of Bioresources and Sustainable Development (IBSD), Imphal at a virtual function at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat.

With the inauguration of the facility, samples now can be tested in the INSACOG sequencing facility at ISBD Campus, Takyelpat, Imphal where genome sequencing of SARS-CoV-2 will be performed not only for Manipur but also for other states of north-eastern region of India.

For the state of Manipur, it would now no longer send samples outside

Happy 85th Birthday Dad

Grenade blast raises tension amid interstate Assam-Mizoram border dispute

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ers are undertaking development work. We have from time to time informed this to Mizoram, but these illegal activities are going on,” Mr Chandrakant told reporters.

People living in areas along the Assam-Mizoram inter-state border said they have been living there for decades, but now the people of Assam accompanied by police are allegedly trying to evict them.

Central paramilitary forces are maintaining security on both sides of the inter-state border since trouble began in October last year.

An official in Aizawl said Mizoram Chief Secretary Lalnunmawia Chuaungo and his Assam counterpart Jishnu Baruah on Friday met in Delhi in the presence of Home Ministry officials.

The Mizoram Chief Secretary has sought time for further consultations.

The Assam Chief Secretary, after the meeting, told

reporters in Delhi that both sides have agreed to certain issues but the Mizoram government sought some more time.

“We expect to sign an agreement in our next meeting after resolving the inter-state border issues,” Mr Baruah said.

Since October last year, several inter-state border skirmishes have taken place along the AssamMizoram border and over 50 people have been injured and more than 25 houses and shops had been set on fire on the Assam side.

An Assam government school was damaged due to a massive blast triggered by unknown people from Mizoram side last year.

Following the intervention of Home Minister Amit Shah, central paramilitary forces were deployed along the border to prevent fresh troubles after a series of clashes and blockades on the National Highway last October.

N. YEVUTO ACHUMI Proverbs 16:32

Gray hair is a crown of glory.

It is obtained by following a righteous path.

Our beloved Dad, Congratulations on your 85th Birthday.

On this day, we celebrate your life and glorify our God for all His mercies.

A man of patience, generous heart, forgiving nature and an honest soul, that is who you are.

Thank you for the Blessings you have given us throughout our life.

Thank you for being wonderful father and a good man.

We pray that God grant you many more blissful years into your life.

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GUWAHATI, JUL 10 (AGENCIES): Hours after a meeting of the chief secretaries of Assam and Mizoram over state border troubles, a grenade was triggered along the interstate border on Saturday when senior officials were visiting the areas, officials said.

According to the Assam Police, a grenade was detonated inside Mizoram territory when senior Assam officials including Additional Director General of Police (Border) Harmeet Singh and Cachar Deputy Commissioner Keerthi Jalli were visiting the interstate bordering areas.

Cachar district police chief Nimbalkar Vaibhav Chandrakant, who was accompanying the official team, said no one was injured in the blast.

“Some people belonging to Mizoram are always trying to encroach upon Assam territories, and putting up obstructions when Assam officials and work-

Loving Wife, Children, In-laws & Grandchildren K Y M C

‘Public will be responsible for 3rd Covid wave’ New Delhi, Jul 10 (IANS): The IANS C Voter Tracker finds that the general public flouting Covid-19 norms to be responsible for a third wave of the pandemic.

As huge crowds are being witnessed in markets and public places in different cities and crazy crowds seen at hill stations, flouting Covid norms, majority of people in India opined that general public will be responsible if there is a third wave in the country.

In an IANS C Voter Live News tracker, while 57.0 per cent of the respondents said that general public will be responsible if the country is hit by a third wave, only 34.0 per cent of those interviewed during the survey said that government should be held responsible for another wave. Remaining of the respondents did not have any opinion on who should be held responsible if country is stuck by another wave of lethal virus.

Despite the claims made by the Centre that there is no vaccine shortage in the country, a large number of respondents interviewed in a IANS C Voter Live News tracker said that they are not able to get vaccine doses easily and they have to wait for long to

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur SUNDAY, JULY 11, 2021

57.0 per cent of the respondents said that general public will be responsible if the country is hit by a third wave.

get vaccinated to fight the deadly virus.

While 47.0 per cent of those, who were interviewed in the survey said that they are experiencing long waiting time in getting the jab, 42 per cent of the respondents shared a different experience as they said they are able to get vaccine doses easily without waiting for long period after booking their slot to get vaccinated.

The remaining respondents were not sure about the availability of the vaccine in the country.

Majority of Indians believe that decision of the Narendra Modi government to establish medical oxygen generation plant in every district of the country, taken

amid the second wave of the Covid-19 pandemic in the country was a delayed one.

In the IANS C Voter Live News tracker, while 51 per cent of the respondents opined that government was late in taking a decision to establish medical oxygen generation in every district of the country, only 38 per cent of those interviewed during the survey said the decision was taken at the right time.

Remaining of the respondents were not sure if the government took the decision at right time or if it got late in deciding on the crucial issue during the pandemic.

The tracker found that Asaduddin Owaisi was not

an important factor in the Uttar Pradesh politics as majority of the people are of the opinion that the entry of his AIMIM in the electoral contest in 2022 will make no difference and the party will not be able to even open an account in the Assembly elections in the state.

In a IANS C Voter Live News tracker, while 52 per cent of the respondents said that Owaisi’s party will not be able to win even a single seat in the Assembly elections, only 28 per cent of those, who were interviewed during the survey replied that AIMIM will be able to repeat its performance of Bihar and Maharashtra in Uttar Pradesh. Remaining of the respondents did not have any opinion on the prospects of performance of AIMIM in Uttar Pradesh Assembly scheduled to be held early next year.

After West Bengal, as political violence has been witnessed in Uttar Pradesh during the Zila Panchayat Adhyaksh and Block Pramukh elections and the ruling BJP is being accused of misusing government machinery and resorting to violence to win local body elections, a large number of people believe that all ruling parties in different states do not resort to such tactics to

win local body elections.

In the IANS C Voter Live News tracker, while 45 percent of the respondents said that all ruling parties in different states do not resort to violence and misuse government machinery to win the local body elections, 35 per cent of those, who were surveyed opined otherwise.

19.8 per cent of the respondents were not sure if all the ruling parties resort to such tactics to win local body elections or not.

As the US government has announced that its military mission in Afghanistan will conclude on August 31, a large number of Indians believe that the situation in war ravaged Afghanistan has improved during two decades of America’s military mission in the war ravaged country.

In the tracker, while 43 per cent of the respondents believe that situation in Afghanistan got better during the presence of US Armed Forces in the country as the influence of Al Qaeda and other terrorist organisations has been significantly degraded in the country, only 26 per cent of those interviewed during the survey said that situation in Afghanistan has got worse because of America’s military mission in the country.

2nd wave not yet over, Home Secretary cautions 8 states

Ajay Bhalla

NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (IANS): Sounding a note of caution, Union Home Secretary Ajay Bhalla on Saturday asked eight states having tourist destinations and hill stations to follow strict Covid appropriate behaviour to avoid spread of the virus.

Emphasising that “second wave of Covid-19 is not yet over”, Bhalla, while chairing a meeting here, directed the states to ensure strict adherence to the protocols prescribed in respect of wearing of masks, social distancing and other safe behaviour.

He was checking the steps taken by state governments to avoid the spread of Covid-19 in hill stations and tourist locations.

During the meeting, the overall management of Covid-19 situation and the vaccination status in respect of the states of Goa, Himachal Pradesh, Kerala, Maharashtra, Rajasthan,

Tamil Nadu, Uttarakhand, and West Bengal was discussed.

The Home Secretary sounded a note of caution in view of media reports showing blatant disregard of Covid appropriate behaviour in hill stations and other tourist locations.

It was observed that the decline of the second wave is at variable stages in the different states or Union Territories (UTs) in the country, and that while the overall case positivity rate may be declining, the case positivity rate in certain districts of Rajasthan, Kerala, Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, West Bengal, Uttarakhand and Himachal Pradesh is over 10 per cent, which is a cause for concern.

States were also asked to follow the five-fold strategy of Test-Track-TreatVaccinate and Covid appropriate behaviour, as has been laid out in Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) order dated June 29 this year, said the Home Ministry.

Adequate health infrastructure preparedness (especially in rural, periurban and tribal areas) was also advised, with a view to tackle any potential future surge in cases.

11 govt employees sacked for support to terrorists NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (AGENCIES): Two sons of Hizbul Mujahideen chief Syed Salahuddin are among the 11 government employees who have been dismissed by the Jammu and Kashmir authorities for allegedly working for terror groups, reports Times of India.

Sources told ANI that the employees were found to be involved in anti-national activities and provided inside information to the terrorists.

They said that out of the 11 employees who have been sacked, four are from Anantnag, three from Budgam, one each from Baramulla, Srinagar, Pulwama and Kupwara.

Two of them are the sons of Salahuddin, the head of banned terrorist group Hizbul Mujahideen.

Salahuddin supports terrorist activities on Indian soil through proxy NGOs and charities supported by Pakistan’s ISI. Sources said that four of these staff members were working in the education department, two were in J&K Police and one each in agriculture, skill development, power, SKIMS and health departments.

Court accepts closure report against Punjab Police unearth illicit weapons supply network Chhota Rajan in Lakdawala case

MUMBAI, JUL 10 (PTI): A special court here on Saturday accepted a closure report filed by the CBI against jailed gangster Chhota Rajan in the case related to a firing on builder and film financier Yusuf Lakdawala in 2001.

A closure report is filed when an investigating agency believes that it does not have enough evidence to proceed against an accused.

Special Judge A T Wankhede accepted the report and directed that Rajan be `released’ as per section 169 of the Code of Criminal Procedure (release of accused when evidence is deficient).

The court also asked Rajan to furnish a personal

bond of Rs 50,000. However, the gangster would not walk out of jail as he is facing numerous other cases.

Special Public Prosecutor Pradeep Gharat said the Central Bureau of Investigation had filed the closure report about three months ago.

Appearing through video link, 76-year-old Lakdawala told the court that he had no objection if the closure report was accepted, Gharat said.

Rajan’s lawyer advocate Tushar Khandare said the incident of firing on Lakdawala had taken place in suburban Bandra in 2001.

Rajan and some others were named in the case for al-

LL.B. ADMISSION

Notice to UP govt Aim to construct 60,000 km worldover brutal assault class NH by 2024 : Nitin Gadkari on Dalit youth NEW DELHI, JUL 10: In lars i.e. Rs 111 lakh crores New Delhi, Jul 10 (IANS): The National Commission for Scheduled Castes has sent a notice to the Uttar Pradesh government, taking into cognizance an incident in which a Dalit youth was brutally beaten up after being tied to a tree.

The incident has been reported from Akbarpur area of Kanpur Dehat district. The youth, said to be in a relation with a girl, was beaten up by her relatives and other villagers when he had come to meet her.

It’s being said that he was also hit on his private parts with a stick. He was tied to a tree with a towel and then beaten up. The video of the incident went viral on the social media. The NCSC has issued notice to the Uttar Pradesh Chief Secretary, DGP, and DM and SSP of Kanpur Dehat.

a big boost to India’s infra push, the Road Transport and Highways Ministry Nitin Gadkari said that his aim is to construct 60,000 kilometers of the worldclass national highway by 2024, at the rate of 40 kilometers per day.

Addressing the 16th Annual Conference on “Road Development in India”, Gadkari said that India with about 63 lakh km of the road network is the second largest road network in the world.

He said road infrastructure plays a critical role in the growth of the economy as 70 percent of the goods and nearly 90 percent of passenger traffic uses roads to commute.

F u r t h e r, G a d k a r i said, “The government is investing 1.4 trillion dol-

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in infrastructure development through national infrastructure pipeline, further this year, government has increased year on year infrastructure capex by 34 percent to Rs. 5.54 lakh crores.”

He also said that the aim was “to construct 60,000 km world class national highway at the rate of 40 km per day.”

INFORMATION Dr. Anand Dilip Vakade, M.S., DNB. (Urologist) will be available for consultation daily between 9 AM and 4 PM (except Sundays / Holidays) at Eden Medical Centre from 12th July 2021.

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Chhota Rajan ( File)

Chandigarh, Jul 10 (IANS): In a major interstate operation, Punjab Police on Saturday busted another Madhya Pradeshbased illicit weapon supply network with the arrest of its main supplier, Baljit Singh, alias Sweety Singh.

Singh, a resident of Barwani of district in Madhya Pradesh, has been found indulging in manufacturing and supply of high-quality illicit weapons to Punjab and other states of northern India, said Director General of Police (DGP) Dinkar Gupta.

Kapurthala Police have also recovered three .32 Weapon supplier in police net. Courtesy- The Tribune. bore pistols, along with three magazines from his MP-based illegal weapon leged attempt to murder and possession, he added. No- manufacturing and supply also under the Maharashtra tably, this is the third such module busted by Punjab Control of Organized Crime Act (MCOCA).

