July 10, 2020

Nagaland Post

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Vol XXX No. 214

DIMAPUR, FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020 Pages 12 ` 5.00

Liverpool on track for points record

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sports, Page 12

No community transmission yet: Centre Says, only localized outbreaks in some geographical areas NEW DELHI, JUL 9 (PTI): Amid a spurt in coronavirus cases, the government Thursday said India has not yet reached the community transmission stage of Covid-19 and asserted that there have been localised outbreaks in some geographical areas.

C e n t r e ’s a s s e r t i o n came on a day India registered a record single-day surge of 24,879 COVID-19 cases, taking the caseload to 7,67,296. The death toll climbed to 21,129 with 487 new fatalities, the updated data at 8 am showed.

Asked if India has entered the community transmission phase, Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty in the Health Ministry said, “Even today, the Health Minister (Harsh Vardhan) clearly said after the GoM that India has not reached the stage of community transmission.”

“In some geographical areas, there have been localised outbreaks. We

Govt employees asked to ‘declare’ relation with UGs DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): In a first, the state Home department “as per instructions”-- through an Office Memorandum (OM) directed all administrative heads and heads of departments to obtain information from all employees in a ‘selfdeclaration’ form, whether any of the employees have their family members and relatives in the underground organizations. The OM dated July 7, asked the heads of departments to submit the forms latest by August 7, 2020 positively.

In the form, attached with the OM, the employees have been asked to furnish details likes-- “... If yes, name of person who is member of an UG organization, “nature of relationship with the govt. employee”, name of the organization, position/rank held in the UG organization etc.

It also noted that ‘family members’ shall consist of spouse, sons/daughters, siblings and parents of the government employee and ‘relative’ shall consist of anyone who is directly related to any of the family member of the government employee.

The OM also went viral on social media, where scores of people reacted to it.

This is it!

“Remember son, politicians run to us at night but run away from us at day.”

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should not forget that in our country, 49 districts alone account for 80 per cent of Covid-19 cases. In a country of more than 733 districts, if 49 districts account for 80 per cent cases, then it is not justified to talk about community transmission,” he said at a press briefing.

Wherever there are active cases, if the prescribed protocol is followed, in three days close contacts of active cases can be traced and

tracked, he said. “So in such a situation in which you can trace and track close contacts of active cases, talking about community transmission is not justified,” Bhushan asserted.

He said India’s Covid19 cases and deaths per million population are amongst the lowest in the world. On an average, India is testing more than 2.6 lakh samples per day for Covid-19, an ICMR official said at the

briefing, asserting that testing has been ramped up in the country in a big way.

COVID-19 recovered cases are 1.75 times that of active cases, Bhushan said.

Asked about a WHO spokesperson saying that there are indications that the virus may be airborne, Bhushan said, “We are keeping abreast with the information coming out of WHO headquarters on this particular aspect.”

No compromise on safety: Govt on vaccine trials Union health ministry on Thursday clarified that August 15 deadline for an indigenous Covid-19 vaccine is “only to expedite duly approved clinical trials without compromising on safety and security concerns”.

During the press conference, Rajesh Bhushan, Officer on Special Duty, health ministry said, “Please don’t read something which is not there in DG-ICMR’s letter. Letter’s intent is only to expedite duly approved clinical trials without compromising on safety and security concerns.”

Earlier, ICMR DG Balram Bhargava wrote a letter to Bharat Biotech and

principal investigators of medical colleges to complete the trial procedure of indigenous Covid-19 vaccine in a fast track method so that results of a clinical trial can be launched by August 15.

Bhushan further said that DCGI has permitted two vaccines to go in for

phase 1 and 2 of clinical trials. “Bharat Biotech and Cadila Healthcare are developing vaccines. Both vaccines completed animal toxicity studies after approval. DCGI has permitted these two vaccines to go in for phase 1 and 2 clinical trials. Trials are yet to begin...” he said.

nagalandpostofficial nagalandpostofficial

US considering additional actions against China international, Page 9

‘Red category’ NDPP, BJP hit back at NPF, NPCC weather alert ‘NPF, NPCC driven by frustration’ Gov-PDA relationship cordial: BJP for NE states DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): Hitting out at BJP State unit has claimed that PDA

NEW DELHI, JUL 9 (AGENCIES): IMD has issued a red category warning for the entire North East, Bihar, and parts of UP from Thursday until Saturday. A red category warning implies that local authorities should take action to prevent rain and flood-related disasters.

Extremely heavy rain, measuring over 20 centimetres (cm) in a day, is likely to impact several parts of the North East and eastern parts of the country, which could trigger floods, according to India Meteorological Department (IMD). It said that widespread and heavy rains were likely to begin in several parts of north-western parts of the country from Thursday due to a convergence of moisture carrying winds from the Arabian Sea. Central Water Commission authorities have also issued a flood alert in districts along rivers in Arunachal Pradesh, Assam, Bihar, Sikkim and sub-Himalayan West Bengal.

The monsoon trough is likely to shift gradually northwards along the foothills of the Himalayas during the next 24 hours.

the demand of the opposition parties-NPF and Congress (NPCC)- for dismissal of the ruling NDPP-led PDA coalition, NDPP media and communication committee said such an action would tantamount to dismissal of a legally-mandated government which ,at this juncture would be unconstitutional, illegal and ultra vires.

Reacting to both NPF and NPCC, the NDPP reminded both that the present government was formed through the verdict of the people in 2018 that was clearly in favour of the PDA. NDPP said the opposition parties exposed their “frustration” -NPF, for having to sit in the opposition after 15 years of ruling the state and the Congress not having even one elected member despite claiming to be the ‘grand old party.’

On the issue of law and order, NDPP reiterated that the situation in Nagaland presently was much better than what it used to be twenty years back, as its government was in touch with ground realities and was also more people-centric in its attitude and performance. Taking on the Congress for terming the present law and order situation as “difficult”, NDPP said it dreaded to imagine what would the Congress describe the law and order when the latter was in power in the 90s till the 2000s in Nagaland.

Hitting out at NPF for again trying to create a rift between the ruling PDA government and Nagaland governor, NDPP said its government was matured and responsible and not “so gullible” as to fall for the childish attempt of NPF to (Cont’d on p-8) distort facts.

Nagaland COVID-19 now 673 Court restrains outgoing NCD team from NAGALAND COVID-19 STATUS AS ON july 9, 2020 selection, nomination of new NCD team District Dimapur Kiphire Kohima Longleng Mokokchung Mon Peren Phek Tuensang Wokha Zunheboto Total

Positive cases 64 0 67 0 3 73 121 12 29 0 0 369

DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): COVID-19 cases in Nagaland rose to 673 after 16 fresh positive cases were reported on Thursday.

State Health minister, S. Pangnyu Phom informed that 3 cases were reported from Phek district and 13 from Peren district quarantine centre. With this, the state’s COVID-19 tally had gone up to 673 cases-- 369 active and 304 recovered as on July 9, 2020. All the positive persons have been shifted to their respective district COVID-19 hospitals for medical care. As per the

Recovered 158 0 59 0 0 0 76 1 7 0 3 304

Total Cases 222 0 126 0 3 73 197 12 36 0 4 673

severity of symptoms, 368 active cases were asymptomatic and 1 moderate.

Further, active surveillance and contact tracing is in progress to prevent further spreading of the infection, principal secretary Home, Abhijit Sinha said during the daily briefing.

Till July 9, a total of 15,062 samples were sent for testing through RT-PCR. Out of the 15,062 samples, 9,626 samples were received at the BSL-3 lab (NHAK) and a total of 9381 samples were tested, out of which 480 tested positive.

DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): In a big blow to the outgoing office bearers of Naga Council Dimapur (NCD), the Court of Civil Judge (Senior Division) has restrained the outgoing NCD office bearers from going ahead with selecting, electing or nominating any office-bearer till the next returnable date.

The court was hearing an application filed by J. Walter Longchar and others versus T. Bangerloba Ao and others over the “unconstitutional and unauthorised conduct of the outgoing office bearers” of NCD. The Applicants told the court that the tenure of the office bearers of NCD was for five(5)years, as such the outgoing office bearers were to demit office by March 2020.

However, the Applicants stated that the

Respondents “continued to exercise powers of the NCD despite expiration of their tenure” and also appointed a Selection Commission, comprising of four of the respondents “for the purpose of appointing the office bearers of the NCD for the term 2020-2024.”

The Applicants pointed out that the outgoing office bearers “had no authority to exercise such powers as they had become functus officio and thus, the appointment of the four was “invalid and would result in an undemocratic precedent, which would be totally contrary to the constitution of the NCD.” The Applicants also approached the court in praying for temporary injunction on an urgent basis as the Selection Commission, appointed by the outgoing office-bearers, was delegated to select

new office-bearers July 11,2020.

After hearing both the counsels and perusal of the material placed, the Civil Judge observed that it was a prima facie shown that the tenure of the NCD office bearers was to expire in March 2020.

While ordering issuing of notice to the respondents, the judge asked the applicants to take steps for service of summons within one week time.

The court also fixed August 13 for appearance of applicant J Walter & Others and respondents T Bangerloba & Others.

It may be mentioned that Dimapur Apex Tribal Hoho, comprising of 14 tribe hohos and several organizations have demanded that the Naga Council Dimapur constitution be followed to choose the next team.

enjoyed a cordial relationship with governor RN Ravi who, it claimed, was a gentleman of impeccable qualities and personality and had a highly distinguished career. Rubbishing allegations in this regard by NPF and NPCC, the party in a statement clarified that after the governor had expressed his views on a number of issues, the State government too explained its stand.

This was not to belittle the governor as the opposition parties had chosen to believe, but rather was like a discourse on the stated issues, which had served as an insight for all how best the government and people could do their respective parts in ensuring there was continuity of peace and development in the State, it added.

Reminding the opposition parties of the political instabilities in the past when they were in power, BJP asserted that there was no such instability now under the dynamic leadership of chief minister Neiphiu Rio and deputy chief minister Y Patton. It asked the opposition parties to accept the reality that the PDA was a progressive Government and not retrogrades like them, adding that while NPF was ousted from power in March 2018, Congress had nil representation in the State Assembly as the popular mandate was in favour of the NDPP-BJP pre-poll alliance.

While there could be some frustrations or undying desire by these parties to come back to power by any means, BJP stated that “mollycoddling” the dignified stature of the governor for political brownie points from unsuspecting public was something new by all standards and totally unexpected.

(Cont’d on p-8)

NJDA appeals JAC 6 held for brawl, Peren to settle the vandalism in Mon matter amicably quarantine centre DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): Nagaland Junior Doctors Association (NJDA) Thursday expressed deep concern over the “unprecedented” increase of COVID-19 positive cases in Peren district and said that such unfolding nature of the current pandemic anywhere in the state was a concern for all the citizens of Nagaland.

NJDA through its media cell, however, said it was also “disheartened” to see the imbroglio involving two of senior colleagues who were in the frontline tackling the COVID-19 pandemic.

While dealing with patients or returnees, NJDA said the sole intention of any doctor was for their well being and never meant to harm.

It said that the dynamic nature of the pandemic has led to change of SOPs

that the NIA, through its DIG office in Kolkata, had given a clarification to the Union Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) and dismissed the news report as false. He said NIA Guwahati office had also expressed regret to commissioner of police, Dimapur over the fabricated news report.

Giving sequence of the news item , the SP said following a telephonic intimation on July 5, that a team of NIA officials from Guwahati were arriving Dimapur on July 6 in connection with a case (no. 0074/2020 dated 05.07.2020), necessary arrangements were made in terms of logistics, accommodation, escorts/security and transportation.

The SP(Crime)said this information was followed by a formal fax message received from SP office of NIA, Guwahati (MISC/ 2020/9366 dated

05.07.2020) requesting examination of the apprehended accused persons in connection with the case.

Subsequently, the NIA team led by a DySP arrived Dellai gate, for which arrangements were made to take the team to COVID Hospital, Dimapur for necessary medical screening and COVID-19 testing as mandated by Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) for any person coming from outside. He said accommodation for the NIA team at the Central Police Officers’ Mess, Chumukedima, escorts at Dellai gate and other security arrangements were arranged.

However, he said the NIA team expressed inability to wait for the test results and hence did not enter Nagaland but waited at Dellai Gate after giving a written requisition to commissioner of police, Dimapur (no.

MISC/Enquiry/2020/9368 dated 06.07.2020), seeking copies of case-related documents, which were promptly made available and received by the DySP. Later after receiving all the relevant case records and documents from the police, he said the NIA team returned to Guwahati from the gate.

Later, a second NIA team led by another DySP NIA arrived Dimapur on July 8 and, after being subjected to mandatory COVID-19 screening and testing at District Hospital, Dimapur as per medical protocol, were taken to Central Police Officers’ Mess, Chumukedima under police escort to address all security concerns.

Even the team’s place of stay was secured putting necessary security arrangement in place.

DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): The deputy commissioner (DC) Kohima has proposed 7-day total lockdown of Kohima municipal area. In a proposal letter addressed to the home commissioner, DC Kohima, Gregory Thejawalie, mentioned four reasons for the lockdown that included enhancing the ongoing active surveillance, early detection of suspected case, breaking the chain of transmission and preventing the spread of the virus to new area.

DC stated that lockdown could hamper economic activities and cause inconvenience to the public in procuring essential commodities. He, however, reminded that lockdown would serve the larger interest in the district to contain (Cont’d on p-8) the disease.

KOHIMA, JUL 9 (NPN): Six persons have been reportedly arrested on charges of fighting amongst themselves and vandalising school properties at a quarantine center in Mon. District Task Force Mon told Nagaland Post that on July 2, the inmates at St. Francis School Tizit Quarantine centre started fighting amongst themselves and destroyed school properties and disturbed the peaceful environment in the quarantine centre. In this connection, a case was registered with Tizit Police station. The arrested persons have been forwarded to judicial custody after testing negative twice and completing their 28-day quarantine period.

Quake jolts Mizoram

(Cont’d on p-8) AIZAWL, JUL 9 (PTI): An

State Police dismisses media report over NIA team DC proposes 1 week total lockdown of Kma

DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): Reacting to reports appearing in a national print media, Nagaland Police has categorically dismissed the report “Nagaland Police snubs NIA” that appeared on July 9, in which it was alleged that the state police refused to allow a National Investigation Agency (NIA) team from questioning NSCN (I-M) leaders in connection with a major extortion racket.

In a rejoinder, SP (Crime) and police PRO Manoj Kumar A, asserted that the content of the news items was “not only factually incorrect” but a malicious intent aimed at creating misunderstanding and straining the “excellent rapport” enjoyed between the state police with “all regional and national law enforcing and investigating agencies”.

The SP(Crime) claimed

Correspondent

Containment zone curb lifted

DC Kohima has lifted the restrictions at Upper PWD colony, Municipal Ward No-11 after carrying out contact tracing of COVID-19 positive person and identifying all the primary and secondary contacts, who tested negative for COVID-19.

As per the advisory/ guidelines of the medical department and since all contact tracing was completed and tested, DC has issued an order to lift the containment zone notified earlier and declared that all normal activities at Upper PWD Colony Kohima would be allowed to resume henceforth, as per various SOPs of the government which is still enforced.

earthquake of 4.3 magnitude rocked Mizoram on Thursday, which was felt mainly in Champhai district located on the India-Myanmar border, officials said. This is the eighth tremor reported in the hilly northeastern state in three weeks. The earthquake occurred at 2.28 pm and the epicentre was 23 km southwest of Champhai town, according to the National Center for Seismology. The depth of the quake was 10 km, it said. Champhai district Deputy Commissioner Maria C T Zuali told PTI that the tremor was felt in several villages and Champhai town. There was no report of any casualty or damage to property.

Corrigendum

DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): Apropos the news item ‘Will defend doctors, asserts NIDA’ published on July 8, the last paragraph should read as “...JAC-COVID Peren district had alleged that inefficiency on the part of the state government...” and not as rendered.

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state

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Agriculture coordination meeting with senior officers Agriculture, the only sector that can employ youths: Kikheto

Kikheto Sema addressing at the coordination meeting held with senior officers on July 9.

DIMAPUR: Programme for coordination meeting of senior officers with APC and commissioner secretary Kikheto Sema was held at the directorate of Agriculture conference hall on July 9.

A press release stated that, APC and commissioner secretary Kikheto Sema addressing the meeting said that even during this pandemic, agriculture sector and farmers cannot be stopped in agricultural activities. He added that Agriculture department was one of the important mother department of all the Agri allied sectors that

will continue to improve income generation and production. He also said that it was time to bring together all the Agri allied departments in order to achieve the goals, and to build the bridge in double production and farmers income generation. Kikheto stated that Agri allied sectors has huge responsibilities and challenges ahead of Corona pandemic, whereby he encouraged the department to uphold their duties with cooperation and coordination. He also assured that his full cooperation will be with the departments.

Stressing on the huge scope in the field of agriculture, Kikheto Sema emphasised on the need for agriculture, saying that one has to go back to the fields and Nagas have to depend on own products.

Kikheto sharing over the huge number of Naga people returning back from other states due to the pandemic, said that agriculture would be the only sector which could employ the youths in the absence of big industries in the state.

Sema also opined that it was going to be a huge challenge for the state, and therefore there was importance of creating awareness in the minds of the people and how to tackle with those in Agri allied sectors.

During the meeting powerpoint presentation on department programmes, activities and schemes was presented by joint director Agriculture (Planning) Letkholal Hangsing Programme was chaired by director Agriculture M. Ben Yanthan and vote of thanks was delivered by joint director (Admin) B. N Phom.

AAUK condemns June 23 incident DIMAPUR: Aghunato Area Union, Kohima (AAUK) has condemned the killing of an alleged extortionist by the Police anti-extortion squad at Kohima on June 23.

In a press release, AAUK chairman Khehoto Achumi and general secretary, Mughato Yeptho stated that while the union appreciated the service of the Police personnel in maintaining law and order, it maintained that the alleged extortionist could have been apprehended, avoiding loss of life.

Pointing out that crucial information regarding the sources of the involvement in underground cadres or otherwise with any criminal gang operating in the name of national workers/organizations could have been obtained, the AAUK stated that this information would have been crucial to the law enforcement agency.

While asserting that it would continue to strive for a just and equitable society, the union urged the competent authority to sanction a judicial enquiry into the circumstances leading to the unfortunate incident so as to arrive at logical conclusion and make public the finding of the committee.

Further, AAUK expressed gratitude to those that extended humanitarian hand towards the family of late Khehuto Assumi.

Enforcement drive on tobacco carried out in Satakha

DIMAPUR: An enforcement drive under National Tobacco Control Programme (NTCP) was conducted by the administration led by ADC Kiusumong Tikhir and Police led by OC Senti Jamir at Satakha town on July 9.

A press release stated that, this initiative was taken up following the deputy commissioner's order issued on May 19 not to sell any tobacco products in and around Zunheboto district. This was a precautionary measure as people Officials from administration and Police department consuming tobacco prod- destroying the tobacco products on July 9.

ADC Bhandari bans import of pigs Unidentified

DIMAPUR: Additional deputy commissioner (ADC) Bhandari, Tiameren Chang has issued directive for total ban on import of pigs from outside the state and slaughtering of pigs for meat consumption, in view of the outbreak of African swine fever epidemic and reported deaths of pigs under Bhandari sub-division.

According to DIPR report, reiterating to its earlier order and in reference to the directive of the principal secretary, Home, the order stated that import of pigs from outside the state and transportation of the same for the purpose of either slaughtering or rearing has been totally banned with immediate effect

under Bhandari sub-division.

The order also notified to the public that slaughtering of pigs without verification by concerned department and clearance from the ADC would be viewed seriously. The order further stated that transportation of pigs through Bhandari sub-division to other parts of the state was also strictly prohibited for health safety of the general public at large.

Through the same order, ADC had also sought for prompt response from department of Animal Husbandry and Veterinary Services, Nagaland, to deploy officials to verify the reports and take stock of the situation at the earliest, in order to prevent further spread of the disease.

body recovered

DIMAPUR: Dimapur Police recovered the body of one unidentified non local man (approx 50 years) at Sosino Market Naga Bazar, Murgipatti, Dimapur on July 8.

According to Police/PRO, inquest was conducted over the body and on completion of all legal formalities the body was shifted to District Hospital Dimapur for PM examination/ identification. PRO informed claimant/relatives/friends of the deceased to contact officerin-charge, East Police Station, Dimapur.

Shoba-led NPGN/NNC, GPRN/ NSCN react to NSCN (I-M) DIMAPUR: Reacting to NSCN (I-M)’s condemnation of June 20 incident, the Shoba Lakhum and Z. Hozheto Chophi-led NPGN/ NNC has clarified that one Kilonser of Mhathung Tsopoe and Kiyelho Wokhamiled NPGN/NNC (N/A) was “arrested” for allegedly “extorting tax under the banner of NPGN/NNC “with proof and evidence”, which it said was against “NPGN/ NNC government Azha”.

Shoba-led NPGN/ NNC through its MIP said it was “not against any particular government, but tarnishing the image of our government is not acceptable.”

It stated that any Naga national political groups have their “own agenda to support any political group and have their legitimate right to levy tax but under their own banner.”

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Maintaining that Framework Agreement and political solution of Nagas have nothing to do with the arrest of the kilonser, the NPGN/ NNC (SH) has, therefore, affirmed that “the common Naga solution should not be dragged in for the larger interest of our Naga.”

GPRN/NSCN: GPRN/NSCN denounced the NSCN (I-M) statement and clarified that the GPRN/ NSCN along with the six NNPGs have been acknowledging and committing itself with the sentiments and values of the Naga people’s desire in “these tumultuous time”.

However, it said that “certain mischievous and vexed elements and agents” from time to time in disguise have “crop up and disgrace the genuine NPGs by forging government’s letter heads

and involving in many unsubstantial activities.”

GPRN/NSCN through its MIP stated that “Discretionarily, two such imposters namely Nyambemo Lotha and Akavi Awomi both from Purana Bazar in the guise of being a member of NNC/ NPGN (Hozheto) have been apprehended for impersonation and kept in detention.”

However, it said that the reaction of the NSCN (I-M) was “instead a doubtful and concerning matter that they are so emphatical for such characters and making their (imposters) detention an issue and fusing it with their framework agreement.”

Questioning whether it was “some kind of proxy financial game”, the GPRN/ NSCN said “This is rather a much more concerning and serious matter to be introspected instead.”

ucts would spit anywhere and thus creating risk for spread of the deadly virus in the district.

Around 25 shops were penalised in Satakha subdivision and more than 200 packets of harmful tobacco products were seized. The tobacco products were burned at the outskirts of the town.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020

IMFL and other banned drugs destroyed in Longleng Correspondent L o n g l e n g, J ul 9 (NPN): Chief magistrate office Longleng destroyed and burned 314 bottles of assorted IMFL and 5 (five) grams of brown sugar approximately worth Rs. 150,000/- (one lakh fifty thousand) at office dumping site, on Thursday in the presence of judicial staff, panel lawyers, police, Phomla Hoichem and media of the district.

According to chief judicial magistrate (CJM) Ajongba Imchen, the consignment which were destroyed were seized on different occasions, the latest one was seized last week after intercepting one Tata Sumo by Longleng police with 27 (twenty seven) cases of illicit IMFL. Accordingly the case was registered under GR No. 010/2020 LLG PS C/ No. 06/2020 under section 22 (a) NDPS Act and GR

CJM Longleng Ajongba Imchen (Second from Left) along with judicial staff and Phomla Hoichem destroying IMFL and other banned drugs on July 9. (NP)

No. 017/2020 LLG PS C/ No. 012/2020 under section 44 of NDPS Act, the CJM said.

Expressing concern over the flow of illicit liquor and other substances like brown sugar, heroin etc the CJM said, the Police and

news in Brief NCD oath taking for new councilors: Naga Council Dimapur (NCD) general secretary, Thsapongkyu Sangtam has informed all concerned that oath taking of new NCD councilors will be held on July 11, 11 a.m at council conference hall, N.L Road Dimapur.

All councilors and new councilors have been requested to attend the programme.

DC Mon imposes 144(2) CrPC: DC Mon, Thavaseelan K notified that COVID-19 positive case has been detected at the quarantine centre at Government High School Phomching on July 7, whereby it has become necessary to take all required precautionary steps to mitigate the possible spread of COVID-19. Therefore in the interest of public health, public safety and public order in Mon district, DC has passed order for exparte u/s 144(2) CrPC. This order will come into force with immediate effect and shall remain in force till further orders. Anyone violating the order will be liable for punishment under section 188 of the Indian Penal Code.

VWS Kohima cultural seminar: Vikehie Welfare Society (VWS) Kohima will be organizing a threeday cultural seminar on Angami festival in Kohima district from July 10 to 12 and concluding day to be held at Viswema village.

district judicial office will continue their effort in containing such illegal inflow of banned consignment and substances in the district.

Any person caught violating the law would be penalized under various sections of NDPS Act. He therefore,

appealed to the different organizations and right thinking citizens of the district to extend cooperation and support to the department so that Longleng can be free from the menace of illegal inflow of banned substances in near future.

1ST DEATH ANNIVERSARY of Late Imtisunep Aier

Died on 10-07-19

Till memory fades and life departs you will forever remain alive in our hearts.

DP-3109

Loving wife & family members

1ST DEATH ANNIVERSARY Late CHINGONG NAAM

2 nd DEATH ANNIVERSARY ABA Today we mark the 2 nd Anniversary of your passing yet the mark you left while alive are sadly missed along life’s way, unseen, unheard but always near, quietly remembered, still missed, still loved tremendously and poignant as the year multiply.

The fact that you are no longer in our lives to share but in our hearts you are alive, very dear and always walk beside us.

We love you Aba and miss you.

DP-3103

K-1197

16/08/1965 – 10/07/2019 Until we meet again; we think about you always, we talk about you still, you have never been forgotten, and you never will.

We hold you close within our hearts and there you will remain to walk and Guide us through our lives.

– Loving Wife & Children

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT “The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.” Job 1:21

Loving Wife, Children and Grand Children

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT We the bereaved family members of Late MAKOKINBA AO would like to convey our heartfelt gratitude and appreciation to all the individuals, churches, friends, relatives, neighbors and well wishers who showered great kindness and supported during the brief illness and sad demise of our beloved father.

We convey our special thanks to: 1) Diphupar 'B' Ao Baptist Church 2) Diphupar 'B' Ao Union 3) Diphupar 'B' Students' Union 4) Dimapur Longmisa Senso Telongjem 5) Doctors, Staff and Nurses of Eden Medical Centre We regret our inability to thank each and everyone individually but pray that our good Lord continue to bless each and every one of you abundantly.

Loving Wife, Children, In-laws, Granddaughter and Relatives DP-3096

Lt. KHULU TENNA

BORN ON 15-05-1950 DIED ON 03-07-2020

1944 – 2nd July 2020 We the bereaved family members acknowledge the sympathy and kind gestures shown to us during the illness and sad demise of our beloved Late KHULU TENNA. We extend our profound gratitude to all the neigbours, friends and well wishers who stood by us physically, morally, financially, materially and spiritually.

We convey special thanks to :1. Lazami Village Baptist Church, SABAK 2. Lazami Social Welfare Dimapur Area, Dimapur 3. SABAK, Mission Department and Youth Department 4. Sumi Aphuyemi Kiphimi Kuqhakulu (SAKK) 5. Sumi Aphuyemi Baptist Church Kohima 6. Thahekhu Village Baptist Church 7. Laghila ssa, Thahekhu Village 8. Doctors & Nurses Faith Hospital, Dimapur 9. Blood donors 10. Teaching Staffs G.P.S Seluophe 11. Dr. Sukhato Wotsa & Family 12. Inno. Joshua Achumi, Ex- MLA & Family 13. Inno. Ghokiye Kappo & Family 14. Er. Muzivoyi Ringa SDO (R & B) Dimapur 15. Er. Akheto Shohe, Thahekhu Village, Dimapur We deeply regret our inability to thank everyone individually but it is our sincere prayer that the Almighty God bless you abundantly for showing immense love and support towards our family.

Loving, Children, Grandchildren, In-laws & Relatives DP-3097 K Y M C

nagalandpost.com Poll Q.: Is Guwahati City fit to be declared a Red Zone/Hot spot for COVID-19?

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

A B C

New sub-centre at Bhumnyu village

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

A

B

Yes. No. Can’t Say.

C

86% 14% 0%

Next poll

Q: Is Nepal becoming anti-

India after communists took over power?  Yes.  No.  Can’t Say.

WEATHER FORECAST july 10

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala Mainly cloudy with showers

31 27

Aizawl

Mostly cloudy, showers around 25 21

Guwahati Not as warm with t-storm Imphal

Occasional morning rain

28 25 26 21

Itanagar A shower and t-storm around 25 23 Shillong Mostly cloudy with t-storm Kohima

20 19

A stray morning thundershower 22 19

Dimapur Some rain and a thunderstorm 27 23 Mkg

A t-storm in spots, cooler

23 20

Tuensang A shower and t-storm around 18 16 Wokha

Cooler, a t-storm in the morning 23 21

Zunheboto Mostly cloudy with a t-shower 20 18

NBSE notifies registered schools DIMAPUR: Nagaland Board of School Education (NBSE) has issued a notice to all the heads of registered institutions with regard to the status of online learning.

Board has informed all the registered schools to mandatorily fill up a questionnaire of 15 questions available on the website link survey. nbsenl.edu.in before July 15.

The questionnaire is part of an exercise undertaken by the board to find out how the schools are connecting with the students in this troubled times. All heads of registered institutions have been requested to ensure correct information is furnished since the information so furnished by the schools will help the Board to plan its future action.

NBSE also informed that the Board shall discontinue the Environmental Education and Home Science as a sixth subject in the course of study at the secondary level. However, the Environmental Education components will be integrated/incorporated into other academic subjects. In this regard, all the registered schools of the Board are informed to take note of the following: New permission will not be granted to any institution for introduction of these subjects from this academic session; The two subjects will be dropped as a course of study from the academic session 2022 in a phase manner (i.e classes IX – 2022 & Class X – 2023); In lieu of the above two subjects, the Board will identify new subjects which are vocational in nature. The new subjects will be notified in due course of time.

CMO Longleng, Dr Obangjungla cutting the ribbon to unveil the monolith.

DIMAPUR: CMO Longleng, Dr. Obangjungla as special guest inaugurated the sub-centre at Bhumnyu village by unveiling the monolith on July 9.

A press release from CMO office Longleng, district media officer Roseline stated that, Dr Obangjungla in her speech lauded the village council and village health committee for their active participation in making the sub-centre come into reality. She also said that the village has achieved a milestone and said that it was an auspicious day for the villagers and the community as a

K Y M C

whole.