Rajan is lodged in Tihar Jail in Delhi after his deporCITY LAW COLLEGE tation from Indonesia in BURMA CAMP, DIMAPUR-NAGALAND October 2015. He is facing around 70 cases, including 1. Eligibility :- Bachelor Degree with minimum 45% marks for general category the 2011 murder of journal40% marks for SC/ST. ist J Dey. Working days/hour: Lakdawala too is in Monday to Friday / 09.00 AM to 01.00 PM judicial custody after being For detail, contact :arrested by the Enforcement 9436430588/ 8787603048/ 9077662341 Directorate in a money Principal laundering case.

City Law College DP-3176 The ED case is based on a 2019 FIR of the Econ o m i c O f f e n c e s Wi n g (EOW) of Mumbai Police about alleged cheating and forgery related to a Rs 50 crore-worth land at Khandala in Pune district.

Police in the past eight months.

Earlier, Amritsar Rural Police had unearthed two such modules, including one illicit small arms manufacturing unit in MP, with the arrest of weapon smugglers, who were supplying weapons to gangsters, criminals and radicals in Punjab.

Sharing details, Gupta said the development came 10 days after Kapurthala Police in the follow-up operations led by SSP Harkamalpreet Singh Khakh had arrested four robbers after recovering 10 pistols and one rifle, along with

ammunition, from their possession.

He said the arrested robbers revealed they were getting the supply of weapons from Sweety Singh and were hatching a conspiracy to carry out robberies, snatch money from petrol pumps as well as farmers.

The DGP said following these inputs, the police procured arrest warrants of Sweety Singh and a special police team from Kapurthala was despatched to Barwani district to arrest him after coordinating the operations with the local police.

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OPINiON/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post Vol. XXxI NO. 215 Dimapur, SunDAY, JULY 11, 2021

Accepting responsibility

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ore than a year of pandemic has devastated millions in India while the situation in economically vulnerable states like Nagaland is no better. A strong and resilient economy sustains growth and prosperity. Also, it is not size that determines economic prosperity which is very crucial for people to achieve self-sufficiency but productivity. This may be seen in the case of Per Capita Income(PCI) of north eastern states. Last year Sikkim topped north eastern states in per capita income with Rs 3.17 lakh while Tripura with Rs 1.54 lakh was second Mizoram with Rs 1.41 lakh was third; Arunachal Pradesh with Rs 1.27 lakh was fourth; Nagaland with Rs 1.02 lakh was fifth; Meghalaya with Rs 81,000, was sixth; Assam with Rs 74,000 was seventh and Manipur with Rs 65,000 was eighth. According to definition, Per Capita Income(PCI) is a measure of the amount of money earned per person in a nation or state. PCI can be used to determine the average per-person income for an area and to evaluate the standard of living and quality of life of the population. Per Capita Income for a nation or state, is calculated by dividing the state or country’s national/local income by its population. There is nothing much to cheer about PCI data since the ground reality can be vastly different.

Traditionally, Nagaland is an agro-based economy where horticulture, floriculture and sericulture have good potential including tourism, minerals and mining. Such natural abundance has only been waiting to be exploited but efforts have fallen much below the potential. Nagaland(16,579 sq.kms) may have been borne out of a political necessity but it wasn’t a desert like Israel or as tiny as Sikkim (7,096 sq/ kms). Today Sikkim, which became a state in 1975, is way ahead of Nagaland in many areas especially productivity in the agro-industrial field. Nagaland became a state in 1963 with an abundance of not only natural resources but tremendous human resource potential among its 16 tribes and various other communities. The requirement for economic development is input and this demands willingness to endure hardships for achieving the desired goal. The spoon feeding syndrome and sense of entitlement has gradually and surely inflicted very serious damage on generations. Some leaders still complain about changing funding pattern in 1989 which was contained in Point No 11 of the 16-Point Memorandum of Understanding between the government of India and the Naga People’s Convention signed in 1960. The change in funding pattern did not prevent the government of India from granting a massive dose of Rs.365 crore as ‘peace bonus’ and one time grant to Nagaland in 2003. Leaders also complain that the Centre has not allowed the state to tap its own resources as per Art.371A, meaning oil, gas and natural resources. Some would even go as far as to highlight the Centre’s arbitrary transfer of Nagaland state from the external affairs ministry to home ministry. All these sound politically correct and deflect the attention from the causes and factors that have made Nagaland slide into what is has become today. These factors are regressive politics and a compromising religion. As a Christian majority or dominated state, the Church needs to seriously introspect and realize that time has come to practice what is preached.

DailyDevotion The Spiritually Lazy Saint Let us consider one another in order to stir up love and good works, not forsaking the assembling of ourselves together… —Hebrews 10:24-25 We are all capable of being spiritually lazy saints. We want to stay off the rough roads of life, and our primary objective is to secure a peaceful retreat from the world. The ideas put forth in these verses from Hebrews 10 are those of stirring up one another and of keeping ourselves together. Both of these require initiative— our willingness to take the first step toward Christ-realization, not the initiative toward self-realization. To live a distant, withdrawn, and secluded life is diametrically opposed to spirituality as Jesus Christ taught it.

The true test of our spirituality occurs when we come up against injustice, degradation, ingratitude, and turmoil, all of which have the tendency to make us spiritually lazy. While being tested, we want to use prayer and Bible reading for the purpose of finding a quiet retreat. We use God only for the sake of getting peace and joy. We seek only our enjoyment of Jesus Christ, not a true realization of Him. This is the first step in the wrong direction. All these things we are seeking are simply effects, and yet we try to make them causes.

“Yes, I think it is right,” Peter said, “…to stir you up by reminding you…” (2 Peter 1:13). It is a most disturbing thing to be hit squarely in the stomach by someone being used of God to stir us up— someone who is full of spiritual activity. Simple active work and spiritual activity are not the same thing. Active work can actually be the counterfeit of spiritual activity. The real danger in spiritual laziness is that we do not want to be stirred up— all we want to hear about is a spiritual retirement from the world. Yet Jesus Christ never encourages the idea of retirement— He says, “Go and tell My brethren…” (Matthew 28:10).

Quotes

He is happiest, be he king or peasant, who finds peace in his home. ~ Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

Nagaland Post, Dimapur sunDAY, JULY 11, 2021

Post-mortem

‘Rights and Choices’ must for population control T

he debate will never end whether India’s population is a resource or a problem because there are many challenges when it comes to population in the country. There are many other countries, mostly developing nations facing challenges due to the growing population in spite of different initiatives from government and other agencies. Looking at the growing population of India we think about zero which was invented in India. Did we invent zero? Of course, yes, but looking at the population we wonder because we have crossed billions in recent years.

Global data gives us a different picture and it also says that despite constitutional guarantees of gender equality in many countries, worldwide, on average, women enjoy just 75% of the legal rights of men. Globally quantitative surveys suggest that between 4% - 29% of women who use contraception do so without their husbands’ or partners’ knowledge.

Only 55% of women have the power to make their

T

own decisions about their bodies should be a wake-up call to governments, policymakers and development institutions. An estimated 58% of female victims of murder were killed by an intimate partner or member of their own family, amounting to 137 women every day. This has been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic—and violence against women has been deemed the “shadow pandemic”.

When we look at the above data then we can find that Rights and choices are the answer. The recent pandemic has compromised health care systems particularly in the area of sexual and reproductive health. It also exposed and exacerbated gender-based inequities: gender-based violence increased under lockdown, as did the risk of child marriage and female genital mutilation as programmes to abolish the harmful practices were disrupted. There are many other issues due to the pandemic which are yet to be documented and found out when it comes to choices and rights.

is seeing high levels of urbanization and accelerating migration. 2007 was the first year in which more people lived in urban areas than in rural areas, and by 2050 about 66 per cent of the world population will be living in cities. All these trends are alarming as they affect economic development, employment, income distribution, poverty and social protections.

They also affect efforts to ensure universal access to health care, education, housing, sanitation, water, food and energy.

The World Population Dashboard showcases global population data, including fertility rate, gender parity in school enrolment, information on sexual and reproductive health, and much more. Together, these data shine a light on the health and rights of people around the world, especially women and young people.

To raise issues related to population 11th July has been marked as World Population Day, which seeks to focus attention on the urgency and impor-

tance of population issues.

The day was established by the then-Governing Council of the United Nations Development Programme in 1989, an outgrowth of the interest generated by the Day of Five Billion, which was observed on 11 July 1987.

By resolution 45/216 of December 1990, the United Nations General Assembly decided to continue observing WPD to enhance awareness of population issues, including their relations to the environment and development. The Day was first marked on 11 July 1990 in more than 90 countries.

Since then, a number of United Nations Population Fund’s (UNFPA) country offices and other organizations and institutions commemorate WPD, in partnership with governments and civil society.

UNFPA works to support family planning by: ensuring a steady, reliable supply of quality contraceptives; strengthening national health systems; advocating for policies supportive of family planning;

and gathering data to support this work. UNFPA also provides global leadership in increasing access to family planning, by convening partners – including governments – to develop evidence and policies, and by offering programmatic, technical and financial assistance to developing countries.

Apart from National Policies, different states in India are working on State Population Policies to address issues related to population. Many activities need to be carried out and make individuals as resources else more number will increase more challenges. Each and every one must think and act when challenges arise due to the population in the country. Together we can make a difference but we must act for the same if we want our future to be more sustainable. Females must have rights and choices in life so that the population can be controlled.

Ranjan K Baruah (With direct inputs from UN publication) Feedback may be sent to bkranjan@gmail.com

The confused US withdrawal from Afghanistan

he recent attacks by Taliban in Baghlan, Farah, Kunduz, Herat, Takhar, Helmand, Ghazni and Badakhshan provinces and the capture of Dahla dam which supplies water to Kandahar town should be a curtain raiser for those who ardently watch the story unfold in Afghanistan.

As on May 1, 139 pro-government and 44 civilians had lost their lives in just a week alone.

On April 14, 2021, President Joe Biden promised to end the “Forever war” by announcing a full US pull out on September 11, 2021, largely out of symbolism to commemorate the 20th year of Global War on Terror (GWOT). But soon after the announcement, it is becoming apparent that the US has not thought through the larger implications of this decision.

It is quite apparent that even the US army is surprised by the sudden turn of events.

The confusion in the US army is compounded by the contradictory statements emerging from the US military leadership.

“It’s not a foregone conclusion, in my professional military estimate, that the Taliban automatically win and Kabul falls,” said General Mark Milley, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff , while speaking at the Pentagon on 6 May 2021 even as Afghan Army causalities began to mount in Taliban attacks within the week. He even came out in support of the ANDSF and their capabilities announcing that “I’m a personal witness -- that the Afghan security forces can fight,” Milley, who had previously served in Afghanistan, added.

C

We must be aware that it took hundreds of thousands of years for the world population to grow to 1 billion – then in just another 200 years or so, it grew sevenfold. In 2011, the global population reached the 7 billion mark, and today, it stands at about 7.7 billion, and it’s expected to grow to around 8.5 billion in 2030, 9.7 billion in 2050, and 10.9 billion in 2100.

This dramatic growth has been driven largely by increasing numbers of people surviving to reproductive age, and has been accompanied by major changes in fertility rates, increasing urbanization and accelerating migration. The recent past has seen enormous changes in fertility rates and life expectancy. In the early 1970s, women had on average 4.5 children each; by 2015, total fertility for the world had fallen to below 2.5 children per woman.

Meanwhile, average global life spans have risen, from 64.6 years in the early 1990s to 72.6 years in 2019.

In addition, the world

“We’ve been supporting them, for sure, but they’ve been leading the fight.”

That is not how a former US commander who crafted US strategy in Iraq and Afghanistan, Gen. David Petraeus assess the situation. In an interview he said, “I do fear that two to three years from now we are going to look back and regret the decision to withdraw the remaining 3,500 US troops,” enthusing no confidence in the abilities of the ANDSF to stabilise Afghanistan post the withdrawal.

In fact he even predicted the return of ISIS and believed, “This is not going to end the endless war in Afghanistan; it is going to end the US and the coalition involvement in that war militarily” and warned of resurgence of Daesh.

For instance, the recent Taliban attacks have seen desperate calls for the Afghan Air Force to assist the ground troops in fighting the Taliban. The Afghan Air Force is almost entirely dependent on the US for its force sustenance and would be ineffective unless this support is assured. The US has indicated that it would be capable of supporting operations from its air bases in close proximity of Afghanistan like the Middle East and has been actively courting Uzbekistan as a possible destination. But that does in no way mitigate the problems of keeping Afghan Air Force in the air. Gen Mark Milley accepts that “[M]aintaining logistic support to the Afghan Air Force is a key test that we have to sort out”, and even hinted that some contractors could return to Afghanistan after the withdrawal is complete.