She also appealed to the staff at the new subcentre and the village health committee to emphasize on VHND, weekly and monthly reporting, which was mandatory for the smooth functioning of the health unit.

CMO also spoke on the benefits and advantages of a health unit at the village level saying that the newly inaugurated health unit will cover the basic healthcare emergencies in the village. She further assured the community that the department will look into all the necessities in the health unit and also requested the

village council, elders, and village health committee to continue to extend their help and support to the department.

DPO (RCH/UIP) Dr Imnameren Phom, while delivering a short message said that Bhumnyu village sub-centre was the 9th sub-centre in the district.

Dr Imnameren Phom also requested the communities, church leaders, students and women leaders to join hands and work together, so that the newly inaugurated health unit would be upgraded in a few years time. He also requested the ASHAs to work sincerely

as they were the backbone in the health unit and also appealed the communities to extend their help and support to the ASHAs. EAC headquarter Longleng, Pichano Kikon also lauded the village elders for joining hands and making the inauguration a big success, keeping in mind the importance of healthcare sector. EAC cited that the new sub-centre was a ray of hope for the community and requested the communities of Bhumnyu village to make it as the best sub-centre in Nagaland.

Short speeches were delivered by Leisha Phom (land donor) and Y B Angam Phom ex- candidate 50 A/C Longleng, in the programme chaired by Angai Phom. Invocation prayer was pronounced by pastor Dungkhao Baptist Church H Menyu and a special song from Bhumnyu Baptist Youth Endeavor.

Programme was attended by the village council members, village elders, DBs, and medical officers and staff from CMO office.

District media officer also handed out IEC materials, posters, and leaflets from all the vertical programs at the new sub-centre. Earlier, dedicatory prayer was offered by Rev. N Mongmei pastor, Bhumnyu Baptist Church.

290 returnees arrive by special train from Bangalore

DIMAPUR: The special train from Bangalore arrived Dimapur Railway Station on July 9 around 8:20 a.m carrying 290 Naga returnees comprising of 137 from Dimapur and Peren districts, Mon 37, Tuensang 19, Longleng 17, Kiphiri 18, Phek 4, Zunheboto 24, Mokukchung 4, Wokha 16 and Kohima 14.

According to DIPR report, team Dimapur led by deputy commissioner Dimapur, Anoop Khinchi received the returnees. On arrival, Dimapur and Peren district returnees were taken to Agri Expo for further necessary protocols before sending them to the government quarantine centres.

Returnees from the rest of the district of Nagaland underwent thermal screening at the medical

DC Dimapur, Anoop Khinchi overseeing the arrival of returnees at Dimapur Railway Station on July 9. (DIPR)

counter at Railway Station Dimapur, given food packets and then transported to their respective districts by NST buses accompanied by their liaison officer.

It may be mentioned that 49 returnees from Ma-

nipur (Senapati district) also came from the same train.

Team DImapur provided food packets and water to the Manipur returnees also, who were then transported by buses arranged by Manipur government.

JVC to take up organic farming

DIMAPUR: Jotsoma Village Council (JVC) and elders of Kuda 'A' village, Dimapur with Keneizhakho Nakhro MLA held a meeting at N. N. Nagi School, Dimapur to discuss about the economy of their village on July 8.

A press release from JVC stated that, meeting stressed on stone mining which has been the main source of income of Jotsoma villagers, but the business has lately been deteriorating due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

In this regard, the village elders felt that they should have an alternative source of income. Stressing on the importance of agriculture and the need to go back to their agricultural roots, the members agreed that farming was the best way to live with COVID-19 pandemic.

JVC has therefore instructed all the families to start organic farming in and around the village since market was in close proximity to Kohima.

2-Day training to equip Lineman electrocuted but survives in Dimapur community leaders on COVID-19 Staff Reporter

DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): A Power department lineman, on routine maintenance duty, sustained serious burn injuries after he came in contact with high power

line Thursday morning near Duncan Basti Tiniali, Dimapur.

According to department officials, the lineman was working on the 11kv line (transformer) while another lineman was at work on the Kashiram

feeder line at a different location.

The incident took place, when the power was accidentally charged back after the Kashiram feeder line was restored.

One of his colleague o n d u t y i m m e d i a t e ly

called the office to cut off the power.

Passersby rushed to pull out the lineman as he was stuck.

The victim was taken to a nearby hospital with burn injuries, the official said.

DMC administrator Albert Ezung speaking at the training programme held on July 9. (DIPR)

DIMAPUR: A two-day training programme aimed to equip community leaders with knowledge and skills on how to protect themselves and the community from COVID-19, organised by Christian Institute of Health Sciences and Research (CIHSR) in collaboration with district administration and DMC, got underway at Dimapur on Thursday.

According to DIPR report, DMC administrator, Albert Ezung, while delivering the welcome address at Lotha community hall Dimapur said that the training was an important initiative to create aware-

ness and build the capacities of the community leaders and volunteers who play critical role in preparedness and response at community level.

Calling for collective effort to fight against the pandemic, Ezung said that frontline workers alone cannot fight the COVID-19 pandemic. He also expressed sincere appreciation to CIHSR for the initiative.

During the training session, HoD, Medicine, Dr. Megongusie Mer u, explained in detail about COVID-19, how it spreads, spectrum of illness severity, different types of tests, outcome of infection and

quarantine facilities and its purpose. Hospital infection control nurse, Theyiesinuo, while speaking on infection prevention & control highlighted infection prevention steps such as hand hygiene, face mask, cough etiquette, social and physical distancing, environment cleaning and disinfection. Clinical psychologist, Imlibenla who was also one of the resource persons spoke on psychological care.

Other highlights of the programme included Q & A’s session and action plan.

Programme was chaired by consultant community Health department, Dr. Naro Imchen.

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KCK organises webinar for faculty DIMAPUR: Kohima College Kohima (KCK) organised webinar on “The new normal for the deaf community in nagaland: Post COVID-19 challenges” on July 9.

A press release by KCK media cell stated that, IQAC, KCK organised a webinar for faculty of KCK, with principal, Deaf Biblical Ministry, School for the Deaf, Christina Walling, followed by a Q&A session.

Principal, KCK, Dr. Ralimongla, delivered the inaugural speech while convenor, Research Cell, KCK, Dr. Konei Nakhro, was the moderator for the webinar.

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4

Sushmita Dev, Akhil Gogoi test COVID positive in Assam

northeast

Earthquake of 4.3 magnitude hits Mizoram, eighth in 3 weeks

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020

Assam flood situation deteriorates slightly

Two more death reported; total cases 14,032

Sushmita Dev Rahul Gandhi and Priyanka Gandhi Vadra inquired about her health.

On Akhil Gogoi testing Covid-19 positive, Inspector General of Prisons Dasarath Das said he had not received any such report from the health department.

Gogoi’s legal counsel Santanu Barthakur told the media, “In the morning, I received the news that Gogoi has tested positive for Covid-19.”

The Krishak Mukti Sangram Samitee (KMSS) founder is lodged in the Guwahati Central Jail for the past seven months for his role in the protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, 2019.

On Wednesday, two associates of Gogoi, who are in the judicial custody, tested Covid-19 positive.

On May 29, the National Investigation Agency

4 persons with no travel history test COVID positive in Mnp Correspondent IMPHAL, Jul 9: Four persons with no recent travel histories tested positive for COVID-19 in Manipur’s Jiribam district where local clustering of the cases was earlier reported for the first time in the state.

With the opening of Rapid Antigen Detection Testing Centre on Wednesday, rapid testing started in Jiribam. The district has become an area of concern following detection of COVID19 among numerous police and VDF personnel.

Though it was termed local clustering of cases, the authority of the state health department swung into action to conduct rapid testing of the people of the district which is under complete lockdown since the mass infections of over 50 police and VDF personnel including some members of their families. Taking serious note of the sudden spurt

in COVID-19 cases in the district , the state government has sent a medical team with 300 Rapid Antigen Testing kits for rapid testing in the district after opening the Rapid Antigen Detection Testing Centre on Wednesday.

With the start of rapid testing , as many as 191 samples were tested in the last 24 hours and four were found positive COVID-19, an official source said.

The officials did not divulge details of the persons who tested positive but a highly reliable source said that the infected persons have no recent travel histories.

The detection of the 4 positive cases in the district was amid fear that the virus may have spread amongst people with no travel history. Meanwhile, an official release of the state health department informed that 15 fresh cases including the four from Jiribam district

illegal liquor seized in East Karbi Anglong; one arrested BOKAJAN, JUL 9 (AGENCIES): In a major development, the Khatkhati police have seized 1500 bottles of illegal liquor from a godown along Assam-Nagaland border in East Karbi Anglong on Thrusday.

Police have arrested one Bijay Pratap Singh along with an Alto car bearing registration number AS 05K 1865 while unloading the liquor consignment in the godown. The arrested has named Kamaljit Singh of Khatkhati, Adhesh Yadav of Silonijan and BJP leader Partha Shome of Barpathar to be involved in the illicit business.

Earlier, the syndicate smuggled liquor in huge quantities but after a recent crackdown by Karbi Anglong police and excise department, they have changed tactics and turned to transporting small quantity either by concealing it with other items or by use of private SUV vehicles and cars.

It may be mentioned here that liquor in the state of Arunachal Pradesh at-

tracts less excise duty as compared to Assam and thus make its lucrative for smugglers and bootleggers.

Moreover, the NLTP Act, 1989 which prohibits the open sale of liquor in Nagaland encourages bootleggers to smuggle liquor through well organized syndicates into the state and sell it at a high price.

The Karbi Anglong police have also seized a number of trucks transporting illegal liquor from time to time. The smugglers also have an elaborate network of lookouts. An advance party guide each shipment and continuously updates police movement. This is central to not getting caught.

Recently, the khatkhati police have seized 220 cases of illegal liquor concealed within a secret compartment attached to the cabin of a truck. Earlier on May 8, a container truck smuggling 70 case of illegal liquor concealed under secret compartment was seized in Sarupathar of Golagaht district under similar circumstances.

AIZAWL, JUL 9 (PTI): An earthquake of 4.3 magnitude rocked Mizoram on Thursday, which was felt in Champhai and its neighbouring Serchhip district, officials said.

This is the eighth tremor reported in the hilly northeastern state in three weeks. The earthquake occurred at 2.28 pm and the epicenter was 23 km southwest of Champhai town, according to the National Center for Seismology. The depth of the quake was 10 km, it said.

Champhai district Deputy Commissioner Maria C T Zuali told PTI that the tremor was felt in several villages and Champhai town.

“There is no report of any casualty or damage to property in Champhai town.

Detailed reports from different parts of the district are awaited,” she said.

Several areas of Serchhip district were also jolted by the quake, Deputy Commissioner Kumar Abishek said, adding that there was no report of damage to any property so far.

This is the third earth-

quake to hit Champhai district in the past six days and the eighth to jolt the state since June 18.

An earthquake of 4.6 magnitude hit the district on July 3. It was followed by another tremor of 4.6 magnitude that rocked Champhai on July 5.

Besides Champhai, a series of tremors also rocked Saitual and Serchhip between June 18 and June 24. The epicentre of the first earthquake of 4.6 magnitude on June 18 was also in Champhai district.

The neighbouring Saitual district was hit by another quake of 5.1 magnitude on June 21.

A tremor of 5.3 magnitude rocked Champhai again on June 22. An earthquake of 3.7 magnitude hit Serchhip district the next day. On June 24, an earthquake of 4.1 magnitude rocked Champhai.

Officials also said that at least six aftershocks of light intensity were experienced between June 23 and June 24 in Khawbung and neighbouring villages in Champhai district.

Senior govt. official dies of COVID in KA

Teenage girl among three nabbed with drugs

Correspondent

Correspondent IMPHAL, Jul 9: An 18year-old girl was among three alleged drug peddlers arrested by different law enforcing agencies in Manipur with illegal drugs worth crores of rupees.

The 18-year-old girl was arrested by officers of Anti-Smuggling Unit, Customs Division, Imphal with 538.6 grams of Heroin powder. The officials put the value of the seized drug at Rs 1,07,72,000 in the international market.

Official source in the Imphal Custom Division said that the woman was arrested during an operation based on specific information on Wednesday evening, around 5 pm.

The officers detected 538.6 grams of Heroin powder packed in 50 soap cases of assorted colours from the possession of the girl near Tribal Market in Imphal’s New Lambulane.

A case has been registered vide case no. 03/CL/ NDPS/CUS/DPFIACI/

People outside their house in a flood-affected village in Nalbari district of Assam on Tuesday. (PTI) G UWA H AT I , J U L 9 (PTI): The flood situation in Assam deteriorated marginally on Thursday, affecting over 11,600 more people though the number of affected districts stayed at 12, a government report said here.

The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said the number of flood- affected people rose to 1,82,583 on Thursday from 1,70,956 on Wednesday.

This flood and landslides have claimed 64 people’s lives so far across the state with 40 having been killed in incidents related to the deluge and 24 dying in landslides.

Dhemaji is the worsthit district with around 58,000 people affected by the flood, followed by Barpeta with 45,800 people and

Diphu Jul 9: Additional Director of Agriculture, Karbi Anglong Ramsing Hansey (56) died of Coronavirus at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital on Thursday. He was earlier admitted to Diphu COVID care hospital after he tested COVID-19 positive on July 5. As he was suffering from other complications, he was referred to Guwahati for better treatment but couldn’t be shifted immediately due to his condition.

Ramsing Hansey breathed his last at around 10.00 am on Thursday at Guwahati Medical College and Hospital. This is the third COVID-19 related death in Karbi Anglong district. Meanwhile, senior bureaucrat Nirola Phangchopi ACS in Karbi Anglong Autonomous Council secretariat has been transferred to Guwahati for better treatment on Thursday after she tested positive.

57 new cases COVID cases in Tripura; total 1,774

MHRC takes suo motu cognizance of woman giving birth inside an ambulance

Correspondent

SHILLONG, JUL 9 : The Meghalaya Human Rights Commission (MHRC) has taken suo motu cognizance of a news report about a pregnant woman who eventually delivered the baby inside a 108 Emergency Services Ambulance here.

The Kur (Clan) has slammed the Nongpoh Civil Hospital, H Gordon Roberts Hospital, Nazareth Hospital and both Shillong and Nongpoh branches of Bethany Hospital for refusing treatment to the woman, who is also a member of the clan from Umden Nongt-

luh in Ri Bhoi district. The woman eventually delivered the baby inside a 108 Emergency Services Ambulance at North Eastern Indira Gandhi Regional Institute of Health and Medical Sciences (NEIGRIHMS) premises.

“The instant case appears to have resulted in gross human rights violation of the patient where Article 21 of the Constitution which mandates protection of life and personal liberty for every person within the territory of India,” an MHRC statement said.

“Right to life is a fundamental right and it is paramount duty of the State to

protect and safeguard such rights of any individual.

It is appalling under what circumstances the patient was denied admission in a hospital run by the State government and manned by public servants as defined under Section 21 of the Indian Penal Code,” the statement further added.

The Commission has therefore sought a report from the Chief Secretary, M.S.Rao to report on the circumstances under which the patient was denied admission in the Nongpoh Civil Hospital and also in the privately-run hospitals in the State.