In fact the SIGAR (Special Inspector General for Afghanistan Reconstruction) report released on April 30, 2021 stated that the Afghan Air Force could be grounded “within months without the current level of contractor support”.(italics mine). The SIGAR report is more candid as it quotes US military leadership expressing their reservations and concerns at the capabilities of the ANDSF to defend Afghanistan. Consider these statements in the run up to Biden’s speech of April 14, 2021.

On February 20, 2021, US Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin linked the US withdrawal to a reduction in Taliban attacks. “The violence must decrease now.”

The same day, on February 20, 2021, General Kenneth F. McKenzie, in a meeting with Pakistani officials, warned that an early US pullout could risk the collapse of the Afghan government.

On March 13, 2021, the commander of US and allied forces in Afghanistan, General Austin Scott Miller, expressed concerns at the capabilities of the Afghan air force saying that “When you start talking about removing our presence... certain things like air, air support, and maintenance of that air support become more and more problematic”.

On March 25, 2021, General Richard Clarke, Commander, US Special Operations Command accepted the Taliban have not upheld their end of the Doha accord and said: “It’s clear the Taliban have not upheld what they said they would do and reduce the violence. It is clear they took a deliberate approach

and increased their violence since the peace accords were signed.”

On April 20, 2021, the Commander of US Central Command, General Kenneth McKenzie, while testifying at a House Armed Services Committee stated that, “Everyone will leave. All US defence contractors will leave as part of the withdrawal.”

The contradictions are visible. Violence has climbed by 37 per cent in the first quarter as compared to last year. With reference to Gen Kenneth McKenzie’s statement, it is now clear that as many as 17,000 contractors, approximately 6000 of whom are US citizens are in Afghanistan will be permitted to renegotiate their contracts. The Economic Times comments that the Pentagon was toying with the option of turning over some contracts , particularly maintenance contracts presently effected by US contractors to Afghan control.

Even the CIA Director William Burns acceded during a hearing that “[W]hen the time comes for the US military to withdraw, the US government’s ability to collect and act on threats will diminish... That is simply a fact.”

Even the Annual Threat Assessment of the US Intelligence Community, released as recent as April 9, 2021 and tabled before Biden’s announcement, assessed that the possibility of the success of an intra-Afghan deal between the Afghan government and the Taliban “will remain low during the next year,” and that “theTaliban is likely to make gains on the battlefield, and the Afghan Government will struggle to hold the Taliban at bay if the

Coalition withdraws support.”

The Report expressed serious reservations about the capabilities of the ANDSF and concludes that the ANDSF “continues to face setbacks on the battlefield, and the Taliban is confident it can achieve military victory.”

Almost as if on cue, and in complete synchronisation with the US, NATO too ordered its drawdown from Afghanistan, clearly aligning their interests with the US and showing how bereft EU is of an independent Afghan policy as well as the limitations of its military reach and capabilities. Almost immediately after Biden’s announcement, on the same day, at a joint press conference NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg said that NATO ministers “decided that we will start the withdrawal of NATO Resolute Support forces

by May 1... We plan to complete the drawdown of all our troops within a few months.”

Clearly, the military leadership did not approve of or never sensed the impending announcement by the President. In any case, if indeed they made a pitch to the President, he obviously has overruled their advice.

The US withdrawal, as it unfolds at the present, is confusing and portends ill for the future of Afghanistan.

(The writer -- Maj Gen Mandip Singh, SM, VSM retired recently from Northern Command. He has been a Senior Fellow at MP- IDSA & Dean of the Army War College at Mhow. He is a keen China watcher and writes regularly on foreign & military affairs)

Are we gearing up for third wave?

all it lack of civi- we are better prepared. made several people job- alone will not be the solulized attitude or We have credible vaccines less across India, the gov- tion for the present situcallous behaviour, available for our disposals. ernment should take the ation. People should be Indians are undoubtedly Government is fully onus of immunizing every strictly advised against brazing for the third wave geared to vaccinate people. single Indian free and no flouting the rules. Law enof covid attack which has But still, we are losing private hospital should be forcement agencies should so far claimed more than several thousand precious allowed to charge any- keep a strict vigil on those 4 lakh Indians, devastating lives, both accounted and thing for giving a shot. who throw the basic safety several households. unaccounted for, why?

To encourage corporate protocols in the air posing With the second wave Are there gaps in the hospitals to participate in great danger to others. still to see its flattened system? Vaccine hesitan- the mass immunization We must have lost sevcurvature in many regions cy, lack of availability of campaign, suitable sub- eral lives due to the callous and new delta variant pre- vaccines in several gov- sidies should be given to attitude of people, who had the mentality of havparing its ground, many of ernment-run health care them. Will that happen?

Also, pharmaceutical ing high immunity power us are out on the streets, centers, over-charging in malls, religious places and private hospitals for vac- companies, which hold to the virus or they had even holiday destinations cine shots, lack of knowl- the license of producing been fully vaccinated and throwing all Covid pro- edge about the importance the vaccines, should share that they won’t get Covid. tocols in the air. Can’t we of immunization among the formula to other big But they did not have the stop or at least reduce the rural folks and several players in the industry to basic understanding that impact of the impending misgivings making rounds produce vaccines in mass- they could still spread the third wave? in social media platforms scale under strict regula- virus to others who were When the first wave about vaccines, all put to- tory guidelines. It’s time vulnerable. So, the governhit the country early 2020, gether, making the efforts to save humanity from the ment and people should towe were not prepared. by the government and pandemic in a humanized gether work hand-in-hand.

Even healthcare systems non-government entities approach, not to take adStrict policing should were not tuned properly to to reduce the casualty, a vantage and improve their be enforced at places where face the pandemic, but to- mere formality. balance sheets. gatherings are expected. day after more than a year, As the pandemic has S t r i c t l o c k d ow n s People should be habituReader’s note: Articles or letters published in any of the columns do not reflect the view of this

ated to follow laid down rules by the government.

Only then we can see the end of the pandemic in India. Otherwise, the virus itself should get weakened and go away. Knowing people’s mentality, the lat-

ter should be the possibility after a long time, but at the cost of how many more precious lives?

RKRISH Krish As published by the Times of India @ writewaytoexpress

Reader’s Post

Being mindful of what you share

Sir,

WhatsApp, Facebook and other social media are great for keeping up to date with friends and family, but it isn’t always wise to share everything. With freedom comes responsibility, and if you’re not careful, what you publish can have serious consequences. In recent years, irresponsible postings on social media have got people fired from jobs, expelled from educational institutions, sued in courts, and even jailed. On an even more sinister level, sharing certain types of information can expose you to frightening dangers.

Apong Ao, Dimapur newspaper nor that of the Editor in any manner.

Modi and his new Council of Ministers at Rashtrapati Bhavan in New Delhi on Wednesday. (Rashtrapati Bhavan File)

isters) are millionaires, meaning that they have declared total assets amounting to over Rs 1 crore. Four ministers — Jyotiraditya Scindia (over Rs 379 crore), Piyush Goyal (over Rs 95 crore), Narayan Rane (over Rs 87 crore), and Rajeev Chandrasekhar (over Rs 64 crore) — have been categorised as “high asset ministers”, which means they have declared assets

Farmers clash with police in Haryana; BJP face wrath

Monsoon expected to cover parts of north India: IMD

Farmers climbing over barricades.

YAMUNANAGAR, JUL 10 ( AGENCIES): As the impasse between farmers and the government continues over the three contentious agricultural laws, protesters under the banner of Samyukt Kisan Morcha faced off with police while trying to disrupt a Bharatiya Janata Party meeting in Yamunanagar on Saturday, leading to minor injuries on both sides, reports Hindustan Times.

As police started rounding up protesters, the farmers failed to show black flags to BJP leaders or disrupt the meeting.

“We had announced to stage a dharna till the end of the meeting, but police forcibly took away a few of us in buses. We asked them to release our men or face consequences, and they did,” said Sanju Gudiana, district president of Bhartiya Kisan Union (Charuni).

Aashish Chaudhary, deputy superintendent of police, said seven to eight cops received minor inju-

ries and it will be ascertained if a legal action is required. “A few men were detained as a precautionary measure, and were released after the meeting ended peacefully,” he said.

BJP leaders face farmers’ wrath in Jind, Hisar In Hisar, farmer leader Vikas Sisar lashed out at the authorities of Guru Jambeshwar University for allowing the meeting of BJP state chief OP Dhankar even after cancelling its booking on Friday evening.

“It is evident that the BJP government has been using educational institutes to conduct its party meetings and the varsity officials are following its each and every direction,” he said.

Later, farmers blocked the Hisar-Delhi highway near Ramayana toll plaza after some women protesters alleged that a man accompanying BJP’s Hansi M L A Vi n o d B h aya n a made derogatory gestures at them. Bhayana was not available for comment.

New Delhi, July 10 (PTI): The easterly winds have made conditions favourable for the advancement of the southwest monsoon and it is likely to cover parts of north India, including Delhi, Haryana and Punjab, in a day, the India Meteorological Department (IMD) said on Saturday. The IMD said lower-level easterly winds from the Bay of Bengal have extended northwestwards, reaching up to Delhi, Haryana and east Rajasthan as on Saturday. Low level relative humidity has also increased over the region.

“Hence, the conditions continue to remain favourable for further advancement of southwest monsoon over Delhi, remaining parts of west Uttar Pradesh and some more parts of Punjab, Haryana and Rajasthan during the next 24 hours,” the IMD added.

worth more than Rs 50 crore.

The propor tion of Union ministers who have declared criminal cases against them has risen by 3 percentage points after the expansion. Analysis

by ADR in 2019, when the first cabinet was sworn in, showed that 39% of the 56 ministers then had declared criminal cases against themselves. In that cabinet too,

BJP expels former minister Anil Joshi for view on farm laws

Chandigarh, Jul 10 (PTI): The Punjab BJP on Saturday expelled former state minister Anil Joshi from the party for six years.

The action against Joshi came after he gave his reply to a show-cause notice issued by the BJP’s state unit for his “anti-party” activities.

According to the notice, Joshi had been making statements against the Union government, party’s central leadership and policies. Joshi was expelled on the directions of state unit chief Ashwani Sharma, according to a party statement.

Joshi did not give up his stubborn attitude of going against the party whereupon state BJP chief Ashwani Sharma on the recommendations of a disciplinary committee expelled him from the primary membership of the party for six

PM Modi to chair meeting of Council of Ministers on July 14

New Delhi, July 10 (IANS): Prime Minister Narendra Modi is likely to chair a meeting with Council of Ministers on July 14 to discuss key issues amid ongoing Covid-19 crisis as well as other issues to take forward the country to fulfill his ‘Atmanirbhar Bharat’ (self reliant India) vision.

Sources said that the Prime Minister will take a brief plan from each of the ministers about their

future roadmap to manage the crisis due to Covid-19 pandemic which has widely affected almost all sectors of the economy, especially the health sector, and other matters related to the growth of the country.

The meeting is expected to witness many notable issues and discussion related to key ministries like Ministry of Health and Family Welfare, now being handled

by Mansukh Mandaviya.

No cabinet reshuffle, expansion in CMUttarakhand Dhami calls K’taka as of now: CM Yediyurappa on PM Modi KALABURAGI, JUL 10 (IANS): Karnataka Chief Minister B.S. Yediyurappa on Saturday said there is no plan as of now to carry out a Cabinet expansion or reshuffle at this juncture.

Yediyurappa’s statement assumes significance in the backdrop of Belagavi strongman and Gokak BJP MLA, Ramesh Jarkiholi, who had been seen lobbying hard to get into the Cabinet again.

Jarkiholi was forced to quit the ministry in May after his name cropped up in a sex CD case, which showed him in a compromising position with a woman.

At present the woman has filed a rape case against him.

Besides this, pro-Yediyurappa camp had even subtly circulated that there is a possibility of a Cabinet rejig on the lines of the Union Cabinet reshuffle by dropping some ministers like Tourism Minister C.P. Yogeshwara, who had

B.S. Yediyurappa

been constantly speaking about leadership in the state despite being a member of the Cabinet.

Yediyurappa said that no such discussion has taken place at the moment.

“There is no such thinking so far. When such a situation comes in the future, I will let you know.

There is no such thinking in Karnataka as of now,” he said.

During BJP national General Secretar y incharge of Karnataka Arun Singh’s individual meeting with legislators last month, amid rumblings within

the party on the leadership change issue, several of them had reportedly discussed about regional imbalance in the Cabinet and thereby had tried to make out a case for a reshuffle.

Yediyurappa had last expanded his cabinet in January, inducting seven new ministers and had also effected a reshuffle of the departments of some ministers.

There are now 33 ministers in the state Cabinet, and one berth is vacant.

After the Cabinet expansion in January and reshuffle of some portfolios had resulted in widespread resentment in the party and even party loyalist and senior leader Aravind Limbavali had openly expressed his displeasure that he had been given portfolios (Forest, Kannada and Culture), which do not deal with people directly on more than one occasion in the past.

NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (AGENCIES): The recent trend of increased competition among companies to bag highways projects and quoting low prices are due to the end of the era when a few big boys in the sector created cartels and had a monopoly, Union road transport minister Nitin Gadkari has said.

Dismissing the fear of poor quality construction by highway builders who are bagging projects at low rate, he said the government’s decision to tweak technical and financial conditions in the bids has brought more players to the sector.

“You have to compete and survive and survival of the fittest is the mantra. I understood the game of fixing technical and financial norms in the bids for contractors to qualify. The big players ensured the conditions barred many companies from partici-

New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI): Pushkar Singh Dhami, who was recently sworn in as Uttarakhand chief minister, called on Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Saturday and sought his directions on the possible third wave of coronavirus, the proposed Kanwad Yatra and the Chardham Yatra against the backdrop of the pandemic.

He also sought establishment of an All India Institute of Medical Sciences in Kumaon region of the state on the lines of AIIMS, Rishikesh.

In a tweet, Dhami said he sought the blessings of the prime minister.

“Sought his directions on the state’s development, the possible third wave of Covid-19, Char Dham Yatra and Kanwad Yatra. The prime minister assured all possible help for the state’s development,” Dhami tweeted. The Prime Minister’s Office also tweeted pictures of the meeting.

Anil Joshi

years, the statement said.

Earlier, in a two-page reply to the show-cause notice, Joshi said he never spoke against the Centre’s farm laws and asked the state party chief if it is indiscipline to talk about farmers.

Fo r m e r A m r i t s a r North MLA asserted that he always spoke about the party’s interests. “I neither spoke against the Centre’s farm laws nor against central leaders,” Joshi replied.

Joshi rather asked Punjab BJP chief Ashwani Sharma whether it was indiscipline to talk about farmers.

“Is it indiscipline to talk about ‘arhtiyas’, industrialists, small traders and labourers,” he asked. He further said workers are leaving the party and asked the Punjab BJP chief whether giving a suggestion to save the party was indiscipline.

Joshi also pointed out that initially, farmers protesting against the farm laws in the state had a few demands that could have been handled had the BJP’s Punjab unit made some efforts.

Joshi has been blaming the party’s state leadership for not giving a correct feedback to the Centre on the farm laws. He had also stated that it had become difficult for party workers to come out of their homes.

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pating. That era is over when only 5-7 companies were creating a cartel to get projects,” the minister said at an infrastructure summit.

Gadkari said now many more players are bidding for highway projects and they are giving better competition. “I want more competition, cut throat competitions. Only those will survive who bring down the cost of construction and don’t compromise with quality. I wish to see 200 contractors in road construction and another 100 specialising in con-

Bhopal, Jul 10 (PTI): Trading barbs over the induction of Jyotiraditya Scindia in the Union cabinet, a Congress leader on Saturday sent tubes of Burnol cream to Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra to `ease pain’.

Mishra on Thursday had said that those who are feeling jealous about Scindia, a former Congressman, getting into the Narendra Modi cabinet should be given Burnol (which is used to treat minor burn injuries).

“When the Congress issued a statement about a betrayal by Scindia, Mishra said he would send us Burnol. Now we have sent two tubes of the ointment to Mishra because he needs them more,” state Congress

spokesperson Narendra Saluja said. The tubes were sent through an e-commerce platform, he said.

“One tube is from Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan, because Mishra was eyeing his post.

Another tube is from state Congress chief Kamal Nath because Mishra is obsessed with him and continuously talks about him,” Saluja said. State BJP secretary Rahul Kothari said it was a cheap stunt.

“This is a cheap tactic being used by the Congress.

The opposition party should tell us what kind of ointment Nath needs, because he travels only by air and now Scindia has become the aviation minister,” Kothari retorted.

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Nitin Gadkari (File)

struction of tunnels,” he added.

The issue of highway contracts being bid out at low price was flagged at a recent meeting of the standing committee on road transport. The NHAI has also decided for intense monitoring of projects that are being bid out below 10% of the benchmark cost.

The NHAI and other wings of the highways ministry have been getting “abnormally low bids” particularly in the fully government-funded projects, which are known as EPC contracts where construction companies exit projects after construction gets completed. They are accountable only for a few years under the “defect liability” clause.

The problem is bigger in consultancy works such as preparation of detailed project reports (DPRs) and third party monitoring.

MP: Cong leader sends Burnol to BJP min over Scindia’s elevation

DP-3153

these, 24 have serious ones related to murder, attempt to murder and robbery, a report published by poll rights group Association for Democratic Reforms (ADR) stated.

ADR cited election affidavits to highlight the cases against the ministers.

Also, in its analysis, ADR found that around 90% members of the new Union cabinet (70 min-

an overwhelming majority (91%) were crorepatis.

The average worth of assets per minister has been found to be around Rs 16.24 crore, the report noted. The cabinet ministers who have the least amount of assets are: Pratima Bhoumik from Tripura (around Rs 6 lakh), John Barla from West Bengal (around Rs 14 lakh), Kailash Choudhary from Rajasthan (around Rs 24 lakh), Bishweswar Tudu from Odisha (around Rs 27 lakh), and V Muraleedharan from Maharashtra (around Rs 27 lakh).

Analysing the educational qualification of the new ministers, the report stated a majority of them (21) are post-graduates.

Nine ministers have a doctorate, while 17 each are graduates and professional graduates. Two ministers have only passed their Class VIII exams, three Class X and seven others Class XII.

Broke cartels of big boys in highway sector, says Nitin Gadkari

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Modi’s new cabinet: 42% have criminal cases

NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (AGENCIES): On Wednesday, Prime Minister Narendra Modi hit the reset button to bring in 36 new faces in his Council of Ministers, taking the tally to 78, just a notch short of the statutory limit of 81, reports The Indian Express. Of these 78, however, as many as 33 ministers (42%) have criminal cases against them. Of

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national

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business/state States to borrow close to Rs 2 lakh els by the end of 2021. cr for COVID relief “We are confident

India’s fuel demand rebounds in June

Su doku

KAKURO

upward trajectory, reaching 90 per cent of 4QFY21 levels in the last week of June 2021. “In the backdrop of adequate liquidity and a recovery in traffic, the cash flows of the projects rated above ‘A’ show considerable resilience to stress cases, reflecting ample cushion for timely debt servicing in potential downside scenarios.”

Besides, the report said that implementation of a full or partial lockdown during April-June 2021 in several parts of the country had hit the people mobility impacting toll collections.

“Ind-Ra’s sample study on 36 toll projects spread across 10 states indicates the average daily toll collections on a weekly basis reached a peak of 38 per cent in the third week of May 2021, after a 17 per cent fall in the

last week of April.”

“Ind-Ra expects a gradual relaxation in the lockdown measures with a drop in Covid cases and ramp-up in toll collections 2QFY22 onwards.”

In addition, the report say FY21 witnessed a robust traffic recovery, erasing the traffic losses during the peak COVID-19 lockdown period. “This was led by the faster adoption of private transportation and a swift commercial traffic recovery providing stability to toll revenues.” “The commercial traffic saw a quick recovery, given the movement of essential commodities and was in line with EWay bills generation and fuel consumption trajectory while the Covid-19 spread continued to saddle the public transportation (buses) recovery.”

No. 9973 Yesterday’s solution No. 9972

No. 4593 Yesterday’s solution No. 4592

No. 3617 Yesterday’s solution No. 3616

Across 3. Light purple (5) 8. Take away (5) 10. Containing milk products (5) 11. Slope down (3) 12. Punctuation mark (5) 13. Aquatic bird (7) 15. Speed contests (5) 18. Unit of weight (3) 19. Of cats (6) 21. Draw with these (7) 22. Coconut fibre (4) 23. Detest (4) 24. Light shoe (7) 26. Entertains (6) 29. Vegetable (3) 31. Skinflint (5) 32. Sure (7) 34. At no time (5) 35. Belonging to him (3) 36. Wading bird (5) 37. Fiend (5) 38. Kingdom (5) Down 1. Jockey (5) 2. Planet (7) 4. Privy to (2,2) 5. Loves deeply (6) 6. Artificial waterway (5) 7. Clean feathers (5) 9. Nothing (3) 12. Calls off (7) 14. Swindle (3) 16. Panatella, say (5) 17. Cut off (5) 19. Fin (7) 20. Go away hastily (5) 21. Godly (5) 23. Ling (7) 24. Tranquil (6) 25. For every (3) 27. Colliery worker (5) 28. Spanish man (5) 30. Buffalo (5) 32. Prison room (4) 33. Point a weapon (3)

(From p-1) On the entire exercise, he said the “eloquence of the Core Committee is clearly with intent to delay implementation of solution, to save their personal positions and chairs to please NSCN (IM).”

He also reminded that NSCN (I-M) had “cautioned the Core Committee not to dilute the FWA, for they only want FWA to be implemented.”

However, Therie said “implementation will be done by the government of India” and that “the interpretation of FWA will be done by the Parliament finally, for what is givable will be realistic solution.”

Therie said elected members “say they are ready to pave the way(for solution)” and so “if they do it, solution will come.”

He said the members only need to cooperate and im-

press upon the Governor for implementation. He, therefore, concluded by ruling that the “Core Committee is wastage of time and is meaningless.”

It may be recalled that the Core Committee - Core Committee of the Parliamentary Committee on Naga Political Issue-(with 5 MLAs each from NDPP, BJP and one Independent) and also the Parliamentary Committee on Naga Political Issue (all 60 MLAs and 2 MPs)-were constituted on June 16,2021.

State chief minister Neiphiu Rio is the Convener of both the committees; while deputy cm Y. Patton and Opposition leader(NPF) T.R. Zeliang are co-conveners of the committees and minister of planning Neiba Kronu, the member-secretary of both committees.

(From p-1) come to power with such a huge mandate shouldn’t be found wanting in undertaking pro-people steps,” Chowdhury said.

Responding to a query, he said that the main opposition party is given the post of the Parliamentary Accounts Committee (PAC) both in the Lok Sabha and the Vidhan Sabha.

“I have been the PAC chairman three times. My name was recommended by our leader Sonia Gandhi. However, the speaker takes the final decision.

Appointing the PAC chairman is his/her discretion,” he said.

However, Chowdhury did not directly comment on the controversy over the appointment of TMC leader Mukul Roy, who recently crossed over from the BJP, as the PAC chairman of West Bengal assembly by the speaker on Friday, which had sparked (From p-1) a walkout by saffron party registration/booking on CoWIN will remain the same members who are demandas for Covishield. ing his disqualification The cost of the vaccine per dose will be Rs. 1,145 under the anti-defection (Government of India rate with 5% GST per dose is law.

Rs.995.40 and private hospital administering the vaccine will charge Rs.150 over and above the rate as service charge and for consumables), Dr. Thurr informed.

RUTSA

State govt rolls out Sputnik V vaccine

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IN THE COURT OF FAMILY COURT DIMAPUR :: NAGALAND Guardianship Petition No. 07/2021

NOTICE

DRIVING SCHOOL

K-1147

Crossword

New Delhi, Jul 10 (IANS): India’s highway toll collections are expected to bounce back after a subdued April-May season this year.

Accordingly, toll collections are expected to reach 4QFY21 revenues in 2QFY22 and record 15 per cent growth beginning 3QFY22 over FY20 sans a third wave.

“These expectations are driven by the recovery in June 2021, stronger than the earlier seen in 2QFY21 during the first wave,” India Ratings and Research (Ind-Ra) said in a research report. In April and May 2021, average toll revenue fell by 10 per cent and 34 per cent respectively, compared to 4QFY21 owing to the localised lockdowns during second Covid wave.

However, the toll collections in June 2021 saw an

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New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI): Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Saturday offered to share CoWIN platform with other nations for free, saying that humanitarian needs outweigh commercial benefits.

Participating on the second day of the ongoing G20 Finance Ministers and Central Bank Governors Meeting, Sitharaman shared India’s successful experience in integrating technology with inclusive service delivery during the pandemic, the Finance Ministry said in a

Centre earned over `4 lakh cr from fuel hikes, claims Cong

NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (IANS): The impact of the second Covid wave has raised concerns over the recovery of the microfinance (MFIs) and the small NBFC sector, which was already battling the elevated credit stress and declining AUM in FY21.

Accordingly, out of thirteen issuer downgrades by credit rating agencies during Q1FY22 in the financial sector, ten issuers are smaller MFI and NBFCs engaged in providing

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Nirmala Sitharaman

series of tweets.

“FM Smt. @nsitharaman shared how #CoWIN application has efficiently supported scale and scope of our vaccination & #India has made this platform freely available to all countries given our firm belief that humanitarian needs outweigh commercial benefits,” a tweet said.