2 BSF jawans test COVID positive in Mizoram Aizawl, Jul 9 (PTI): Two BSF jawans have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram’s Serchhip district in the last 24 hours, pushing the tally in the state to 203, an official said on Thursday. The jawans had recently returned from Dholcherra in neighbouring Assam.

The two personnel were initially placed under quarantine at Vanhne camp in Lunglei district upon their arrival on June 25. A week later, they were shifted to their place of deployment at Dawngzawl

Embankments, roads, bridges, culverts and other infrastructure have been damaged at various places in Lakhimpur, Chirang, Nagaon, Barpeta and Dhemaji districts.

Massive erosions have also been witnessed at different places in Bongaigaon, Biswanath, Chirang and Dibrugarh districts, the ASDMA said.

The deluge has so far taken away the lives of 48 different animals in Kaziranga National Park, the bulletin said, quoting the divisional forest officer of the Eastern Assam Wildlife Division.

The districts hit by flood are Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Charaideo, Biswanath, Chirang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Goalpara, Morigaon, Nagaon, Golaghat and Tinsukia.

2020-21 dated 08.07.2020 under the relevant provisions of NDPS Act, 1985.

Further investigation to nab the other offender(s) of the case is going on, the source said.

Police commandos in Bishnupur district also arrested two alleged drug peddlers along with 760 grams of Heroin powder around Two alleged drug peddlers arrested by police in 11.30 am on Thursday.

Manipur Bishnupur district on Thursday.

The arrested persons are: Jangkholun Lhungdim (27) son of Thangkhogin Lhungdim of Molluk village of Chandel district and Thanglal Haokip (30) son of Mangjapao Haokip of Nzanti Sending you joyful birthday New Songyang of Chandel wishes and thanking you for being district.

The police commando such a wonderful sister and a friend team arrested them from for us. We hope the year ahead brings Napat Junction while they you much success lots of fun ,and were moving in an Eco-van everything you are hoping for.

Happiest birthday! and a two-wheeler scooter Love, Thej and Tsen. separately along Sugnu __________________ Sangaikot-Kumbi road.

The arrested persons Brother Alidi, along with the seized articles All the way from Kiphire, Kohima and Dimapur were handed over to Kumbi wishes you a very happy birthday, may this new year police station for further bind you with lots of happiness and blessing from necessary legal action, po- above. lice said.

From all your love ones. __________________

were detected in the state in the last 24 hours (from July 8, 6:30 pm to July 9, 6: 30 pm).

Ten of the fresh cases were males and the remaining five females. Eight of t h e m we r e f r o m C h u rachandpur district, four from Jiribam and one each from Imphal East, Bishnupur and Tamenglong, it added.

They will be shifted to respective COVID care facilities. All necessary measures like containment and contact tracing were in place, the release said.

On the other hand, six persons were discharged on Thursday after they were found COVID-19 free on RT PCR test.

Including the six, 799 persons have recovered so far. As such, the active cases stood at 651 while 1450 persons have been infected till date. The recovery rate is 55.1 percent, the official release said.

Agartala, Jul 9 (PTI): Tripura reported 57 fresh cases of COVID-19, raising the state’s tally to 1,774, officials said on Thursday.

Of the fresh cases, 22 were reported from Gomati district, 10 each from Sepahijala and Tripura West, nine from Khowai, five from Tripura North and one from Tripura South, they said.

“Out of 1,839 samples tested for COVID-19, 57 people found positive,” Chief Minister Biplab Kumar Deb said in a tweet on Wednesday late evening.

According to the officials, returnees from other states have contributed to the spurt in the coronavirus cases in Tripura.

The state now has 436 active cases, while 1,324 coronavirus patients have recovered from the disease.

One person died of the infection in Tripura and 13 patients have migrated to other states, the officials said.

A total of 248 people have been placed under institutional quarantine, while 4,632 people are in home isolation, they said.

Lakhimpur with 33,000 people, the ASDMA said in its report.

At present, 400 villages are under water and 26,676.25 hectares of crop area have been damaged, the ASDMA said.

The authorities are running 34 relief camps and distribution centres across five districts, where 1,075 people have taken shelter, it added.

The Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Nimatighat in Jorhat and Dhubri town in Dhubri districts.

Its tributaries Disang at Nanglamuraghat in Sivasagar, Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur and Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta are flowing above the danger marks.

in Serchhip district.

There, too, the jawans were put in isolation. One of them, aged 51 years, had developed symptoms of COVID-19. The other one, aged 30 years, exhibited no such symptoms, the official said. Test results, however, showed that both of them have contracted the disease, he said.

With the detection of the two fresh cases, the number of BSF personnel who have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram climbed to 12, the official added.

Dearest Dad, We are indeed luckily to have you as our dad and on this special occasion, we want to wish you many happy returns of your day, our prayer is that you have great good health and longevity.

Love you much, from your children, Atrocheh & sisters.

OFFICE OF THE YEINCHEM AEIHA Tamlu Village, Longleng : Nagaland

POSTPONEMENT

The Office of the Yeinchem Aeiha Tamlu Village would like to inform that the date for the raffle draw which was previously scheduled (i.e 6th June, 2020) has been postponed to be declared on 15th August, 2020 tentatively on account of the prevailing situation of Covid 19 pandemic lockdown.

The Union deeply regret for the inconveniences.

Convenor Phuhtang Phom

Secreatry Chongvai Phom

DP-3098

Akhil Gogoi Guwahati/Silchar, Jul 9 (IANS): While former Congress Lok Sabha member Sushmita Dev has tested positive for coronavirus, the Assam government refuted the media reports that Akhil Gogoi, jailed top farmers leader, tested Covid-19 positive.

On Thursday, Covid19 death toll rose to 24 and number of cases jumped to 14,032 in the state.

All India Mahila Congress (AIMC) chief and the party’s national spokesperson Dev, daughter of former Union Minister Santosh Mohan Dev, was on Wednesday admitted to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital after she tested nCoV positive.

“I have tested positive for Covid-19. I am asymptomatic as of now,” the 48-year-old Congress leader tweeted. Congress leaders

(NIA) had filed the chargesheet against Gogoi and his three associates for alleged sedition and terror activities for their role in violent protests against the Citizenship (Amendment) Act that rocked Assam in December last year. Meanwhile, a social media campaign began on Thursday seeking Gogoi’s release.

Meanwhile, during the day two more Covid-19 deaths were reported in the state, taking the toll to 24, while the number of cases rose to 14,032. Two more Covid-19 patients, aged 70 and 56, succumbed to the infection this morning at the Gauhati Medical College and Hospital, tweeted Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

The Health Department is conducting doorto-door Covid-19 testing in Guwahati from Tuesday.

The campaign in the Pandu area of the Guwahati Municipal Corporation is being personally monitored by Sarma.

According to the health officials, the number of Covid-19 cases in Assam has climbed to 14,032. Of this, 5,279 are active as 8,726 people have been discharged, three migrated to other states and 24 died.

IN THE COURT OF PRINCIPAL DISTRICT & SESSIONS JUDGE DIMAPUR::NAGALAND

NOTICE

S/C. NO. 227/2020

NOTICE INVITING CLAIMS/OBJECTION OF OTHER CLAIMANT(S) FOR ISSUE OF SUCCESSION CERTIFICATE UNDER PART-1 OF INDIAN SUCCESSION ACT 1925.

Whereas application under Succession Act 1925 for grant of Succession Certificate for the estate/pension benefits of Late Khevili has been applied by Miss V. Mughaholi Khiso, D/o Late Khevili, R/o H. No. 431, Thahekhu Village, Dimapur, Nagaland for possession of; 1. G.P.F, G.I.S, Leave Encashment etc 2. S.B.I (Main Branch) Dimapur A/C No. - 31722864653 Notice is hereby given that any person having interest in the administration of the estate/pension benefits of the said deceased may if she/he so desire appear in this court on or before the said day of 3rd August 2020.

Given under the hand and seal of the court on this the 2nd July 2020.

DP-3104

PRINCIPAL DISTRICT & SESSIONS JUDE DIMAPUR::NAGALAND

national/state

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020

Gangster Dubey arrested in MP; 2 aides killed in UP

BHOPAL/LUCKNOW, JUL 9 (PTI): Alleged gangster Vikas Dubey was arrested outside a temple in the pilgrimage city of Ujjain on Thursday after purchasing prasad and an entry ticket to the shrine, ending a sixday manhunt for the man accused of masterminding a deadly ambush on a police party outside his home in Kanpur.

Madhya Pradesh Home Minister Narottam Mishra said two of Dubey’s associates were also arrested.

“We have ar rested Dubey and he is in our custody,” Mishra said. “Dubey arrived at the (Mahakal) temple in his car. A police constable identified him first, after which three others (security personnel) were alerted and he was taken aside for questioning and later arrested,” Mishra said.

However, temple sources gave a slightly different account. They said Dubey reached the temple gate in the morning and purchased a Rs 250 ticket from a counter near the police post.

When he went to a nearby shop to buy prasad for the deity, the shop owner identified him and alerted police, they added.

It is not clear if he was arrested immediately, before he could enter the temple, or later when he came out

Vikas Dubey being arrested by the MP police in Ujjain on Thursday. of the temple after performing darshan, as some media reports said.

When the cops asked him his name, he loudly said “Vikas Dubey”, following which they and private security personnel deployed at the temple nabbed him, the sources said.

Asked who had identified the gangster first, Mishra said: “We will share details after going deep into the matter. It is a matter of intelligence and we cant reveal it now, the minister had said earlier, when “It is a big achievement for the Madhya Pradesh police. They were on high alert after the Kanpur incident,”

Mishra told reporters.

Carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh for information leading to his arrest, Dubey had been on the run since last Friday night when a police party, which had gone to arrest him from his house in Bikru village in the Chaubeypur area of Kanpur, was ambushed. The group was caught in a hail of gunfire from rooftops, which left eight policemen dead including a deputy superintendent.

Police say he has been a prime accused in some 60 criminal cases in his lifetime, including murders. Among them, he was accused of killing a BJP MLA in a

police station 20 years ago but was acquitted for lack of evidence.

Lauding Ujjain police for arresting Dubey, Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan tweeted, “Those who feel that after going to the Mahakal temple, their sins will be wiped out, they do not know about the Mahakal.

Our government will not spare any criminals.”

Chouhan said he spoke to his Uttar Pradesh counterpart Yogi Adityanath after the arrest. The MP police will hand over Dubey to Uttar Pradesh police, he added.

Meanwhile, two more

aides of Dubey were gunned down in separate encounters in Uttar Pradesh, police said.

Kartikeya, who was arrested from Faridabad on Wednesday, was being brought to Kanpur on transit remand when he snatched the pistol of a policeman and tried to flee, ADG, Law and Order Prashant Kumar said.

“The encounter took place in the Panki area of Kanpur when a police team.

The police vehicle had a flat tyre. Taking advantage of the situation, Kartikeya tried to flee after snatching the pistol of a policeman,” he said.

Kartikeya fired at the policemen accompanying him, injuring two Special Task Force (STF) personnel, and was killed in the ensuing exchange of fire, the officer said.

The other aide, Praveen alias Bauwa Dubey, also wanted in connection with the Kanpur ambush, was killed in an encounter in Etawah, the police said.

“The police team surrounded a person at about 4.30 am and he was killed in an exchange of fire. The deceased was identified as Praveen alias Bauwa Dubey.

He was carrying a reward of Rs 50,000 for information leading to his arrest,”

Etawah SP Akash Tomar said.

Five persons have been killed in police encounters since the Kanpur ambush.

Amar Dubey was killed in Uttar Pradeshs Hamirpur on Wednesday, while Prem Prakash Pandey and Atul Dubey were gunned down in an encounter in Kanpur on July 3.

Terming Vikas Dubeys arrest as a show, Congress leader Digvijaya Singh tweeted, “It appears to be a sponsored surrender for saving himself from an encounter with the Uttar Pradesh police. As per my information, it is done with the courtesy of a senior BJP leader of Madhya Pradesh.”

Bharatiya Janata Party MLAs and an SP spokesperson have denied any connection with the gangster, Congress leader Priyanka Gandhi Vadra demanded a Central Bureau of Investigation probe to ascertain the facts about the “grant of protection” to the gangster and targeted the state government over the episode.

“The Uttar Pradesh government has completely failed in acting with alacrity in the ghastly Kanpur massacre. Despite an alert, the gangster reaching Ujjain exposes the chinks in security and points to collusion,” she said in a tweet in Hindi.

5 Story of global revival will have India playing a leading role: PM NEW DELHI, JUL 9 (AGENCIES): In a bid to attract foreign investment in India, Prime Minister Narendra Modi Thursday said there is faith that the story of global revival from the coronavirus pandemic will have India playing a leading role.

Addressing the India Global Week 2020 event, PM Modi said India’s talent-force and her ability to reform and rejuvenate are the two key factors that will contribute to global revival.

He said amid the pandemic, the government has focused on revival, which is compassionate and sustainable— both for the environment and the economy. “On the one hand, India is fighting a strong battle against the global pandemic. With an increased focus on people’s health, we are equally focussed on the health of the economy,” he said. Despite the momentary slowdown due to the lockdown, PM Modi said, the country’s economy is on the track of revival and is already witnessing “green-shoots”.

“In these times, it is natural to talk about revival. It is equally natural to link global revival and India. There is faith that the story of global revival will have India playing a leading role,” he

said. Talking of reforms, the Prime Minister said during the last six years, his government has introduced total financial inclusion, record housing, and infra construction, ease of doing business, bold tax reforms including the GST among others.

“Thanks to technology, every penny has reached the beneficiaries directly. The relief includes: providing free cooking gas, cash in the bank accounts, free food grains to millions of people, and many other things,” he said. Calling India “one of the most open economies in the world”, PM Modi said his government is laying a red carpet for all global companies to come and establish their presence in India. “Very few countries will offer the kind of opportunities India does today,” he said. “There are many possibilities and opportunities in various sunrise sectors in India. Our reforms in agriculture provide a very attractive investment opportunity to invest in storage and logistics,” PM Modi said.

He also pointed out investment opportunities in the MSME sector, defence sector, and the private investment opportunities in the space sector, which will enable commercial use of India’s advanced space tech.

COVID-19 situation in Delhi shows SC pulls up Maha govt GPRN/NSCN slams summons from SIT ‘remarkable’ improvement: MHA on migrant workers issue NEW DELHI, JUL 9 (PTI): With a recovery rate of over 72 per cent and doubling rate of nearly 30 days, the COVID-19 situation in the national capital has shown remarkable improvement in recent days because of joint efforts, the Union Home Ministry said Thursday.

Addressing a press conference, Home Ministry Joint Secretary Punya Salila Srivastava said the ministry has been holding regular meetings with the state governments in the Delhi-NCR region for improving the pandemic situation.

She said in these meetings, national-level experts also participate and some important decisions have been taken. These include controlling the cost of COVID treatment in private hospitals, arrangement of additional beds in the national capital, increasing the number of tests using rapid antigen technology, careful demarcation of containment zones, contact tracing of all affected persons, effective

Punya Salila Srivastava use of Information Technology systems and AIIMS Delhi consultancy telemedicine facility now available to all COVID hospitals in the country for clinical management of the disease.

“Joint efforts have improved the situation in Delhi.

Rapid antigen technology is being used at a large scale which has increased testing capability,” she said.

“Till July 8, over 6.79 lakh tests have been done which translates into 35,780 tests per million population.

Now every day over 20,000 tests are being done but in spite of increase in tests, ac-

tive cases are under control,” Srivastava said. The official said as on Thursday, there were 23,552 active cases in Delhi that has a recovery rate of about 72 per cent and the doubling rate has increased to 29.7 days (or about 30 days). She said the number of hospital beds available for COVID care in Delhi have been increased.

“On June 1, there were 4,456 hospital beds available. Now 15,096 beds are available. On July 8, there were 10,237 vacant beds which is about 68 percent of the availability,” she said.

Srivastava said the Sardar Patel COVID care centre at Chattarpur here has emerged as a game changer as provision of a good facility for Delhi residents was ensured within 12 days, setting an example for the entire country. She said Unlock 2.0 directions have been implemented from July 1 and stage-wise permission was being given for activities being allowed outside containment zones.

NEW DELHI, JUL 9 (IANS): The Supreme Court Thursday cited the responsibility of the Maharashtra government to find out which group of migrants is getting food, etc. and also pointed out gaps in the affidavit detailing the information on the migrant workers.

A bench comprising Justices Ashok Bhushan, Sanjay Kishan Kaul and M. R.Shah, while hearing the suo motu case on the migrant crisis during Covid-19 pandemic, said the Maharashtra government has the responsibility to find out which group of migrants are getting food, etc. “Your affidavit says food is being provided to all migrants, but we think it is far from the truth”, the bench told the Maharashtra government counsel.

Justice Shah told the counsel to file a proper affidavit. “You have treated this as an adversarial litigation”, added Justice Shah. Senior advocate Ranjit Kumar, representing Bihar, contended before the bench that in Bihar reverse migration is happening, as migrants want to go back to the cities.

Solicitor General Tushar Mehta, representing the Maharashtra government, submitted before the bench that the trend is that migrants’ wish to return to the cities, which is their place of employment. “In Maharashtra migrants who wanted to leave earlier have now decided to stay back, as the state has opened up employment opportunities. From May 1, around 3,50,000 workers came back to work again”, said Mehta. The bench also asked Mehta to advise the Maharashtra government to file a proper affidavit. The apex court also took up the plea by Centre for Public Interest Litigation seeking setting up of a national Covid plan. Mehta contended before the bench that Covid containment plan was already on record and its copies will be provided to parties by tomorrow evening. The top court posted the matter for further hearing on July 17.

DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): GPRN/NSCN has termed as “unacceptable” the summoning of its top functionary by Nagaland police SIT branch adding the move “appeared to be ill motivated and uninformed.”

GRPN/NSCN through its MIP demanded to know what crime was committed by its leader ? It asked “Did he kill or order killing of elected members? bureaucrats or high ranking police officers? Local or mainland businessmen?”

MIP said it was “flabbergasted” that SIT was “barking at a wrong tree”, which it said was “most unpleasant.”

MIP has urged the Nagaland police to understand that “Indo-Naga” political conflict was “a legacy of blood and tears on the Naga side.” It said that equating “genuine Naga revolutionary leaders and workers” with “social parasites like government looters, swindlers, petty thieves, criminal gangs, street thugs, market goons and self aggrandising godfathers to illegal immigrants” would not only be socially and politically disastrous, but it would also “equally hasten the death of

Naga conscience.”

Stating that there was a ceasefire between Government of India and GPRN/ NSCN, the MIP said ceasefire mechanism was in place and all conflicting ground rules issues were tackled at a CFMG meeting headed by chairman.

“Clearly summoning Naga revolutionary leaders to a police table is unprecedented and is never agreeable,” MIP stated.

Further, MIP said that sustenance of a political movement for over seventy years was never done through abominable word called “extortion”. “It is a people’s ready contribution, desirous of an assured honourable political future that GPRN/ NSCN, as equal member of WC, NNPGs, is negotiating with GOI,” MIP added.

Therefore, MIP cautioned that whoever ordered the physical presence of the Naga revolutionary leader on July 7, 2020, “will live with stigma down to his off springs.” It also questioned whether there was a deliberate ploy of Nagaland police SIT “to demean, devalue and muddy the water” when both

8 states account for 90 pc active coronavirus cases in India: GoM NEW DELHI, JUL 9 (PTI): Eight states, including Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Karnataka and Telangana, account for around 90 per cent of the active COVID-19 cases in the country and 80 per cent of the active cases have been reported from 49 districts, the Group of Ministers (GoM) on COVID-19 was informed on Thursday.

Besides, the GoM was told that six states -- Maharashtra, Delhi, Gujarat, Tamil Nadu, Uttar Pradesh and West Bengal -- account for 86 per cent of the deaths caused by COVID-19 and 32 districts account for 80 per cent of such fatalities, the Union health ministry said.

The GoM, which held its 18th meeting under the chairpersonship of Union Health Minister Harsh Vardhan on Thursday, was informed that there was a special focus on the regions showing a higher COVID19 fatality rate, the ministry said.

The GoM was also briefed on the cur rent COVID-19 status in India.

“A global comparison between the five most-affected countries clearly depicted that India has one of the lowest numbers of cases per million (538) and deaths per

Harsh Vardhan and other members of GoM during the meeting. million (15), compared to the global average of 1,453 and 68.7 respectively,” the ministry said in a statement.

Within the country, eight states -- Maharashtra, Tamil Nadu, Delhi, Karnataka, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh and Gujarat -account for around 90 per cent of the active coronavirus cases, it said.

As regards the COVID19 healthcare infrastructure in India, the GoM was informed that as on Thursday, there were 3,914 facilities across the country with 3,77,737 isolation beds (without ICU support), 39,820 ICU beds and 1,42,415 oxygen-supported beds, along with 20,047 ventilators. Over 21.3 crore N95 masks, 1.2 crore per-

sonal protective equipment (PPE) kits and 6.12 crore hydroxychloroquine tablets have so far been distributed, the GoM was told.

“As we move forward, our focus shall be on the management of COVID-19 through strict containment measures and surveillance, utilising the full testing capacity, monitoring of the comorbid and elderly population, predicting the emerging hotspots, leveraging digital tools such as Aarogya Setu, ensuring seamless patient admission processes and infrastructure preparedness (critical-care beds, oxygen, ventilators and logistics),” Vardhan said.

“Along with the states and Union territories, our aim is to reduce and keep

the case fatality rate low by early identification and effective clinical management,” he was quoted as saying in a statement issued by the ministry.

During Unlock 2.0, the future steps would include a sharp focus on containment and surveillance, including demarcation of containment zones and notifying such areas on the health ministry website.

It includes strict perimeter control with only essential activities allowed, intensive contact-tracing, house-to-house search or surveillance and buffer zones to be identified outside the containment zones.

Dr Sujeet K Singh, Director, National Centre for Disease Control, presented

a detailed report on the surveillance efforts undertaken in India during the pandemic, the ministry said.

The focus was on a strict containment strategy and surveillance through SARI/ILI cases, serological survey and enhancing the laboratory network for testing. The major concern areas in the country were highlighted and the measures to be taken listed, including a timely clinical management, along with testing and surveillance in the high-risk population with co-morbidities, to reduce the case fatality ratio.

In a detailed presentation by Amit Khare, Chairman of the Empowered Group-8 (on information, communication and public awareness), the GoM was briefed on the key steps taken regarding communication of information and raising public awareness.

The group received 6,755 alerts of fake news, of which 5,890 were replied to directly and rebuttals published to 17 foreign media stories. The group also coordinated the issue of 98 daily COVID-19 bulletins, 92 media briefings and 2,482 press releases.

The group played a proactive role in the behavioural

change campaign during the pandemic and creating awareness regarding the relief measures among farmers and MSMEs under the “Atmanirbhar Bharat Abhiyan” launched by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, the ministry said.

It was highlighted that the mental health issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic will be a major part of the communication strategy going forward through discussions in the media, the ministry said.

There was also a special focus on dissemination of messages and information in regional languages, it added.

India saw a record single-day surge of 24,879 coronavirus cases on Thursday, which pushed the country’s COVID-19 tally to 7,67,296, while the death toll due to the disease climbed to 21,129 with 487 new fatalities, according to the health ministry data updated at 8 am. Vardhan was joined by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar, Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri, Minister of State for Health Ashwini Kumar Choubey and Minister of State, Chemical and Fertilisers and Shipping Mansukh Mandaviya.

WC, NNPGs and Government of India were “on the verge of announcing honourable and acceptable political solution?”

MIP said there would be troubling questions when police force indulge in “gangster behaviour in the streets and in office table.” It claimed that the “cold blooded murder” in broad daylight of one alleged extortionist in Kohima on June 23, 2020 and the summon letter served on senior GPRN/NSCN leader by SIT branch bore testimony. “The Kohima incident is a clear case of murder by police in front of bystanders and yet the killer is being shielded,” MIP alleged.

In any unresolved political conflict, MIP said there would be “a rippling effect on the people socially and economically even in peace time and naturally Nagas are no different.”

MIP underscored that it clearly was a period to exhibit utmost restraint, engage in constructive dialogue between police force, administration and “Naga revolutionary members” through ceasefire mechanism.

CRF Peren demands action for Peren fiasco

DIMAPUR, JUL 9 (NPN): Contending that the entire Peren fiasco was a result of negligence and indifference of the minister in-charge and civil administration, Civil Rights Forum (CRF) Peren district has urged the state government to immediately look into the matter with seriousness and rectify the failings by taking punitive action against the minister and officials of the civil administration.

The forum has also warned that failure to respond to the situation as expected could lead to mass non-cooperation movement against the government Asking the government to take necessary action, CRF through its media cell alleged that mis-governance was manifesting itself, particularly in Peren district. It observed that people’s trust over the government was eroding quickly, evident in the recent public uprising.

Pointing out how a responsible government would not disown responsibility but responsibly and honestly work out for justice in the fear of God and in the interest of people, the rights group reminded the government to have no party feeling or inclination and move

ahead with a sense of justice as every citizen of the land was equal before the law.

CRF explained that it had been forced to raise the Peren fiasco issue and demand justice as there had been occasions when the government had failed to address the COVID-19 pandemic with honesty and sincerity. The forum alleged that negligence and indifferent attitude of the government towards Peren district was visible and the people had been raising voices against this in the form of representations, news briefing, protest rallies, press releases, agitations and ultimatum by civil society organisations.

It regretted that despite all these, the government continued to remain deaf to the public grievances.

Citing the instance of sending a COVID-19 positive patient along with 16 returnees to Peren and discharging 96 vulnerable returnees to respective home quarantine without proper retest, resulting in the spread of the virus in the community as some returnees later tested positive, CRF said the minister in-charge for the district and the civil administration had miserably failed to discharge their roles.

6

OPINiON/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post Vol. XXx NO. 213 Dimapur, FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020

Fearing the big one

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here have been over 130 tremors across India during the first half of 2020 but with all attention on COVID-19 a tremor, whether 4.5 or 5 on the Richter Scale has not made headlines. The recent tremors have been reported as far as the far east of Arunachal Pradesh to the far north of Kashmir Valley, the south to national capital Delhi. These have become almost regular since the past few weeks.

Tremors have also been reported in other parts of the world. These then lead to the question –whether the ‘big one’ is on its way? This has led seismologists at the United States Geological Survey (USGS) to ask, why have there been so many reported earthquakes?

USGS also wondered whether naturally occurring earthquake activity have been increasing? Some have even speculated, that since the planet has yet to experience a major earthquake for quite sometime, there could be possibility pressure building up for a big one. To answer these, the USGS said a temporary increase in seismicity is part of the normal fluctuation of earthquake rates. It said neither an increase or decrease worldwide is a positive indication that a large earthquake is imminent. That may be some comfort but that still does not mean a big quake will not jolt some part of the earth sometime. When a big event happens, all the smaller earthquakes that have occurred in that region in the near past are classified as foreshocks. Foreshocks are post-event definitions. The description does not exist before any big earthquake has happened. The National Earthquake Information Center (NEIC) has observed about 20,000 earthquakes each year, or approximately 55 per day.

This is more because people today are much better prepared or informed about impending earthquakes as a result of the improvements in communications and the increased interest in natural disasters. The most recent and largest total was in 2010 when there were 24 earthquakes greater than or equal to the magnitude of 7.0 . In other years the total was well below the 16 per year expected based on the longterm average: 1989 only saw six, while 1988 saw only seven major earthquakes. Earthquakes of magnitude four or below hardly cause any damage anywhere and are mostly inconsequential for practical purposes.

Thousands of such earthquakes are recorded around the world every year, and most of them are uneventful. Scientists have been working for years to identify “precursors” to an earthquake, but have so far met with no success. Some special earthquakes, the ones that are triggered by volcanic activity, can be predicted to some extent. The Himalayan region, extending from the Hindu Kush to the Northeast and going south to Southeast Asia, is seismically one of the most active regions in the world. The region has experienced several big earthquakes in the past, most recently in 2015 in Nepal. Scientists say that the Himalayan region is due for a big earthquake, of magnitude 8 or even higher. That is because they have been able to measure the energy that is getting trapped under the surface as a result of one tectonic plate trying to move beneath the other one. However, even here, scientists and most sophisticated of equipments still cannot predict when this big earthquake will occur.

DailyDevotion Will You Examine Yourself?

Joshua said to the people, “You cannot serve the Lord…” —Joshua 24:19 Do you have even the slightest reliance on anything or anyone other than God? Is there a remnant of reliance left on any natural quality within you, or on any particular set of circumstances? Are you relying on yourself in any manner whatsoever regarding this new proposal or plan which God has placed before you? Will you examine yourself by asking these probing questions? It really is true to say, “I cannot live a holy life,” but you can decide to let Jesus Christ make you holy. “You cannot serve the Lord…”— but you can place yourself in the proper position where God’s almighty power will flow through you. Is your relationship with God sufficient for you to expect Him to exhibit His wonderful life in you?

“The people said to Joshua, ‘No, but we will serve the Lord!’ ” (Joshua 24:21). This is not an impulsive action, but a deliberate commitment. We tend to say, “But God could never have called me to this. I’m too unworthy. It can’t mean me.” It does mean you, and the more weak and feeble you are, the better. The person who is still relying and trusting in anything within himself is the last person to even come close to saying, “I will serve the Lord.”

We say, “Oh, if only I really could believe!” The question is, “Will I believe?” No wonder Jesus Christ placed such emphasis on the sin of unbelief. “He did not do many mighty works there because of their unbelief” (Matthew 13:58). If we really believed that God meant what He said, just imagine what we would be like! Do I really dare to let God be to me all that He says He will be?

Quotes

People only see what they are prepared to see. ~ Ralph Waldo Emerson

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020

Post-mortem

Is technology-powered virtual learning premature in the State?

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he current pandemic propels educational establishments to orient a sudden shift to online education regime.

Under this regime, various schools exploit means and offers solutions for continuous learning to students as the schools are gripped with forced lockdown. It has emerged not only as an alternative to the traditional learning system, but also as the most futuristic competitor in imparting sustained education.

The management and the teachers who preferred to selflessly deliver this fundamental service in the interest of our children in this challenging scenario need society’s acknowledgement. Dawn of digital classroom in part of the state within a short period of time has been facilitated by their dedication. Efforts should be mustered towards improvising this embryonic project since the current social setting may not get reversed anytime soon.

Notwithstanding the opportunities to be exerted through technology-based virtual learning environment, online learning is still a considered predicament in a society marked by income inequality, compromised and low internet penetration, unequal opportunities in accessing public resources and an unstable familial foundation.