During the meeting, discussions of finance ministers were focused on policies for economic recovery, sustainable finance and International Taxation.

“In policies for recovery session, FM discussed 3 catalysts of economic recovery- #Digitalization #ClimateAction & #SustainableInfrastructure; shared India’s successful experience in integrating technology with inclusive service delivery during the pandemic,” another tweet said.

Toll collections to bounce Core Committee resolutions meaningless: Therie back after subdued April-May

signs of resurgence in June after restrictions began to be eased and the economy gathered pace.

With COVID case addition continuing to decline and vaccination pace picking up, state governments have continued to reopen, though some exceptions such as Maharashtra exist.

The then Oil Minister Dharmendra Pradhan had last month stated that India’s fuel demand would recover to pre-pandemic lev-

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FM offers CoWIN platform to other nations for free

unsecured MSME loans, personal and vehicle loans.

A report by Acuite Ratings said that collection efficiencies which were seen recovering above 90 per cent in Mar-21 have dropped to between 65-85 per cent levels during Q1FY22.

“Besides the lower collections, the debt raising ability of these smaller players has been impacted with an estimated 50 per cent of players (having a loan portfolio of more than 500 crore) having received

adequate funds.”

“Relief measures provided by the government and RBI recently is expected to support the continuity of credit flow to microfinance and MSME borrowers while also enhance liquidity relief to the smaller lenders.”

Furthermore, it said that impact of second wave of Covid has been more pronounced on collections in the asset classes of microfinance and two-wheeler loans as compared to the first cycle.

“Even as two-wheeler as an asset class fared better during the first wave of lockdowns, the impact has been greater during the second cycle on account of the spread of the pandemic in rural areas and the stress on the borrowers’ cash flows due to loss of income as well as high medical expenses,” said Suman Chowdhury, Chief Analytical Officer, Acuite Ratings & Research.

by the end of this calendar year we will be in a position to restore our original (pre-COVID) consumption behaviour,” Pradhan said.

Consumption of LPG, the only fuel which showed growth even during the first lockdown because of free supplies by the government to the poor, rose 9.7 per cent year on year to 2.26 million tonnes. It was up 26.3 per cent over June 2019.

With airlines yet to resume full-scale operations because of travel restrictions around the globe, jet fuel sales at 2,58,000 tonnes was up 16.2 per cent year on year but 61.7 per cent lower than June of 2019.

Naphtha sales dropped by about 3.1 per cent to 1.19 million tonnes while sale of bitumen - used for making roads, were down 32 per cent at 5,09,000 tonnes.

Fuel oil consumption rose 1.9 per cent to 5,33,000 tonnes.

DP-3037

ly increase since March.

Fuel demand had recovered to near-normal levels in March before the onset of the second wave of COVID-19 infections led to the re-imposition of lockdowns in different states, stalling mobility and muting economic activity.

Consumption in May slumped to its lowest since August last year amid lockdowns and restrictions in several states.

Fuel demand showed

Mumbai, Jul 10 (IANS): With the pandemic pushing up the need to spend more towards Covid relief measures, states have lined up massive borrowing plan for the second quarter of current financial year.

In all, states and union territories expect to borrow Rs 1,92,091 crore from the markets during July-September quarter. The Reserve Bank of India, in consultation with the State Governments/Union Territories (UTs) has drawn up the borrowing calendar for the quarter where bonds will be issued to mobilise funds on a weekly basis.

As per the states’ borrowing calendar, Uttar Pradesh and Maharashtra, the two of the country’s largest states with higher population would have maximum borrowings of Rs 25,000 crore and Rs 22,500 crore respectively during the quarter.

Covid 2.0 unleashes credit stress for MFIs, small NBFCs

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New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI): India’s fuel demand rebounded in June after slumping to a nine-month low in the previous month as restrictions to curb the spread of the pandemic were eased, helping economic activity and mobility to pick up.

Fuel consumption rose 1.5 per cent to 16.33 million tonnes in June from a year earlier and by 8 per cent over May 2021, data from the Petroleum Planning and Analysis Cell (PPAC) of Ministry of Petroleum and Natural Gas showed.

Petrol sales rose 5.6 per cent year-on-year to 2.4 million tonnes in June.

It was up 21 per cent from May sales of 1.99 million tonnes.

Diesel - the most used fuel in the country - rose 12 per cent from May to 6.2 million tonnes, but was down 1.5 per cent from June 2020 and 18.8 per cent from June 2019.

This is the first month-

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Biden warns Putin on ransomware Says Russia must crack down on cybercriminals

WASHINGTON, JUL 10 (AGENCIES): President Joe Biden has told Russian President Vladimir Putin in a phone call that he must “take action” against cybercriminals acting in his country and that the U.S. reserves the right to “defend its people and its critical infrastructure” from future attacks. the White House said.

The warning to Putin on Friday was largely a repetition of the tough rhetoric Biden had used during their meeting in Geneva last month, when he warned that there would be consequences for continuing cyberattacks emanating from Russia. Since then, a new ransomware attack linked to the Russia-based REvil hacking group has caused widespread disruption, placing Biden under growing pressure to this time marry the warning with actions — though none were immediately announced.

“I made it very clear to him that the United States expects when a ransomware operation is coming from his soil even though it’s not sponsored by the state, we expect them to act if we give them enough information to act on who that is,” Biden said, speaking to reporters at an event on economic competitiveness. Asked whether there will be consequences, he said, “Yes.”

FILE—Joe Biden and Vladimir Putin meet in Geneva, Switzerland, June 16, 2021.

The call with Putin underscored the extent to which the ransomware threat from criminal hacker gangs has mushroomed into an urgent national security challenge for the White House, and it suggested a possible concession by the administration that earlier warnings to the Russian leader had failed to curb a criminal activity that has taken aim at businesses across the globe.

A White House statement announcing the hourlong call also highlighted a U.S.-Russian agreement that will allow humanitarian aid to flow into Syria.

The dual prongs of the agenda show how even as Biden pledges to get tough on Russia over hacking, there’s an inherent desire to avoid aggravating tensions as the administration looks for Russia to cooperate, or at least not interfere, with U.S. actions in other areas, including Syria, the Afghanistan withdrawal and climate change.

In his call with Putin, besides reiterating the need for Russia to take action and that the U.S. stands ready to act in response,

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international

Nagaland Post, Dimapur SunDAY, JULY 11, 2021

Biden also “emphasized that he is committed to continued engagement on the broader threat posed by ransomware,” the White House said.

Biden told reporters that the U.S. and Russia have “set up a means of communication now on a regular basis to be able to communicate with one another when each of us thinks something is happening in another country that affects the home country. And so it went well. I’m optimistic.”

In its own summary of the call, the Kremlin said “Putin noted that despite the Russian side’s readiness to jointly stop criminal activities in the information sphere, U.S. agencies haven’t made any requests during the past month.”

The Kremlin said the two leaders emphasized the need for cooperation on cybersecurity, which it said “must be permanent, professional and non-politicized and should be conducted via special communication channels ... and with respect to international law.”

The Kremlin statement also noted that Biden and Putin touched on the situation in Syria “with a special emphasis on humanitarian aspects“ and “gave a positive assessment of coordination of Russian and U.S. efforts on the issue, including in the U.N. Security Council.”

The White House declined to discuss the tone of Biden’s call, though press secretary Jen Psaki said it did focus significantly on the latest breach, which cybersecurity researchers have said infected victims in at least 17 countries, largely through firms that remotely manage IT infrastructure for multiple customers.

Though Biden had previously said the attack had caused “minimal damage,” and it did not appear to target vital infrastructure, the sheer global scale and the fact that it occurred so soon after the Geneva meeting put immediate pressure on the administration to have some sort of response.

Officials did not immediately announce any specific actions they were taking or would consider taking. There are few easy options to resolve the threat without risking a conflict that could spiral out of control beyond the cybersecurity realm.

The Biden administration took office on the heels of a massive cyberespionage campaign known as SolarWinds that U.S. officials have linked to Russian intelligence operatives.

Violence erupts over jailing of SA’s ex-president Zuma MOOI RIVER (SOUTH AFRICA), JUL 10 (AP): Supporters of former South African president Jacob Zuma are protesting his imprisonment, burning trucks, commercial property, and blocking major roads in KwaZulu-Natal province.

They are demanding that he be released from prison.

Zuma started serving a 15-month sentence for contempt of court earlier this week.

His bid to be released from the Estcourt Correctional Center was rejected by a regional court on Friday and he is set to make another attempt with the country’s apex court on Monday.

His suppor ters in KwaZulu-Natal, his home area, have been blocking roads, setting trucks alight and damaging and looting shops in various spots in the province.

At Mooi River, near Pietermaritzburg, about 20 trucks were stopped and set on fire early Saturday, according to witnesses.

A truck ferrying new luxury vehicles could be seen burning along a major road. A truck for the UN World Food Program was also set alight, after protesters took bags of maize meal from the vehicle. A large retail supermarket in the area was also looted.

Police say have arrested 27 people involved in the burning and looting, spokesman for KwaZuluNatal province Brig. Jay Naicker said.

Taliban says it sees China as a ‘friend’; promises not to host Uyghur militants

BEIJING, JUL 10 (PTI): The Taliban has said it sees China as a “friend” of Afghanistan and assured Beijing that it would not host Uyghur Islamic militants from the volatile Xinjiang province, which is a major worry for the Chinese government, according to a media report.

The comments came as the Taliban made territorial gains in the war-torn country amid the withdrawal of the US forces.

China has already evacuated 210 of its nationals from Afghanistan by a chartered flight this week.

Beijing is concerned that under Taliban rule, Afghanistan will become a hub for the East Turkistan Islamic Movement (ETIM), a separatist outfit aligned to Al-Qaeda which is waging an insurgency in Xinjiang.

The resource-rich Xinjiang shares about 80-kmlong border with Afghanistan.

Playing down China’s concerns, the Taliban spokesman Suhail Shaheen said they see China as a “friend” to Afghanistan and is hoping to talk to Beijing about investing in reconstruction work “as soon as possible”.

Suhail also said the Taliban would no longer allow China’s Uyghur separatist fighters from Xinjiang, some of whom had previously sought refuge in Afghanistan, to enter the country.

The Taliban would also prevent al-Qaeda or

Afghan security personnel stand guard along the road in Kandahar on July 9, 2021

any other terrorist group from operating there, he said.

“We have been to China many times and we have good relations with them,” Suhail told Hong Kongbased South China Morning Post, recalling the few meetings hosted by China in the past for Taliban delegations.

“China is a friendly country and we welcome it for reconstruction and developing Afghanistan,” he said adding that “If (the Chinese) have investments, of course, we will ensure their safety,” Shaheen said.

Sharply critical of the US move to pull out its troops without stabilising the peace process in Afghanistan, China this week has asked its close ally Pakistan to step up cooperation to contain the security risks in the war-torn country following the withdrawal of the foreign forces. “(China and Pakistan) need to defend regional

peace together. Problems in Afghanistan are practical challenges that China and Pakistan both face,” especially the expansion of both international and regional terrorism, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi said on Tuesday addressing a meeting of the 70th anniversary of diplomatic relations with Pakistan.

While the American troops’ withdrawal and resurgence of the Taliban should strategically benefit China as the Taliban shares close ties with Pakistan, both Islamabad and Beijing are concerned as they faced threats from the Islamic militant groups which were part of Al-Qaeda and Taliban.

China has been eying big scale investments in Afghanistan as the country has the world’s largest unexploited reserves of copper, coal, iron, gas, cobalt, mercury, gold, lithium and thorium, valued at over USD one trillion.

Modi speaks with new Vietnam PM Iran’s digital clock counting Modi says both nations share vision of rules-based Indian Ocean region

New Delhi, Jul 10 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke with his Vietnamese counterpart Pham Minh Chinh on Saturday and noted that the Indo-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership can contribute to promoting regional stability as both nations share a similar vision of an open, inclusive, peaceful and rules-based Indian Ocean region.

In his telephonic conversation with Pham, Prime Minister Modi congratulated him on his appointment as the premier of Vietnam and expressed confidence that the India-Vietnam comprehensive strategic partnership will continue to become stronger under his able guidance, the Prime Minister’s Office here said in a statement.

Modi welcomed the fact that both the countries share a similar vision of an open, inclusive, peaceful and rules-based Indian Ocean region, and hence the India-Vietnam Comprehensive Strategic Partnership

Narendra Modi and Vietnam PM Pham Minh Chinh.

can contribute to promoting regional stability, prosperity and development, the PMO said. In this context, Prime Minister Modi also noted that both India and Vietnam were presently fellow members of the UN Security Council.

Modi thanked PM Pham for the valuable support provided by the government and people of Vietnam during the second wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in India, the statement said.

The leaders agreed that both the countries should continue consultations and cooperation to support each other’s continuing efforts

against the pandemic.