The first obstacle to-

wards realisation of virtual learning regime could be the hitherto neglected reality of unequal income opportunities. Social classification stemming from economic status may have been the most reluctant adventure of this writer especially in a social setting wherein clustered societies of the past derived its sense of pride in erstwhile classlessness. However, the truth is families with weak income avenue have been empirically observed to be wrestling with hardships. From purchasing smartphones to establishing secure connection for receiving provided materials, audio-visual teaching formats and establishing voice calls with the teacher concerned for extended guide have all been a silent stress for parents and pupils alike. The less fortunate families are, in certain circumstances, made to undergo the ordeal of having to testify their economic plights for no fault of theirs.

In such scenarios, fates of few families hang on two fundamentals – food and education – either of which the parents could not afford to give a skip.

The second in line is low internet penetration in the state. Overall country’s internet penetration rate in 2019 was pegged at 36% only. Fluid network coverage in remote regions of the state is imaginable with Kohima and Dimapur

having registered frequent network fluctuation and uneven data speed. What has further compounded this unconvincing network expanse is the regular loadshedding and prolonged power-cut induced by natural agents. This could have far reaching consequences so long as the success of online teaching is concerned.

Teaching-aided gadgets thus reduce its applicability in the absence of robust infrastructure to power the recently introduced virtual learning.

Data plan has much improved comparing with past few years. But it never was sufficient for a society like ours on ground that families thrive to spend on salt and sugar, as opposed to bread and butter. Additional expenditure on data plan is probably outside the capability of many families.

Besides, digital illiteracy among parents is one major bottleneck in continuous flow of virtual learning in the state.

The third apprehension in sustained shift to virtual learning platform is the increase cases of domestic child abuse. Agencies have reported rise in cases of domestic child abuse during the lockdown period. Such reports are gruesome as we further dive into the question of whether our own home environment could guarantee a safe learning space, if not the best. Online teaching

Why Gorkhas of Nagaland celebrate Bhanu Jayanti as Gorkha Festival? (1814 – 1868)

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hanu Bhakta Acharya was born in 13th of July, 1814 in Chundi Ramgha village of Tanahu district in Nepal. Though he received Sanskrit education from his grandfather, he was motivated to do something to make his name eternal from a grass cutter of his neighborhood. After a long thought, he concluded that he can be successful in translating the then Sanskrit language written Ramayana long Hindu lord Ram related epic into Nepali language. Thus, he began transcribing the whole Ramayana in a beautiful and rhythmic manner into Nepali language. He had used Nepali script for the first time to write a Nepali poem. Finally, he translated all the seven parts Ramayan into Nepali language.

The motivation he received from the grass cutter has been expressed in one of his creation and translated to English by Pallav Ranja in the following manner: He gives his life to cutting grass and earns little money, He hopes to make a well for his people, So he will be remembered after death, This high thinking grass cutter lives in poverty, I have achieved nothing though I have much wealth. I have neither made rest houses nor a well, All my riches are inside my house. This grass cutter has opened my eyes today, My life is worthless if the memory of my existence fades away.

Today, these books have become so popular that the people in and outside Nepal, especially in rural areas, have made it a friend of happiness, sorrow, inspiration and problem. If one visits the rural religious rites, rituals and marriages, one can find people reciting the rhythmic rhymes of the epic. Even the people in the deep forest, where they graze their cattle, keep reciting the verses rhythmically. This literary creation of Bhanu Bhakta has remained in the tongue, heart and hand of the people. And because of his noble work Bhanubhakta and Nepali language became synonym in Nepali literature.

Bhanu Bhakta did not just translate the Sanskrit written Ramayan into Nepali, but also composed many poems in a beautiful and rhythmic patterns. His poems like Prashnottar, Kantipuri Nagari, etc. are also popular among the Nepali literateure.

The following is an English translated piece by Pallav Ranjan from Nepali Kantipuri Nagari: After so many days I have seen the Balaju water gardens again, And I Reader’s note: Articles or

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requires a child’s absolute attention for a regulated timeframe. Any disruption caused by slow internet connection or due to given home environment including alcoholism, poor housing condition, lack of proper space to study and noises will bear negative impacts on child’s learning ability. This bring us to the assumption that even if fluid internet coverage along with basic gadgets are made available, home or home schooling may not be a good environment for virtual education.

Education appears to be the privilege of the affluent. This is partially true in the context of the current mode of service delivered online/digitally by the private schools and availed by the well-to-do families, but has not covered the Government-run schools and the economically weaker sections.

Education is as fundamental as our right to food.

Hence, it would be injustice on the part of the welfare state to let the education benefit the privileged class only at the cost of alienating the underprivileged to the periphery. With many incapacities acknowledged in alleviating poverty and follow-up anti-poverty measures being taken, inability or lack of access to basic internet connection has to be identified and classified as one indicator of a person/family living below the

poverty line. Steps must be taken in consultation with the internet service providers to ration free internet data plan on monthly basis (on the pattern of the food rationing to BPL families) to those families identified to have no access to internet connection. Since positive flow of information has a role in poverty mitigation, free data rationing to BPL families will bear constructive collateral results towards liberating our people from perpetual ignorance in this information age.

Further, government is duty-bound to cater to the needs of its people by extending assistance – cash or material – to empower people’s purchasing power in acquiring teaching-aided gadgets. Imparting basic digital skills to the digitally illiterate parents must precede any overture should the government agree to binary fusion of traditional classroom-based teaching and virtual learning environment in the postpandemic Nagaland.

Risk of service monopoly endures as long term reliance on solutions provided by edtech companies persist with standardization of online classes.

Parents of many children may not afford such classes.

What was previously a free service in the realm of teaching and learning could become a paid service, thereby negating the importance of primary

education. Commissioning a regulatory oversight is prerequisite. Such regulatory body, when constituted, may be tasked to oversee the contents and solutions given by edtech companies on online classes and ensure that the cardinal element of imparting free primary education is upheld.

A father of two once lamented that his youngest ward was regularly reduced to tears when he himself and the child failed to accomplish assignments within the given time as forwarded to him through WhatsApp by teachers.

There could be more such unreported cases where a child’s emotion and psychology is put at stake in the name of continuous service delivery. In our state, excessive dependence on technology at the school level would not only make school education exclusive but would aggravate existing problems in accessing primary education faced by the low-income families.

Education is much more than syllabi designed to complete through timedetermined controlled education system. Children must be encouraged to learn things and examine their immediate encounter on their own without being skewed by external colours.

Atleast for a while, leave the children in peace and leave them with a fair amount of autonomy.

Nukhosa Chüzho, Kohima

Who let the dogs out ?

ith an increase rate in Covid-19 cases, people in the state are bursting with fear without knowing the fact that Dogs doesn’t play a significant role in spreading the virus, and with the law passed by the state government regarding banning of imported dogs and sale of dog meat, People with their not so rational, dazzling and sophisticated mindset are raging all over the social media.

This topic have not been discussed earlier but with the rise in covid-19 and the new law, we get to see our true colours, because the one who wants to voice out feels that their argument might rather sounds silly or simply because they are in a minority. Let me ask this, Just because majority agrees does it mean they are right? Moral law doesn’t equals political law? Let me take you to a brief journey on how Wolves went from fairy tale villains to our canine companions.

Through genetic studies, researchers know that dogs and wolves, mainly Canis lupus: a scientific name for grey/gray Wolf share a common ancestor. Unlike cows, horses, pigs or other domestic animals, Dogs chose us; they became a part of our lives by their own will. They didn’t do it as we see in fictional movies to serve us but we kept some tasty piles at the edge of our camp thousands of years ago, they

gradually became comfortable with our campfires and voices and over the centuries have cohabitated with man in a pact of mutual benefit. Dogs were predators like man; they lived in groups and hunt by daylight.

They were also high on top of the food chain. Their skills in running down prey exceed our own. When the foods were shared, pups raised with humans and generations of selective breeding and adaptation were put in effect. Eventually humans realized that wolves once domesticated could be useful, they could be guards, work with hunters and protect their livestock with no intent to eat them instead since they were both predators. After that whenever humans went, their canine companions followed.

People were so deeply attached to their pups, and we can see this bond in the archaeological record with burials of people and dogs together. Over thousands of years, domestication created both physical and genetic changes in dogs, while many early dogs looked pretty similar to each other, new breeds were developed to meet a variety of human needs and coat colours and textures became more diverse. Many of these changes can be traced to the cross breeding as humans moved around the planet with their canine companions and came across new groups of canidie.

Thousands of years of adaptation may have bonded us chemically. Not only they can understand our emotions and body language but when dogs and humans interact both our bodies release oxytocin: a hormone commonly associated with feeling of love and protectiveness. Dogs provide companionship amusement and unconditional love, that’s why Dogs are taken to hospitals, nursing homes to interact with people in need and are often used by police to tackle down culprits. No wonder why they don’t use pigs instead.

Might come in handy, Don’t they? Now with the new age advancement we find them less useful than in the past, but the bond we shared in the past was beyond compared to any other animals.

This might sound cheezy but those who care for the dogs is a very good thing as long as we love people more. The care we show them entrusted to us is a measure of personal integrity, however this wouldn’t mean anything to someone who doesn’t care or those treating them like garbage, which ultimately, as said earlier lets the minority group of people gets hurt emotionally.

Dogs are just part of our lives, but for them, we are their everything, maybe the Creator let the Dogs out and said; It was good.

Atsulo Thyu

write that underneath earthly skies this is a Heaven, All around me are birds that sit or swing upon vines, Maybe with soft voices they intend to steal my mind.

Today the Nepali Common Language that we are speaking is the creation of Bhanu Bhakta. Bhanu Bhakta Acharya is regarded as Aadi Kabi, means the beginner poet or the first poet of Nepali language. It is his creation that Nepali language has become very popular among our community people. It is his creation that laid the foundation of Nepali literature. Thus, people pay due respect and honor him every year on 13th July as Bhanu Jayanti.

People recite poems and organize poem recitation competition. In his reverence, in many places, statues and idols are made. In many places the street and roads are called after his name.

Today, all over the worlds, where there are Nepali speaking people are residing, commemorates his birth anniversary every year.

Gorkhas of Nagaland also observed his Birth anniversary on 13th as Bhanu Jayanti, the birthday of Nepali pioneer poet “Adikavi” Bhanubhakta Acharya, it is celebrated on July 13 every year as a symbol of nationality by Nepalese who are in and outside the country.

We the Gorkhas of Nagaland also commemorates his anniversary though he was not born to Nagaland soil we celebrate his birthday as a Gorkha Festival because we are speaking the language, of which foundation was laid by him.

Gorkhas of Nagaland people still recite his creation and utmost love and respect. They too have used the books – especially the Ramayana as their friend. Whether they are in problem, happiness or sorrow, they recite the rhythmic verses of Ramayana. He is very popular in the Gorkha community.

Sir, Thus, Nepali speaking Gorkhas I am not a law student and I don’t have the crux of legal knowledge. So, I call upon the of Nagaland celebrate his anniver- legal fraternity to re-examine over the decision of banning on Dog meat in Nagaland. sary with self-volunteerism, as we First, on what ground did the GoN took the lightning decision to ban Dog meat? Is it feel that he owes this respect and Animals cruelty, Animal killing or dog cruelty or killing? honor. We celebrate his anniverKilling of an animal/pet is illegal and its is an offence being to cruelty on animals as sary in respect to the foundation of defined under Section 11 of The Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act. Fine. However, there language laid by him. It will not be is no specific separate law for dogs alone. sufficient just on publishing poems So why only Dog/meat is banned, Why not for all the animals across India??? Are they and literary works on his name, not living creatures? Just because the majority of the people in India do not eat dog meat we should also make our coming doesn’t mean they should impose such a partial ban on Nagaland itself ? generation to know about him and The ban on dog meat alone in our state alone is transforming unapologetically into a pay respect to him through at least theocracy act under the aegis of some self fanatic central leaders and GoN easily succumbed commemorating his anniversary ev- to it. ery year as a symbol of reminiscing Let’s voice out either to ban all animal killings/meat including fish/eggs and dairy products our Cultural and Identity. across India ! Or dismiss the decision on banning of dog meat/killing alone in Nagaland. It is clearly a suppression of Minority’s food choice in India.

Jacob Sundas, Chumukedima, Dimapur Boktiba Jamir, Dimapur letters published in any of the columns do not reflect the view of this newspaper nor that of the Editor in any manner.

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Dog meat ban in Nagaland

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020

7

topics excluded, don’t bring Withdrawal of Chinese troops completed in 3 areas Several politics into education: Pokhriyal

New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI): China’s People’s Liberation Army (PLA) on Thursday completed withdrawal of its troops from two more face-off sites in Gogra and Hot Springs in eastern Ladakh in line with a mutually agreed disengagement process with India even as the two countries are set to hold a fresh round of diplomatic talks on Friday to further deescalate the situation.

As the first phase of the disengagement neared completion, External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Anurag Srivastava, at a media briefing, once again rejected China’s claim over Galwan Valley, but reiterated that India remained convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and resolution of differences through dialogue.

At the same time, he asserted that India is committed to ensuring its sovereignty and territorial integrity and that the Line of Actual Control (LAC)must be strictly respected and observed, saying it is the basis for peace and tranquility in border areas.

Government sources said the two sides are also expected to hold a fourth round of Corps commander level dialogue by early next week to finalise modalities for de-induction of troops by both sides at their rear

Army trucks move towards Ladakh in the wake of India-China border dispute in eastern Ladakh, in Kullu district, Thursday, July 9. (PTI)

bases in the high-altitude region.

Both sides have completed creation of a buffer zone of three kilometres in the three friction points of Galwan Valley, Gogra and Hot Springs as part of a temporary measure, the sources said, adding there has been a thinning out of troops from Finger 4 area in Pangong Tso as well.

China has already pulled back troops from the friction points in Galwan Valley.

The disengagement of troops from the friction points formally kicked off on Monday following a eight-week eyeball-to-eyeball confrontation between the two armies at multiple locations in eastern Ladakh.

In the meantime, people familiar with the development said the two sides will hold another round of online meeting on Friday on the border row under the framework of Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination(WMCC) on India-China border affairs.

Naveen Srivastava, Joint Secretary (East Asia) in the External Affairs Ministry, will hold talks with Wu Jianghao, Director General in the Chinese Foreign Ministry.

At his briefing, the MEA Spokesperson said National Security Advisor Ajit Doval categorically conveyed to Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi on Sunday about India’s

position on the recent developments along the LAC including in the Galwan Valley area.

Doval and Wang, the Special Representatives for border talks, held a telephonic conversation on Sunday following which armies of the two countries began disengagement of troops from friction points in eastern Ladakh.

“The NSA emphasised in this context that the Indian troops had always taken a very responsible approach towards border management and at the same time, our forces were deeply committed to ensuring India’s sovereignty and security,” Srivastava said.

Srivastava said Doval

and Wang agreed that peace and tranquility in border areas were essential for the overall development of bilateral relations. He also reiterated that the recent Chinese claims to the Galwan Valley area are “exaggerated and untenable”.

“We remain convinced of the need for maintenance of peace and tranquility in the border areas and the resolution of differences through dialogue, at the same time, we are also strongly committed to ensuring India’s sovereignty and territorial integrity,” he said. Galwan Valley was the site of violent clashes between Indian and Chinese armies on June 15 in which 20 Indian soldiers were killed.

The Chinese side also suffered casualties but it is yet to give out the details.

According to an American intelligence report, the number of casualties on the Chinese side was 35.