Both the prime ministers reviewed the state of bilateral relations and shared their views on different areas of cooperation, the PMO said. Noting that the year 2022 marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries, the two leaders agreed to celebrate this milestone in a befitting manner through various commemorative activities, the statement said.

Prime Minister Modi also invited his Vietnamese counterpart to undertake an official visit to India at an early suitable date.

down to Israel’s doom goes dark

TEL AVIV, JUL 10 (AGENCIES): A digital clock set up

by Iran’s government meant to count down to Israel’s doom appears to have been shut off as power outages sweep the country.

The doomsday clock was started four years ago, counting down until the year 2040, the supposed year when Israel would cease to exist, according to an Israel Today report. The prediction was made by Ayatollah Ali Khamenei as the Islamic Republic of Iran has made opposition to Israel and Zionism a central tenet of its image.

But a post to social media this week showed that the giant clock in Palestine Square was now blank because it had shut off due to the power outages sweeping the country resulting from recent heat waves.

“Iranian regime’s countdown to Israel’s annihilation clock has stopped working because of the power outages that have swept across Iran,” tweeted Columbia University fellow Asaad Hanna, a

Haiti’s interim PM confirms request for US troops P O RT- AU - P R I N C E (HAITI), JUL 10 (AP): Haiti’s interim government said Friday that it asked the U.S. to deploy troops to protect key infrastructure as it tries to stabilize the country and prepare the way for elections in the aftermath of the assassination of President Jovenel Mose.

“We definitely need assistance and we’ve asked our international partners for help,” Interim Prime Minister Claude Joseph told The Associated Press in an interview, declining to provide further details. “We believe our partners can assist the national police in resolving the situation.”

Joseph said that he was dismayed by opponents who’ve tried to take advantage of Moïse’s murder to seize political power — an indirect reference to a group of lawmakers have declared their loyalty and recognized Joseph Lambert, the head of Haiti’s K Y M C

Police search for suspects in Port-au-Prince, July 9, 2021.

dismantled senate, as provisional president and Ariel Henry, whom Moïse designated as prime minister a day before he was killed, as prime minister.

“I’m not interested in a power struggle,” Joseph said in the brief phone interview, without mentioning Lambert by name.

“There’s only one way people can become president in Haiti. And that’s through elections.”

Jose ph spoke just

hours after the head of Colombia’s police said that the Colombians implicated in Moïse’s assassination were recruited by four companies and traveled to the Caribbean nation in two groups via the Dominican Republic. Meanwhile, the U.S. said it would send senior FBI and Homeland Security officials to help in the investigation.

Haitian National Police Chief Léon Charles said 17 suspects have been

detained in the brazen killing of Moïse that stunned a nation already reeling from poverty, widespread violence and political instability.

As the investigation moved forward, the killing took on the air of a complicated international conspiracy. Besides the Colombians, among those detained by police were two Haitian Americans, who have been described as translators for the attackers. Some of the suspects were seized in a raid on Taiwan’s Embassy where they are believed to have sought refuge.

At a news conference in Colombia’s capital of Bogota, Gen. Jorge Luis Vargas Valencia said four companies had been involved in the “recruitment, the gathering of these people” implicated in the assassination, although he did not identify the companies because their names were still being verified.

former Al Monitor journalist.

“A few years ago, Iran’s radical regime created a ‘clock’ that counts down to Israel’s ‘destruction’. Following repeated power cuts in recent days the clock has stopped. Perhaps instead of developing nuclear weapons they should concentrate on developing renewable energies,” Israel’s United Nations Ambassador Danny Danon tweeted in response to the photo.

Traffic lights, public transportation, and telecommunications in Iran have been forced to go dark for long stretches at a time, according to the report. The recent heat wave coupled with a drought that has hurt the country’s hydroelectric plants crippled Iran’s power grid.

Western sanctions have taken a major toll on the country’s infrastructure.

Meanwhile, websites of Iran’s transport and urbanisation ministry Saturday went out of service after a “cyber disruption” in computer systems of its staff, the official IRNA news agency reported.

B’desh factory fire: 8 held including owner DHAKA, JUL 10 (IANS): Two days after a massive blaze tore through a food processing factory belonging to Hashem Groups sister concern Sajeeb Group in an industrial town near Dhaka, killing at least 52 people, eight persons were arrested on Saturday based on a complaint lodged by the relatives of a deceased worker.

The arrested persons include Abul Hashem, Chairman and owner of Hashem group, and his son Sajib. They have been taken to a court in Narayanganj, Mohammad Zaidul Alam, the Police Super of Narayanganj, told IANS. According to Habibur Rahman, DIG, Dhaka Range Police, the arrested persons have been identified as Md Abul Hashem, CMD of Sajeeb Group which owns the factory; his four sons and administrative officer of the company.

K Y M C

Infotainment

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Ending plastic pollution in the ocean one drone at a time T he ocean is vast, with unexplored depths that attract many, but its beauty and mystery is being overtaken by manufactured plastic pollution. The question is not why it’s occurring, rather what can be done to fix this problem?

With over seven billion people on the planet, biologist Nikoleta Bellou, the lead researcher from the Institute of Coastal Research, HelmholtzZentrum Hereon, explains that it’s no surprise that pollution has massively grown in the last three decades.

According to Bloomberg Green, between 1990 and 2015, there was 91 million metric tons of litter that entered the ocean. About 87% of this litter was plastic and overall there’s an estimated 5.25 trillion particles of litter floating in the ocean right now.

Now, there’s been an increase in methods and campaigns for removing ocean pollution, but a majority do not focus on the action of cleaning up,

rather, a greater sum is fixated on ideas and policies.

In Bellou’s research, found in her Nature Sustainability paper, 177 methods for addressing the problem of pollution were analyzed, however, 73% were developed, and only 30 were designed for the actual clean-up of ocean plastics.

There’s a major focus on the litter that is seen on the surface and not the microplastics roaming below and endangering many species as they mistake it for food.

The survival of wildlife is threatened by ocean lit-

ter and the rise of different drones is a step closer to the fall of pollution. Luckily, different technologies have been created to help clean up trash in the ocean and litter laying around on beaches. There have been sea garbage bins, giant barriers that collect plastics, and a marine drone mimicking the mouths of whale sharks and intakes floating garbage. Now, a new machine known as BeachBot is a new, prospective success for the future of ocean pollution. The drone is a garbagecollecting rover prototype tested in the Netherlands

and created by Martijn Lukaart and Edwin Bos. An algorithm that allows the bot to learn to differentiate between types of garbage was created with the help of Dutch students from the University of Technology Delft. With this technology, there is hope for change and action to successfully clean up pollution rather than solely implementing policies.

Beachbot is the future of our oceans and its creators are preparing to move towards the next step of launching this product.

One thing remains, however, for them to initiate this step and it’s unearthing a business model that will allow for the BeachBot to not only clean, but assist in helping people become more properly educated while also changing their behaviors towards saving the Earth from more pollution. There is more to be done than changing people’s behaviors to resolve ocean pollution — an army of drones is just the beginning.

(Discovery)

Billie Eilish shares her excitement on her second album

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur SunDAY, JULY 11, 2021

Venus and Mars in a triple conjunction

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arth’s two immediate neighbours Mars and Venus will come closest to each other next week. The celestial event is called planetary conjunction. The event will be easily visible with the naked eye. Planetary conjunction takes place when two planets appear to have come closer, while in reality they remain far away.

The latest event will take place on July 13 when Venus and Mars will come within just 0.5 degrees of each other. The phenomenon will be visible the horizon under a clear sky soon after sunset or in the western sky. The conjunction will also include the moon drawing close, within 4 degrees of the two planets, on July 12 and create a triple conjunction.

While the two planets

illie Eilish has opened up about her new album “Happier Than Ever”, explaining that it’s a much better record than her debut thanks to greater creativity and personal contentment. The pop star, who releases her second album on July 30, said in a new interview that therapy has aided her creative process, leading to the best music of her career so far.

She told Zane Lowe on Apple Music 1: “It’s much better [than ‘When We All Fall Asleep, Where Do We Go?‘]. I mean listen, it’s a lot of work. “Also, when you want to give your alo one can deny that bum a life, and a big one, Marvel are knockand you want people to ing it out of the listen, you’ve got to do stuff park this year (2021) with to make that happen.

(NME) the TV shows they’ve put out so far, as well as with the ones yet to come. One of the most anticipated series for fans, is Marvel Studios and Disney+ animated show, What If.. The popular streaming service, Disney+, has brought us some outstanding Marvel shows so far, with WandaVision being the first and adored by fans, followed

by The Falcon and The Winter Soldier, and currently streaming is Loki, which is shaping up to be incredible with only one episode left to go.

However, the shows with this film,” the Oscar nominee continued. “It that we are yet to see such feels like a great way to go as Moon Knight, She-Hulk, out for this chapter of my Ms Marvel and, of course, Marvel identity.”

What If, are piquing the Johansson’s departure interest of fans. makes sense, as her charThe trailer for this acter famously perished new series has put many in 2019’s “Avengers: Endin a state of awe, as the game.” “Black Widow” is set a few years in the past stunning animation shows as an on-the-run Natasha us a multitude of scenarios returns home to confront that could have happened, her past and a brand new if events played out a little differently. enemy.

(Female first) (Fox News)

on either side of the Earth’s orbit will appear to be closest on July 13, the event has already begun with the two being almost, coupled with crescent moon. Observations from July 13 will also reveal the two planets moving away from each other.

This will also mark the first of three planetary conjunctions between Venus and Mars with just eight

months. Similar sights are likely on February 12 and March 12 next year.

The Pune-based Inter University Centre for Astronomy and Astrophysics and the Indian Institute of Astrophysics in Bengaluru have invited photographs of the event. The institutes will choose the best of those among all entrants and then publish them.

Marvel releases Historic vs. Historical: How highly anticipated to Choose the Right Word trailer

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Avalanche boss says Microsoft Johansson says ‘Black Widow’ may link is crucial to Contraband be final turn as Natasha Romanoff

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hat is according to Avalanche CEO Pim Holfve, who made the claim after ‘Contraband’ was revealed as an Xbox console exclusive during E3 2021.

In a wide-ranging interview with GamesIndustry, Pim explained: “Game Pass has been really great for us, especially if we look at our

self-published title. “’TheHunter: Call of the Wild’ helped us prove our service model and Xbox Game Pass was fantastic because we were able to reach so many more players. It’s a good way for people to try [the game], and since we have such a massive DLC catalogue for that title - over 20 DLCs - it’s a beautiful

way of getting people in, getting engaged and showing that it’s a stellar game. Then people are really tempted to buy more. So the business model really works to our advantage.

“It’s made Xbox a way more important platform than we ever initially thought. We thought [the game’s userbase] was going to mainly be on PC. So we’re reaching a way bigger audience.” Pim explained that the studio is now able to get “closer to the hardware” thanks to its links to Microsoft.

Pim said: “It’s a new type of partnership for us.

We’ve had fantastic partnerships with Square Enix, Bethesda, and Warner Bros., but those are not the same as first-party.”

(Female First)

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carlett Johansson has likely taken her final bow in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.

On Friday, the longawaited “Black Widow” hit theaters featuring the 36year-old actress as Natasha Romanoff AKA Black Widow, a super-spy known for teaming up with the Avengers.

The star appeared as the character in nine films, including “Black Widow” and an uncredited cameo in “Captain Marvel.”

With the movie now in theaters – with hopes of becoming the most successful pandemic era box office hit – Johansson said she’s ready to hang up her hat in the franchise.

“I have no plans to return as Natasha,” she told Fatherly in a recent interview.

“I feel really satisfied

S

everal centuries ago, “historic” and “historical” were considered synonyms. However, over time, their definitions diverged, and the two words are now far from interchangeable, despite how similar they may seem.

Both words are adjectives used to describe something related to the past, but the correct word is determined by the significance of the noun being described.

The word “historic” refers to any event, object, or place that is considered an important part of history. It is the more selective of the two terms. Anne Frank’s house, the life story of Cleopatra, and the first computer are historic. By

contrast, a brooch worn by an anonymous noblewoman from a prior century would not be considered historic, unless that brooch happened to have a special, notable role in some historic event. The word “historical” refers to anything and everything that has happened in or is connected to the past, no matter its level of importance. While the Battle of Gettysburg is a historic event that influenced the outcome of the American Civil War, the soldiers’ daily breakfasts would be considered historical events—unless one such breakfast was the scene of a pivotal or famous moment.

(ThoughtCo.)

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur sunday, JULY 11, 2021

goals by Diaz gives Colombia West Indies win first T20I after Aus implode 2third place at Copa America

GROS ISLET (ST LUCIA), JUL 10 (IANS): West Indies registered an 18-run win in the opening match of the five-match T20I series against Australia at the Darren Sammy National Cricket Stadium here.

The hosts took advantage of a sensational batting collapse by Australia, who lost their last six wickets for just 19 runs on Friday.

After being sent in to bat, West Indies scored 145/6 in their 20 overs.

Andre Russell’s first fifty in T20Is led West Indies to the below-par total.

Russell’s knock of 51 off 28 balls, with five fours and three towering sixes, lifted West Indies out of trouble after they had been reduced to 66/4 in 12 overs.

Apart from Russell, Lendl Simmons (27) and Shimron Hetmyer (20)

West Indies players celebrating an Australian wicket.

were notable contributors in a batting order which missed regular captain Kieron Pollard due to a hamstring injury.

For Australia, Josh

Hazlewood took three wickets for just 12 runs while Mitch Marsh took two wickets for 26 runs.

Chasing a modest target of 145, the visitors post-

ed 70 in the power-play for the loss of skipper Aaron Finch. By the 11th over, Australia were 108 for four with Marsh and Ben McDermott at the crease. Leg-

spinner Hayden Walsh Jr, brought back for the over, took McDermott down with a googly and then took a return catch when Marsh drove straight to him in the next over.

With 29 runs away from the target, Australia’s free-fall continued. Walsh Jr took another wicket while left-arm pacer Obed McCoy clinched the last three wickets to put an end to Australia’s misery at 127 with four overs remaining.

The second T20I between the two teams will be played on Sunday.

Brief scores: West Indies 145/6 in 20 overs (Andre Russell 51, Lendl Simmons 27; Josh Hazlewood 3-12, Mitchell Marsh 2-26) beat Australia 127 in 16 overs (Mitchell Marsh 51; Matthew Wade 33; Obed McCoy 4-26, Hayden Walsh Jr. 3-23) by 18 runs.

online NTPC to In a first, individual shooting events 2nd begin from July 15 at Olympics draw more women entries

NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (PTI): The number of women participants will, for the first time ever, exceed the total strength of their male counterparts in the individual shooting events of the Olympic Games.

Because of double starters, the number of registered entries in individual women’s events exceeds for the first time the number of expected participants in individual men’s events -- 239 and 208 respectively.

Overall, India’s 15-member Olympic-bound shooting squad is among 356 ath-

letes from as many as 100 countries competing for glory in Tokyo, with the women’s 10m air rifle and 10m air pistol events drawing maximum participants.

The Olympics are scheduled to be held in the Japanese capital from July 23 to August 8, with the shooting events starting a day after the opening ceremony and covering the first 10 days of the extravaganza, which will be held without spectators owing to the COVID-19 pandemic. “356 athletes representing 100 NOC (National Olympic Committee)

Chennaiyin FC appoint Bandovic as head coach

from five continents are entered to take part in the shooting sport competitions at the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games,” the International Shooting Sport Federation (ISSF) said in a statement.

The largest number of participants is expected in 10m air pistol women and 10m air rifle women events -- 53 and 49 respectively.

In the men’s events the largest number of participants will be in the 10m air rifle and 50m rifle 3 positions -- 47 and 39 respectively. The 13 Indian rifle and pistol shooters are currently

training in Zagreb, Croatia while the two marksmen the men’s skeet are working on their game in their respective bases in Italy.

All of them will leave for Tokyo on July from Croatia and Italy respectively.

To deal with the uncertainty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, the National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) had named two reserves in each discipline where its shooters have won quota places for the Games.

MUMBAI, JUL 10 (PTI): Second edition of the online National Taekwondo Poomsae Championship (NTPC) will be held from July 15 to 25, the sport’s governing body announced Saturday. Poomsae is a defined pattern of defenseand-attack motions, vital to perfect techniques. Divided into colour belt division and black belt division, the virtual competition will be based on individual capabilities. The colour belt division consists of three categories and the black belt division (medal events) will have eight categories.

BRASILIA (BRAZIL), JUL 10 (AP): Colombia beat Peru 3-2 in the thirdplace match at Copa America after striker Luis Díaz scored a pair of goals, one of them assisted by goalkeeper Camilo Vargas.

The final of the tournament between defending champion Brazil and Argentina will be played Saturday night at the Maracana Stadium in Rio de Janeiro. Peru opened the scoring at the Mané Garrincha Stadium in Brasilia with Yoshimar Yotún in the 28th minute, with an assist from Christian Cueva that allowed him to beat Colombia’s Vargas with a soft lob. Colombia equalized in the 49th minute after a free kick taken by Juan Guillermo Cuadrado went through the middle of the Peruvian wall and past goalkeeper Pedro Gallese.

Colombia took the lead for the first time in the 66th minute after Vargas kicked the ball above opposite defenders to find Diaz face to face with Peru’s Gallese. The striker calmly hit it with his right foot to make it 2-1. ItalianPeruvian striker Gianluca Lapadula leveled once again in the 82nd minute with a header after a cor-

Colombia’s Luis Diaz celebrates scoring his side’s third goal against Peru.

ner. Díaz scored again in added time with a shot from outside the box. The ball deflected on a Peru defender and beat Gallese.

The two goals on Friday illustrated Diaz’s change in his career fortunes. Only years ago he was playing for a team of Indigenous peoples in his native Colombia. The Porto striker is being considered as one of the best players of the current edition of Copa America, with four goals — as many as Lionel Messi ahead of Saturday’s final against Brazil. “ I h ave a lway s dreamed about these wins, doing good things with the national team,” Díaz said after receiving his bronze medal. “But I never imag-

ined to get all that I am living.” The striker was born in the city of Barrancas, close to the border with Venezuela. He has roots in the Wayú ethnic group, although he doesn’t speak the language. At the age of 18 in 2015, he played for Colombia in the Copa America of Indigenous Peoples.

The team lost the final to Chile, but Díaz saw doors open for him after former footballer Carlos Valderrama recommended him to Junior Barranquilla.

Díaz helped the Junior team win the national title in 2018 and reach the Copa Sudamerican final.

One year later he signed for Porto, where Colombians Falcao Garcia and James Rodríguez also played.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT "And the dust returns to the ground it came from and the Spirit returns to God who gave it."

Eccelesiastes 12:7

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

1st DEATH ANNIVERSARY Lt. Mrs. Akro Ancy

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Born – 1945 Died – 11/07/2020 Dear Azuo Remembering your loving truthful guide, kindness as we hold you close in our memory even though we are apart, your spirit will live on. Always in our thoughts forever in our hearts.

Loving Husband, Children & Relatives

Bozidar Bandovic

C H E N NA I , J U L 1 0 (IANS): Chennaiyin FC (CFC) have roped in Bozidar Bandovic as head coach for the 2021-22 season of Indian Super League (ISL).

The 51-year-old will take charge of the club on a one-year contract. “I am delighted to join the Chennaiyin family. I am ready and I cannot wait to start! After our conversations, I realised that this club is very special.

I was very impressed,” said the new head coach.

Bandovic’s most recent stint, at Buriram United, boasts of successive Thai League titles (2016-17 & 2017-18) and a Thai League Manager of the Year award in 2017-18. His consecutive championship winning seasons saw the club first establish, and then break their own record for most points secured in Thai League history.

2nd DEATH ANNIVERSARY

Two years on this day, heaven gained a new angel and we lost our beloved sister. Losing you left us with an aching hole that never fills up. We miss you terribly.

LATE KHEVITO ACHUMI Born : 13.02.1952 – Died : 07.07.2021 We, the bereaved family members would like to express our sincere gratitude to all our well wishers who stood by us in this hard time and supported us physically, financially, materially and spiritually at the sudden demise of our dear beloved Dad. We are truly grateful to: 1. Sumi Baptist Church Eralibill 2. N.C.R.C Sumi Eralibill 3. Awotsakili Union Dimapur 4. CBR Fellowship Aoyimti 5. Sumi Baptist Church Mokokchung Widows (Dimapur) Though we are unable to mention every individual, it is our humble prayer that the Almighty God bless you all abundantly.

"Do not fear, for I am with you, do not be afraid, for I am your God, I will strengthen you, I will help you, I will uphold you with my victorious right hand."

From – Loving family members, relatives, friends and loved ones

Loving Wife, Children & Grandchildren

Late Miss Atoi Lukkam 30.03.1990 – 11.07.2019 If we live, we live for the Lord; and if we die, we die for the Lord: so, whether we live or die we belong to the Lord.

Romans 14:8

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(Isaiah 41:10)

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Words are inadequate to express our profound gratitude to each and every individual who supported us spiritually, physically and financially at the untimely demise of our beloved Son/Brother Late Thungbemo Ezung on 1st July 2021 at New Delhi.

We deeply regret our inability to mention each and every one individually but we pray that Almighty God bless each and everyone.

We would specially like to thank: 7. Lotha Baptist Church Delhi 1. COMMANDANT 7th NAP (BN) Bhandari and all ranks & files 8. Lotha Students' Union Delhi 9. Lotha Welfare Forum Delhi 2. Shri. Mhanthung Yanthan, Advisor, Horticulture & Border Affairs, 10. Naga Students' Union Delhi Govt. of Nagaland 11. INDIGO Airlines 3. Shri. Mhonlumo Kikon, Advisor, 12. Dimapur Yonchucho Ekhung Science & Technology, New 13. Soku Baptist Church Renewable Energy, 14. Police Baptist Church Bhandari Govt. of Nagaland 15. Nagamese Christian Church Seithekema 4. Shri. E. T. Ezung, Ex-Speaker, 16. Lotha Ekhung 7th NAP (BN) Bhandari Govt. of Nagaland 17. Chanka Self Help Group Doyang 5. Shri. N. Thomas Lotha, Ex-Minister, 18. Faith in action Healing Prayer Centre Govt. of Nagaland 19. BJP Baghty Unit 6. Shri. Ben Yanthan, Director, 20. BJP 40 Bhandari A/C Dept of Agriculture DP-3138

2ND DEATH ANNIVERSARY

1st DEATH ANNIVERSARY

5th DEATH ANNIVERSARY

of Late Medolhou Linyü

Lt. PFÜTSÜTE DOULO

Loving Wife, Mother, Daughter, Brothers, Sisters & all In-laws

of our beloved LATE CHUMDEMO NGULLIE

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Loving Mummy, Sis, Aunty and Grandma.

Died : 11th July 2020 Daddy, it’s been a year since you left us but the memories you created can never be forgotten or erased from our minds, for you were someone special and words fall short to convey how much we miss your presence.

Remembering you on your 1st Death Anniversary with prayer.

“We deeply miss you Daddy” K-1158

- Loving Wife, Children & Family Members

11-07-2019

Lovingly Wife, Sons, In-Laws & Relatives

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29.04.1997 – 11.07.2016

It's been 5 years but the pain of losing you is immeasurable. Only memories remain and even eternity won’t see your memory fade. We pray you are happy wherever you are.

We love you and miss you.

“ Time slips by and life goes on, But from our hearts, You’re never gone.

We think about you always, We talk about you too, We have so many memories, BUT WE WISH WE STILL HAD YOU.”

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World No. 1 Barty wins first Wimbledon title

WIMBLEDON, JUL 10 (AGENCIES): Everything came so easily for Ash Barty at the start of the Wimbledon final. Hard to believe one player would grab the first 14 points of a major championship match. Surely, it couldn’t stay that one-sided, right?

Of course not.

Still, Barty used that perfect start and a strongenough finish to get the job done, holding off Karolina Pliskova’s comeback bid to win 6-3, 6-7 (4), 6-3 at the All England Club on Saturday for her second Grand Slam title.

“It took me a long time to verbalize the fact that I wanted to dare to dream it and say I wanted to win this incredible tournament. ... I didn’t sleep a lot last night. I was thinking of all the ‘What-ifs,’” the No. 1-ranked Barty said. “But I think when I was coming out on this court, I felt at home, in a way.”

She adds this trophy to the one she won at the French Open in 2019.

Ashleigh Barty (L) holds the winners trophy, alongside runner-up the Karolina Pliskova after the women’s singles final of the Wimbledon in London, Saturday.

Barty is the first Australian woman to win Wimbledon since Evonne Goolagong in 1980. Barty was a teenager when she first met Goolagong and considers her an inspiration and a mentor.

“I hope I made Evonne

proud,” said Barty, who wore an outfit that was a tribute to the dress Goolagong played in when she won the tournament for the first time, 50 years ago.

Barty, 25, was the Wimbledon junior champion a decade ago, then

left the tennis tour for nearly two years in 2014 because of burnout. She played professional cricket back home, then eventually returned to her other sport. Good call. She was at her best at the beginning of each set against the

eighth-seeded Pliskova, a 29-year-old from the Czech Republic with a big serve.

Pliskova dropped to 0-2 in major finals; she also was the runner-up at the 2016 U.S. Open. “I was fighting very hard to make it difficult for her,” said Pliskova, a former No. 1 who got choked up during the trophy ceremony and lamented to the capacity Centre Court crowd: “I never cry. Never.”