Srivastava also said the diplomatic and military officials of both sides will continue their meetings to take forward the process of disengagement and de-escalation as agreed to by the Special Representatives.

“The next meeting of the Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination on India-China border affairs (WMCC) is expected to take place soon,” he said.

NEW DELHI, JUL 8 (AGENCIES): After the omission of certain topics, including secularism and citizenship, in the political science syllabus for CBSE class 11 for next year’s exams, Union Minister of Human Resource Development (HRD) Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank said it is “sensationalism by connecting topics selectively to portray a false narrative”. He did not deny the omission of these topics, however, and added that these are not the only topics to be cut for next year’s exams.

“While it is easy to misconstrue exclusion of 3-4 topics like nationalism, local government, federalism, etc. and build a concocted narrative, a wider perusal of different subjects will show that this exclusion is happening across subjects,” he wrote in a series of tweets. Sharing a list of topics being excluded from across subjects he wrote, “It can be no one’s argument that these topics have also been excluded by malice or some grand design which only partisan minds can decipher”.

Giving an example of other topics being excluded, he listed that, Measures of Dispersion, Balance of Payments Deficit, Heat Engine and Refrigerator, Heat Transfer, Convection & Radiation, Properties of

Ramesh Pokhriyal Nishank

Determinants, Consistency, Inconsistency, and Number of Solutions of System of Linear Equations by Examples and Binomial Probability Distribution were also among the excluded topics.

He reiterated CBSE’s statement that schools have been asked to teach these topics by following the alternative academic calendar, however, these topics will not make it to the board exams.

“The only aim is to relax the stress on students by reducing the syllabus by 30%. This exercise has been carried out following the advice & recommendations of various experts and considering the suggestions received from educationists through our #SyllabusForStudents2020 campaign,” the minister wrote.

“It is our humble re-

quest: #Education is our sacred duty towards our children. Let us leave politics out of education and make our politics more educated,” he added.

The syllabus reduction was first advised by the Delhi Education Minister Manish Sisodia. However, after the cut in the syllabus, Sisodia in a written statement said he had “reservations and concern over the manner and content of the syllabus reduction exercise.” He said that there was no transparency on how the “governing body of CBSE arrived at the decision to remove or include any particular topic or chapter”. He said the details lack the reason as to “why that particular topic or chapter has been left out”.

“Social science is one discipline where there is the maximum scope of controversy and I agree that no matter which topics are chosen or left out, questions are bound to be raised. Hence the board should have been careful and explained its rationale for dropping certain topics,” the statement read.

“Topics of social science which are dropped are so relevant in a contemporary context that it is important that children learn about it through authentic source rather than ‘Whatsapp University’,” the statement added.

Rajnath inaugurates 6 bridges in J-K Priyanka to shift out of her Lutyens bungalow by month-end

NEW DELHI, JUL 9 (PTI): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Thursday inaugurated six bridges in border areas of Jammu and Kashmir, and asserted that development of remote areas in the region will continue to be a key priority for the NDA government.

The defence minister dedicated the bridges through video conferencing in presence of Chief of the Army Staff Gen MM Naravane, Defence Secretary Ajay Kumar, Director General of Border Roads Organisation Lt Gen Harpal Singh among others.

Four bridges were constructed on the AkhnoorPallanwala road in Akhnoor, while two bridges were built on the Tarnah Nallah in Kathua district, the Defence Ministry said in a statement.

The total cost of construction of the bridges was Rs 43 crore.

The inauguration of

the bridges, built by the Border Roads Organisation (BRO) comes at a time when India and China are engaged in a border row in eastern Ladakh.

Officials said the dedication of the bridges to the people of Jammu and Kashmir carries a bigger message that India will continue to develop key infrastructure in border areas notwithstanding hostilities by any adversary.

“Our government is committed to promoting infrastructure on our borders and necessary resources will be provided for this.

Our government has a keen interest in the development of Jammu and Kashmir,” Singh said in his brief address.

“Kee ping in mind the needs of the people of Jammu and Kashmir and Armed Forces, many other development works are also in the pipeline, which will be announced in due time.

About 1,000 kilometre long roads are currently under construction in Jammu region,” he said.

The defence minister said the government has ensured that sufficient resources are provided to the BRO for the construction of strategic roads.

Despite the COVID-19 epidemic, the government will not let the resources of the BRO fall short, he added.

According to the ministry, the annual budget of the BRO ranged from Rs 3,300 crores to Rs 4,600 crores during 2008 to 2016.

However, the allocation was hiked to Rs 8,050 crore in 2019-2020.

The budget for the BRO for 2020-2021 is likely to be Rs 11,800 crore, the ministry said, adding the higher allocation will expedite the construction of strategic roads, bridges and tunnels along our northern borders.

in-law of India’s first prime minister Jawaharlal Nehru.

She had been a Union minister and a governor. The sources said that plans for her to shift base to Lucknow have been afoot for a few months now, but were delayed due to the outbreak of the pandemic.

Priyanka is in-charge of Congress’s affairs in Eastern UP, but is practically looking after the entire state now, ever since Jyotiraditya Scindia switched over to the BJP. The Ministry of Housing and Urban Development had last week served a notice on her to vacate the said Security personnel outside AICC General Secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra’s premises before August 1 as residence, at Lodhi Estate in New Delhi, Thursday, July 9. (PTI) she no longer comes under SPG security cover.

“Consequent to withdrawal of SPG protection and grant of Z+ security cover by MHA, which does not provide for allotment or retention of government accommodation on security grounds to you, the allotment of type 6B house No. 35 Lodhi Estate is hereby cancelled wef July 1. One month concession period on same rent till August 1 is allowed as per rules,” the Ministry notice said. davp 09141/11/0002/2021

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Rajnath Singh and Manoj Mukund Naravane during the virtual inauguration of 6 BRO bridges, at Ministry of Defence in New Delhi, Thursday, July 9. (PTI)

NEW DELHI, JUL 9 (PTI): Congress general secretary Priyanka Gandhi Vadra will be vacating her Lodhi Estate bungalow by month-end and shifting base to Lucknow when the COVID-19 situation improves, sources close to her said.

The Vadras are learnt to be scouting for an alternative accommodation in Delhi that will cater to her security considerations, and a house for Priyanka has been finalised in Lucknow where she will shift later when the ongoing lockdown eases. Sources close to her said no house has been finalised yet, but the Vadras are in the process of winding up their 35, Lodhi Estate house, and the packing and shifting of their household belongings are underway.

Some of her old belongings are also learnt to have been kept at Sonia Gandhi’s 10, Janpath residence. The Lucknow house that she will occupy belongs to Sheila Kaul and is located on Gokhle Marg. The house is lying vacant and renovation work is also almost complete. Sheila Kaul, who died in 2015, was the sister-

NEW DELHI, JUL 9 (IANS): The Centre has informed the Supreme Court that there are several funds which were either established earlier or now for carrying out various relief works, and PM-CARES is one such fund with voluntary donations.

The affidavit filed by the Ministry of Home Affairs said “It is submitted there exists a fund stipulated under section of the DMA (Disaster Management Act) which is called NDR fund.

However, mere existence of a statutory fund would not prohibit in creation of a different fund like PM-CARES fund which provides for voluntary donations.”

The Centre contended that the petition seeking a

direction that the funds received by PM-CARES to be credited to NDRF (National Disaster Response Fund) is neither maintainable on merits nor is maintainable under Article 32 as all funds other than the funds stipulated under section 46 of Disaster Management Act, 2005 are separate, different and distinct, created separately under separate provisions.

On June 17, the apex court issued notice to the Centre on a PIL seeking to transfer funds from PMCARES to National Disaster Response Fund (NDRF).

The petitioner argued that the entire funds collected in PM-CARES till date may be directed to be transferred to the NDRF.

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Existence of NDR fund does not prohibit PM-CARES: Centre to SC

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8

business/state Gold gains Rs 232, silver Section 36 of the Legal Me- zooms Rs 1,275

‘Cos must display origin of products’ New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI): Consumer Affairs Minister Ram Vilas Paswan on Thursday said state governments have been directed to strictly enforce the provision that requires companies and e-commerce players to display the ‘country of origin’ on all products. The provision of declaration of ‘country of origin’ has been in place since January 2018 for all manufacturers, importers, packers and e-commerce players. The commerce ministry has now been asked to ensure that ecommerce players too comply with this rule strictly, he said.

“We have reiterated that we have such a provision in place. We have directed state governments to strictly enforce the provision and take action against violators,” Paswan told reporters.

Whether a product is sold through offline or on-

Ram Vilas Paswan

line platform, it is mandatory to display ‘country of origin’ besides other details like maximum retail price (MRP), day of expiry, net quantity and consumer care details, he said.

In January 2018, the government amended the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011 to add a new provision mandating declaration of ‘country of origin’ for manufacturers, importers, packers and e-commerce entities.

Consumer Affairs Sec-

retary Leena Nandan said most of the companies are complying with the provision on product labelling sold in offline markets. But, e-commerce platforms are not showing it prominently on their websites. If this provision is strictly complied with, consumers can make an informed decision.

“All e-commerce sites have to display it on their website. We have written to DPIIT, which registers e-commerce sites, to comply with the provision,” she said, adding that discussions are on with the Department for Promotion of Industry and Internal Trade (DPIIT) on this issue.

The provision for declarations on e-commerce sites is made under sub-rule 10 of rule 6 of the Legal Metrology (Packaged Commodities) Rules, 2011, she said.

On penal action against violators, the Secretary said

trology Act provides penalty of up to Rs 1 lakh and also an imprisonment for a term of one year.

To address the consumer concerns, the Secretary mentioned that the Central Consumer Protection Authority (CCPA) has also been set up with the Consumer Affairs Department’s Additional Secretary as chief commissioner and Bureau of Indian Standards (BIS) Director General as investigation officer. The CCPA will have the powers to inquire or investigate matters relating to violations of consumer rights or unfair trade practices suo motu, or on a complaint received, or on a direction from the central government.

The ministry has finalised the rules relating to the composition and functioning of the CCPA, and these are expected to be notified on July 20, she added.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020

‘NPF, NPCC driven by frustration’ (From p-1) Further, NDPP said there was no bar on the governor in writing to the state government about his views and opinions and for the government to respond accordingly. It also maintained that the governor’s letter to the chief minister can in no way be construed as souring of relationship between the two or of the governor having lost his trust on the government.

NDPP also said the ruling PDA coalition has never claimed that it was the champion over ongoing Naga political issue but only an active proponent for an early solution.

On the NPCC describing the ruling government as “headless chicken” in handling COVID-19 pan-

demic, NDPP said this was a “cheap, uncalled for and a huge insult” to frontline workers and all sections of society who are rendering services to contain the virus.

On the NPCC’s charge that NDPP and its ally the BJP had betrayed the people of Nagaland in 2018 when their candidates filed nominations despite calls for “Solution before election,” NDPP instead said Congress has a history of its own that needed no reminding. On the other hand, NDPP said in 2018 several political parties “whole heartedly” participated in the elections including the NPF, the “new found ally of the Congress” and the Congress itself.

NDPP said it was

“conspicuously suspicious” when Congress did not mention that NPF was also a participant in the 2018 polls which only confirmed the NPF-Congress alliance.

NDPP said the opposition alliance has only one agenda- for the government to step down and had no roadmap to guide people out of the current pandemic but only to take advantage of the situation by continuously attacking the government with “baseless and malicious statements.”

Instead, NDPP called upon people including the two parties to come forward together and help the state recover from the COVID-19 both physically and economically.

New Delhi, Jul 9 (PTI): Gold prices rose by Rs 232 to Rs 50,184 per 10 gram in the national capital on Thursday, in line with gains in international price of the precious metal, according to Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Securities.

On Wednesday, gold had closed at Rs 49,952 per 10 gram.

Silver also gained Rs 1,275 to Rs 52,930 per kg from Rs 51,655 per kg in the previous trade.

In the international market, gold was trading with gains at dollar 1,813 per ounce, while silver quoted at dollar 18.94 per ounce.

“Gold prices rallied on safe-haven buying over worries over rising virus cases,” Housing Development Finance Corporation (HDFC) Securities Senior Analyst manpower and resources, were work(Commodities) Tapan Patel (From p-1) ing under extreme duress. Even though said. almost on a daily basis putting the utmost care was being taken, NJDA said healthcare workers on the field into catch sometimes things go wrong, which it 22 situation many a time. maintained should not be misunderstood Also, NJDA said that following the as ‘intentional’. government SOP by frontline workers did Therefore, in the greater interest of not exclude the absence of COVID-19 in the public, NJDA has appealed to the JAC and only 2 per cent said sales a person giving the new disease unpre- to settle the matter amicably and pave the dictable nature and its clinical manifesta- way for smooth process of active surveilshould be allowed as is. lance and contact tracing to contain the “Overall, it appears tions.

NJDA said doctors, with very limited spread of the disease. that 49 per cent believe that if Chinese multinationals are to sell products in India, the personal as well as aggregate data of Indian customers must reside in India (From p-1) and not go abroad to the China headquarters of the He also said after being tested negative and after receipt of medical clearance company,” the LocalCircles from Dimapur chief medical officer, the team was given access to the accused persons report said. and proceeded with their line of interrogation.

On whether any acThe SP (Crime) therefore, termed the news item was baseless, false and fabricated tions should be taken against making a distorted presentation of what actually transpired.

Indian companies with Chi“Nagaland Police has always been sensitive on matters of national security and nese investment, 30 per cent has been extending cooperation to all law enforcing agencies. The police have even in respondents said action the past extended all cooperation to national investigating agencies and even investigatshould be taken only if the ing agencies of various States. The Nagaland Police shall not be found wanting and Chinese ownership is 10 per shall always stand true to its motto of ‘Security, Service, Sacrifice’”, he asserted. cent of higher, while 29 per cent said action should be taken on companies with any Chinese ownership.

However, 27 per cent Legislators Forum on Naga sans any contribution to said no action should be (From p-1) The ruling coalition Political Issue on Septem- the long-standing issue. taken on such companies Further claiming that but the Chinese Directors partner asked the opposi- ber 18, 2018 under the must resign and just 11 per tion parties to understand chairmanship of the As- the State government had given a detailed reply with cent said that no action that the PDA government sembly speaker. had taken a stand to be T h e r e f o r e , B J P official facts and figures should be taken against any an active facilitator on stressed that the ruling and on other matters, the rulsuch company. the Naga political issue opposition benches were ing party asked the opfor its early and honour- united as one on the Naga position parties to desist Across able resolution. It reiter- political issue and hence from playing blame-games 1. Of tribes (6) ated that government was NPCC’s allegation that the in the interest of Nagas, committed to facilitate PDA government was the particularly during such 7. Proclaim (8) an early resolution of the biggest obstacle in ham- extraordinary times when 8. Apple seeds (4) 10. Flies without pow- Indo-Naga political issue mering out the final peace everyone should be united through a negotiated agree- agreement was totally mis- as one to face the chaler (6) ment that honoured the placed and disconnected lenges ahead.

11. Lessen, decrease unique history and rights from the ground reality.

(6) of the Nagas.