Barty’s most significant wobble came in the second set. She led 3-1, gave that break back, then went ahead again and served for the victory at 6-5. But she sailed consecutive forehands long to get broken, then was shaky in the ensuing tiebreaker, ceding it with a double-fault.

But in the first Wimbledon women’s final to go three sets since 2012, Barty went up 3-0 in the decider and never relented. It also was the first since 1977 between two participants who never had been that far at the All England Club.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur sunday, JULY 11, 2021

England look to end 55-year wait in Euro final

England will play for its first major trophy in 55 years on Sunday in the Euro 2020 final.

LONDON, JUL 10 (IANS): Facing Italy on Sunday evening in the Euro 2020 final, England looks to end Italy’s 33-game unbeaten run and its 55-year wait for a major international football title.

Wembley was the venue when England won the 1966 World Cup, beating Germany 4-2. England’s 2-1 win over Denmark on July 7 ended a run of semifinal defeats in the World Cup in 1990 and 2018 and in the 1996 European Champion-

ships, reports Xinhua.

England coach Gareth Southgate has developed a young side since 2018, working on showing his players to develop and grow into a major tournament and England have done just that.

They began their campaign with solid, if unspectacular performances in the group stage, built on being tough to score against, but with players such as Raheem Sterling and Mason

Mount and Harry Kane able to produce a moment of magic in attack.

Southgate was pragmatic as they beat Germany 2-0 in the last 16 showing he can adapt his system from a three-man defence to one with three central defenders and two wing-backs.

England showed they can attack with a 4-0 quarterfinal thrashing of Ukraine.

Denmark were tough rivals in the semifinals and there is still controversy over the penalty that allowed Kane to score the winning goal, but there is also no doubt that after a difficult first 45-minutes, England were the better side, with Denmark keeper, Kasper Schmeichel, keeping his side in the game.

EURO 2020 FINAL

England Vs Italy on July 12. The match will begin at 12:30 a.m. IST (GMT+5.5)

Anand beats Kasparov in India-SL series to now start from July 18: Jay Shah Croatia Grand Chess Tour

Garry Kasparov and Viswanathan Anand at the opening ceremony of Zagreb GCT.

ZAGREB, JUL 10 (PTI): Indian Grandmaster Viswanathan Anand trumped former world champion Garry Kasparov in the much-awaited contest of the Croatia Grand Chess Tour here on Saturday.

Playing with white pieces, the Chennai-based maestro took down Kasparov in 30 moves in a Sicillian Najdorf variation

game in the fourth round of the Blitz event.

The Indian ace, however, went down to Russia’s Ian Nepomniachtchi, the top-seed here, in round five. He was placed sixth after five rounds with 11.5 points. Anand had started the Blitz competition with a defeat at the hands of Dutch GM Anish Giri before bouncing back with

Tokyo Olympics venues added to no spectators list

TOKYO, JUL 10 (AGENCIES): Tokyo Olympics venues in Fukushima and Sapporo were added to the list that will not have spectators due to a recent rise in coronavirus cases in the country and a difficulty in preventing travel from Tokyo.

Fukushima will host the first Olympic competition on July 21 with softball games. Choosing Fukushima, 150 miles north of Tokyo, marked a symbol of recovery.

A March 2011 earth-

quake and tsunami triggered a meltdown at the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear plant, marking the world’s worst nuclear disaster since Chernobyl. More than 18,000 people died.

Fukushima hosts competition for both baseball and softball, sports on the Olympic program for the first time since 2008.

The Sapporo Dome, which is more than 500 miles north of Tokyo, will now hold preliminary soccer matches without spectators.

a win over Jan-Kryzstof Duda of Poland.

He then shared points with French GM Maxime Vachier-Lagrave in the third round.

The for mer world champion had ended up at seventh spot after the Rapid section with nine points. He had posted two wins and drawn five and lost two matches.

Anand is returning to over-the-board action after March 2020 and resumed his rivalry with Kasparov who is playing the Blitz event alone here.

Results: Blitz: Fourth round: Viswanathan Anand beat Garry Kasparov; Anton Korobov lost to JanKryzstof Duda; Shakriyar Mamedyarov lost to Alexander Grischuk; Anish Giri drew Peter Van Foreest; Ian Nepomniachtchi drew with Maxime Vachier-Lagrave.

NEW DELHI, JUL 10 (PTI): The Indian team’s six-match limited-overs series in Sri Lanka will now start from July 18, BCCI secretary Jay Shah told PTI on Saturday, a day after a COVID-19 outbreak in the home team camp forced the postponement.

The series, which was originally scheduled to start with the three ODIs on July 13, had to be rescheduled after Sri Lanka’s batting coach Grant Flower and data analyst G T Niroshan tested positive for the dreaded virus on their return from the UK tour.

It also meant an extended quarantine period for the squad members.

While the tentative date that was originally being discussed was July 17, but Shah confirmed that it will start from July 18.

“India-Sri Lanka ODI series to start on July 18 due to COVID-19 outbreak in home team camp,” Shah

Team India play their intra-squad game in Colombo

told PTI. The three ODI matches will now be held on July 18, 20 and 23 at the Premadasa Stadium followed by the T20 Internationals, starting on July 25. The last two T20Is are set to be played on July 27 and 29, respectively, at the same venue.

“We understand that circumstances are extraordinary, but the BCCI would like to extend its full support to Sri Lanka Cricket (SLC) during these tough times for the smooth conduct of the upcoming series,” Shah said in a statement, issued by the BCCI.

Don’t panic against strong opponents anymore: Navneet BENGALURU, JUL 10 (PTI): Olympic-bound forward Navneet Kaur feels the Indian women’s hockey team’s mindset has changed in the past few years, adding that the side now doesn’t panic playing against top teams.

“A lot has changed in the mindset of our team in the past few years, we don’t fear the stronger opponents anymore,” Kaur was quoted as saying in a Hockey India release.

Navneet Kaur “Earlier, when we used Kaur, who has played to play against the Nether- the case now. We fight until lands or Great Britain, we the final whistle. It’s not 79 matches for the national team, is all set to take part used to panic. That’s not over until it’s over.”

in her first Olympic campaign in Tokyo.

“Playing at the Olympics is my childhood dream and I will leave no stone unturned to make it wonderful. With experience comes responsibility.

Kaur feels heading into the games with a clear mindset will be key in the Tokyo Games.

“This team is like a family. Rani and Savita keep exchanging their ideas with us on how we can improve together as a team.

“The coaches and the entire team are working towards that goal.”

Sciver powers Eng to 18-run win over India in rain-hit T20

NORTHAMPTON, JUL 10 (PTI): England allrounder Nat Sciver smashed a record-equalling half century before the bowlers put the struggling Indian batters under pressure to ensure an 18 run-win for the hosts via DLS method in the raincurtailed first T20I against here. Put in to bat, England rode on Sciver’s 27-ball 55, that included eight fours and a hit over the fence, and wicketkeeper Amy Jones’ 43 off 27 balls to reach 177 for seven in 20 overs.

Sciver’s sensational fifty was England’s joint fastest in the format. In reply, India failed to keep up with the required run-rate despite vicecaptain Smriti Mandhana’s quickfire 29 off 17 balls before rain gods had the last laugh with the visitors at 54 for three in 8.4 overs, 18 runs behind England via the DLS

Indian women’s cricket team lost to England by 18 runs.

method. England now lead the ODI trophy. the three-match series 1-0 Chasing 178, India was and 8-4 in the multi-format off to the worst possible start points system having lifted as pacer Katherine Brunt

bamboozled the big-hitting Shafali Verma for a duck, leaving India nought for one. However, Mandhana and Harleen Deol (17 not out) got the tourists back on track after the initial upset.

With rain on the cards, the duo quickly stitched a 44run partnership with Mandhana hitting six boundaries, including successive fours off Brunt in the third over of the chase, while Harleen played second fiddle.

But Sciver struck soon, getting rid of the dangerous Mandhana in the sixth over. Skipper Harmanpreet Kaur’s (1) prolonged lean patch continued as the senior batter became all-rounder Sarah Glenn’s first victim in the very next over. The loss of the skipper’s wicket in quick succession cost the Indians dear, ensuring that they were well behind in the

DLS method. Earlier, veteran pacer Shikha Pandey (3/22) snared three wickets while spinners Poonam Yadav (1/32) and Radha Yadav (1/33) took a scalp each in what was an ordinary bowling effort. Openers Tammy Beaumont and Danni Wyatt gave England a solid start, collecting 48 runs in the powerplay.

Radha broke the opening stand in the eighth over as wicketkee per Richa Ghosh, playing her first match of the series, caught Wyatt attempting a reverse sweep. Initially given not out, the Indians went for the review which showed a big spike on the UltraEdge.

After skipper Heather Knight’s departure, Sciver and Jones kept the moment going. The duo strung a 78run stand. Harmanpreet and Harleen pulled off splendid

catches in the penultimate over as Shikha struck thrice, getting rid of Sciver, Jones and Sophia Dunkley (1).

While skipper Harmanpreet, fielding at long on, put an end to Sciver’s brilliant innings by diving to pouch the ball inches over the ground.

Two balls later, Harleen put an end to Jones’ innings, as she jumped to take a superb reverse-cupped catch at the boundary above her head before losing her balance.

She threw the ball in the air as she stepped out of the boundary rope only to jump back in, diving forward to complete the catch.

Skipper Harmanpreet said the team’s fielding has improved considerably under the guidance of coach Abhay Sharma but the bowling could have been better.

“Our medical team is in constant touch with the team of doctors at SLC and together following all safety protocols that will help the series to get underway. We are confident that both nations will put up a spirited show in the days to come and we are in for some exciting cricket,” Shah assured.

Sri Lanka Cricket secretary Ashley De Silva expressed his gratitude towards BCCI for standing by them during hour of crisis.

“We are grateful to the BCCI for understanding the situation and agreeing to cooperate with us at this moment of time, as it has done on numerous occasions, during our longstanding relationship.”

Earlier in the day, a Sri Lankan player in one of the two bio-bubbles had tested positive for COVID-19 as the virus outbreak continued to rock the home team

ahead of its white-ball series against an Indian team led by Shikhar Dhawan.

‘Newswire.lk’ quoted Sri Lankan sources as saying that batsman Sandun Weerakkodi has tested positive for the virus.

Weerakoddy wasn’t a part of UK-returned team.

That team is still in isolation post Flower and Niroshan’s positive cases.

The latest positive case came from a separate bubble of 13 players.

The group of players are training separately even as the virus outbreak forced a postponement of the series by five days after the home team’s batting coach Flower and data analyst Niroshan have contracted the virus.

According to a report in the website, Weerakkodi was with the 15 senior cricketers, who were training here while staying at the Cinnamon Grand Hotel in Colombo.

AICF joint secretary Atanu Lahiri writes to PM Modi Alleges corruption against ‘boss’ Chauhan KOLKATA, JUL 10 (PTI): In a fresh twist to their wrangling, All India Chess Federation joint secretary Atanu Lahiri has written to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, alleging “data theft, corruption and misuse of funds” by the national body’s secretary, Bharat Singh Chauhan.

The move comes less than a month after the AICF secretary had come to Kolkata to give official recognition to ‘Sara Bangla Daba Sangstha’ (SBDS) as the apex body in Bengal, sidelining the Bengal Chess Association, which is supported

by International Master Lahiri. On Saturday, Chauhan hit back at the allegations and said “the retaliation of Lahiri comes at a time when he was issued a show cause notice for his forgery and for recovery of funds that came from Sports Authority of India.” The SBDS is backed by city-based Grandmaster Dibyendu Barua, with whom Lahiri has been at loggerheads since 2019 when the veteran GM had levelled various charges against the IM, including “misappropriation of funds”.

In his five-page letter to the PM, Lahiri has alleged that Chauhan had signed a “secret agreement” with Thought Roots India Private Ltd to share “all the data and confidential information of the Federation”.

Atanu Lahiri

“By secretly agreeing to share all data, including the personal information of about 1,00,000 registered chess players and officials from India, to a commercial company engaged in the business of chess coaching, Bharat Singh Chauhan has misused his position as secretary of AICF,” Lahiri wrote. “Moreover, he has compromised on the security of the personal information of the chess players, making them vulnerable to online hacking of banking information and even child abuse,” Lahiri claimed in his complaint that was supported by necessary documents.

Lahiri further claimed that Nurtr -- a sister company of Thought Roots India Private Ltd -- was given preferential treatment by Chauhan. “The proximity of Nutr with Bharat Singh Chauhan can be clearly established since it has been given preferential treatment by Chauhan in all the events which are specially organised by him,” Lahiri said, citing examples of Nutr being the media incharge in 2019 World Junior Chess Championship and Delhi International Open.

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