Attributing Congress’ RUTSA DRIVING SCHOOL KOHIMA The party recollected misconception to the party Govt. License No. RTA-K/DRV/SCH/2011/1 14. Chew and swallow out how NPF Legisla- not having any represen- ADMISSION ANYTIME (3) 16. One giving blood tive Party (NPFLP) had tation in the 60-member # 9856145414, 8974446272, overcome political differ- Assembly, BJP accused the 7005086669 (5) ences and joined other former of now trying to 17. Nobleman (4) members of the 13th NLA champion the Naga cause Admissions Open 2020-21 19. Automaton (5) For Diploma, Undergraduate, in reconstitution of Joint

NJDA appeals JAC Peren to settle ...

WhatsApp Business hits 50mn 49% Indians want Chinese firms to sell products users globally; 15mn in India New Delhi, Jul 9 (IANS): With the Covid19 disruptions bringing more businesses online, WhatsApp Business has reached a new milestone of 50 million monthly users globally with almost a third of them being in India, the Facebook-owned platform said on Thursday.

In India, there are more than 15 million monthly WhatsApp Business app users.

The platform on Thursday also introduced new features to start a chat with a business on WhatsApp like starting a chat with a business using QR codes.

Scanning a QR code will open a chat with an optional pre-populated message created by the business to start the conversation, WhatsApp Business said in a blog post.

With the app’s messaging tools, businesses can

quickly send information such as their catalog to get the conversation going.

QR codes are available for businesses around the world using the WhatsApp Business app or WhatsApp Business API starting Thursday, the company said.

WhatsApp Business said that more than 40 million people view a business catalog on the platform each month, while more than three million users in India do so each month.

“To make it easier for people to discover products, we’re making catalogs and individual items available to be shared as links on websites, Facebook, Instagram and elsewhere,” said the

State Police dismisses media report...

Gov-PDA relationship cordial: BJP

No. 9619 Yesterday’s solution No. 9618

K-1192

Crossword

blog post.

“If people want to share a catalog or item they find with friends or family, they can simply copy the link and send it on WhatsApp or other places as well,” it added.

Additionally, WhatsApp also launched new “Open for Business” sticker packs to help people and businesses stay connected, say thanks and get business done.

WhatsApp which has over 400 million users in India said these sticker packs will be available to all of its more than two billion users worldwide as well as the 50 million users of the WhatsApp Business app.

New Delhi, Jul 9 (IANS): A survey has found that around 49 per cent of its respondents feel that Chinese companies should be allowed to sell products in India, but they want their data to be placed in India and not be transferred to the companies’ China headquarters.

The LocalCircles survey showed that 35 per cent people said such sales should be completely barred while 14 per cent said they should only be allowed to sell Made in India products.

Around 25 per cent said such companies should only be allowed to sell Made in India products if no data sharing is taking place with China and 20 per cent said all product sales should be allowed for all products if no data sharing is taking place with China.

Around 4 per cent said all products sales should be allowed if no data sharing with China is taking place

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NAME DECLARATION Regd. No. 583 Dt. 14-10-2013 I, Dr. Temjentsungla, D/o Late Nungsashiba Jamir, R/o Zoudo Colony, East Circular Road, Kohima, Nagaland have changed my name from Dr. Atsungla to Dr. Temjentsungla and herafter been known as Dr. Temjentsungla.

K-1205

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No. 3262 Yesterday’s solution No. 3261

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CHANGE OF NAME Former Name : Lovely Keithan Latter Name : Lopilo Lotha Hence, my latter name as Lopilo Lotha shall be officially used in all purposes, vide Affidavit declaration Regd. No. 387/20, Date 06/07/2020.

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KAKURO

No. 4238 Yesterday’s solution No. 4237

Transfer MLCU Shillong

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US considering additional actions against China a number of actions that take place to implement the president’s vision,” he said.

He described the Chinese actions on Hong Kong as one of the biggest stories of the decade.

“We have Hong Kong that’s basically been annexed by the People’s Re-

US lawmakers seek probe into efforts by Chinese govt to exploit COVID-19 outbreak

A landslide is seen near an exit of a highway in Kyoto, western Japan Thursday. (Kyodo News via AP)

have been flooded by massive downpours.

More than 300 people, including hotel employees and visitors, were trapped in Kamikochi, as floods and mudslides hit a main road connecting the town to Matsumoto, another tourist destination in Nagano. All of the stranded people were safe, prefectural officials said.

In neighbouring Gifu, hundreds were also isolated in the hot spring towns

of Gero and Ontake.

As of Thursday morning, the death toll from the heavy rains which started over the weekend had risen to 59, most of them from hardest-hit Kumamoto prefecture on Japan’s third largest island of Kyushu.

Searching continued for 14 still missing in Kumamoto. Hundreds of thousands of people were in areas under evacuation advisories, but leaving wasn’t mandatory and the number who sought shelter was not known.

Japan is at high risk of heavy rain in early summer when wet and warm air from the East China Sea flows into a seasonal rain front above the country. In July 2018, more than 200 people, about half of them in Hiroshima, died from heavy rain and flooding in southwestern Japan.

Meteorological Agency officials said the seasonal rain front has stayed above Japan longer than usual, prompting heavy rain to persist

A group of 14 US lawmakers have introduced a bill in the Congress which demands the government to identify, analyse and combat alleged efforts made by the Chinese government to exploit the COVID-19 pandemic for nationalistic gains.

Introduced by Congressman Jared Golden and co-sponsored by 13 other congressmen, the ‘Preventing China from Exploiting COVID-19 Act’ would mandate the Director of National Intelligence (DNI) to investigate the ways in which the Chinese government intends to seize on the COVID-19 pandemic to promote its interests on the national stage and evaluate the risks to the United States.

It also asks the DNI to provide policymakers with

information they need to address and counter Chinese actions, when necessary, and report its findings to the Congress.

“Since COVID-19 began, there is evidence that China is at work using the pandemic crisis against Americans through cybertheft and the spread of misinformation,” said Golden.

The bill requires the DNI -- in coordination with the Secretaries of Defense, State, and Homeland Security -- to prepare an assessment of the different ways in which the Chinese government has exploited or could exploit the pandemic, which originated in China, in order to advance China’s interests and to undermine the interests of the United States, its allies, and the rule-based international order.

Pak’s coronavirus cases cross 240,000-mark

Need decent jobs to fuel Covid-19 recovery: UN chief

Islamabad, Jul 9 (PTI): Pakistan’s number of coronavirus cases on Thursday crossed the 240,000-mark after 3,359 new infections were detected in the last 24 hours, while 61 people died of the disease, taking the death toll to 4,983, the health ministry said.

According to the Ministry of National Health Services, the number of recovered patients have reached 145,311.

The number of critically ill patients are 2,193, out of which 435 are on ventilators. The death toll has reached 4,983 after another 61 people died due to the COVID-19 in the last 24 hours, the ministry said.

Out of the total 240,848 infections, Sindh has reported 99,362 cases, Punjab 84,587, KhyberPakhtunkhwa 29,052, Islamabad 13,731, Balochistan 11,052, GilgitBaltistan 1,605 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 1,459 cases.

United Nations, Jul 9 (IANS): UN SecretaryGeneral Antonio Guterres has highlighted the need for decent jobs to fuel the Covid-19 recovery. In a video message, the UN chief told heads of state and government and others attending a virtual meeting that they are essential to global efforts to “build back better” after the pandemic. “Together, we can emerge from this crisis stronger, with decent jobs and a brighter, more equal and greener future for all,” he said on Wednesday, Xinhua reported. More than 50 heads of state and government, alongside global employers’ and trade union leaders, have been taking part in an online discussion on Wednesday looking at the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the world of work.

The summit is part of a five-day virtual event organized this month by the International Labour Organization (ILO), to examine issues that include countering the economic and social impact of the crisis. The Covid-19 pandemic has exposed the extreme vulnera-

Singaporeans to vote for new govt on Friday amid pandemic

Singapore, Jul 9 (PTI): Singaporeans will vote on Friday in the region’s first general election since the COVID-19 outbreak that will test Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong’s handling of the unprecedented health crisis that has pushed the city-state’s economy towards the worstever recession in nearly two decades.

Lee last month called for general elections 10 months ahead of the schedule to “clear the decks” and give the new government a fresh five-year mandate to focus on the national agenda.

Prime Minister Lee’s People’s Action Party (PAP) has won every election since the late 1950s. When the party’s share of the vote dipped to about 60 per cent in 2011, it was considered an upset.

The ruling party is expected to win comfortably in the election but 68-year-old Lee’s handling of the coronavirus crisis would decide the vote share this election. The main opposition Workers’ Party is likely to pose the stiffest challenge.

A total of 192 can-

Lee Hsien Loong (File)

didates from 11 parties, including the PAP, will contest parliamentary seats through 17 Group Representation Constituencies which groups together candidates in four or five, and 14 Single Member Constituencies.

While the PAP has not fielded any Indian-origin candidate in this election, the opposition parties have fielded about a dozen of them.

A total of 2.65 million people will vote on Friday as voting is compulsory in Singapore.

The ruling PAP is the only party with candidates contesting on all 93 seats.

This is the second general election that the opposition

has fielded candidates in all seats in Parliament.

In the last elections in September 2015, the PAP contested all 89 seats and won 83 seats, an absolute majority in the house. The Workers’ Party secured six seats. Prime Minister Lee’s estranged brother Lee Hsien Yang recently joined the Progress Singapore Party, bolstering the opposition camp. However, he is not fighting the elections. The two brothers are involved in a legal tussle of their family house-property.

Overall, the opposition calls have been to limit the PAP’s expected win to less than two-third of the seats in Parliament, calling it “blank cheque” or no abso-

lute majority.

Lee, who is the country’s third prime minister, has led the government since 2004. His father Lee Kuan Yew was Singapore’s first prime minister and he transformed the city-state into an affluent nation during his 31 years rule.

Most of the issues raised during the campaign were about jobs and future employment with the increasing presence of foreigners both professionals and labour class, gap in wages of workers and executives, the withdrawal of Central Provident Fund on retirement at the age of 55 and spending of national reserves.

Thursday is a CoolingOff Day and no campaigning is allowed so that voters may reflect on issues raised during the campaign before casting their votes.

The impact of COVID19 on jobs and incomes has been topmost on the minds of voters, which is also what any leader or government must focus on for Singapore after the election is over, Lee said on Wednesday.

“This is one of the reasons why I decided to call the elections now, so that

we can clear our minds and focus on these big things which everybody considers important, and which are, in fact, the key issues in front of Singapore,” he was quoted as saying by the TODAY newspaper.

Mapping out the challenges that Singapore has to confront and why this election matters, Lee said Singapore is set to face a difficult time over the next couple of years, as it deals with COVID-19 while protecting livelihoods.

He added: “The question is… how we can get the strongest team to be given the mandate to be looking after Singapore and working with you to see you through this.

“How we can make sure that after this, Singapore has a bright future and all the hopes and dreams which we have had for our kids and grandkids that we have planned and prepared for will come to pass, not by itself, but because of our efforts together.”

T h a n k f u l l y, t h e COVID-19 situation so far has remained stable and the elections have been able to continue, he said at the PAP’s closing rally.

Antonio Guterres (File)

bility of millions of workers and businesses worldwide. It has led to a 14 percent drop globally in working hours during the second quarter of this year: equivalent to the loss of 400 million full time jobs, according to data from the ILO. Furthermore, most of the world’s workers -- a staggering 93 per cent -continue to live in countries that have implemented some form of workplace closures.

As of Wednesday, the World Health Organization reported more than 11.6 million confirmed cases of Covid-19 worldwide, and nearly 540,000 deaths.

The UN chief pointed out that while some countries are just entering the worst days of the pandemic, others are struggling to open up their economies amid

COVID-19 cases surge to highest in Tokyo Tokyo, Jul 9 (IANS): The number of new COVID19 cases in Tokyo surged to a record high of 224 on Thursday, the highest since the virus outbreak hit the Japanese capital, officials said. The new figure beats the previous record of 206 cases confirmed in Tokyo, a city of 14 million, on April 17, reports Xinhua news agency. The capital city has continued to grapple with a resurgence of cases since the Japanese government’s emergency declaration over the virus was completely lifted on May 25.

Tokyo’s ongoing virus resurgence has seen many of those testing positive in their 20s and 30s, Tokyo metropolitan government officials said. Disproportionately high numbers of cases have also been found to be connected to downtown nighttime entertainment districts in Tokyo, it added.

Local officials have voiced concerns about the rising possibility of the virus being passed on from younger carriers infected in downtown areas to the elderly.

two systems’ framework, and Hong Kong’s own basic law and the high degree of autonomy guaranteed in the Sino-British Joint Declaration that was set out there,” Morrison said in Canberra.

Hong Kong is governed under the principle of “one country, two systems”, under which China has agreed to give the region a high degree of autonomy and to preserve its economic and social systems for 50 years from the date of the handover.

The former British colony became a special administrative region of China on July 1, 1997, when Britain’s 99-year lease of the New Territories, north of Hong Kong island, expired.

The new national security law imposed last week following violent anti-government protests in Hong Kong

the threat of a resurgence in cases. “But let’s be clear: it’s not a choice between health or jobs and the economy,” he said. “They are interlinked. We will either win on all fronts or fail on all fronts.” The UN chief underscored the importance of global solidarity as no country can solve the crisis alone. “This global summit is an opportunity for governments, workers and employers’ representatives to shape winning responses,” said the secretary-general.

“Responses that stimu-

late the economy and employment. Solutions that support enterprises, decent jobs and incomes. Approaches that safeguard workers and expand social protection. Plans that promote gender equality and reinforce social cohesion.

Proposals that protect the most vulnerable and invest in essential workers -- such as those in health and care services -- who are on the frontlines of the response.

And above all, initiatives that are grounded in unity and solidarity.”

OFFICE OF THE CHUNGLIYIMSEN STUDENTS' UNION Motto: “In Pursuit of Perfection”

CHUNGLIYIMSEN, B. P. O. CHANGKI

FELICITATION

The Chungliyimsen Students' Union takes immense pride and pleasure in conveying our heartiest congratulations to Shri. Aowati Kichu (S/o Lt. Imnanochet Kichu) of Chungliyimsen village on his promotion to DSP 12th NAP (IR) Bn. The Union further wishes him good health and success in his new assignment.

Sd/Sd /President General Secretary CSU CSU

MKC-159

United States.

FBI Director Christopher Wray gave a speech a day earlier about the massive theft of Chinese intellectual property.

Referring to Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s comments made last week, O’Brien said the president is looking very closely at TikTok, WeChat and some of other applications that the Chinese government is allegedly using to obtain personal and private data of Americans.

“We are looking very closely at the apps,” O’Brien said, adding the president has already said that Hong Kong will no longer be treated as a separate entity, that it will be treated as part of China.

“So there will be a number of regulations and

Scott Morrison (File)

in 2019 makes secessionist, subversive, or terrorist activities illegal, as well as foreign intervention in the city’s internal affairs.

Morrison said immigration has been a pillar of the strength of Australia and it has been a very welcoming country to such people from all around the world.

He said the Australian government will also extend Hong Kong-based businesses to relocate to the country and prioritise highly skilled applicants through existing streams from the Chinese territory. ‘’As a result of the changes that have occurred in Hong Kong, that there will be citizens of Hong Kong who may be looking to move elsewhere, to start a new life somewhere else, to take their skills, their businesses and things that they have been running under the previous set of rules and arrangements in Hong Kong, and seek that opportunity elsewhere,” he said.

“It has the best controls, it has the best targeting, it has the best focus, and immigration as a result has been a pillar of the strength of our nation, not just our economy but our society as well,” he said.

FELICITATION With immense pride, honour and joy, the Dimapur Nkonjan Mozhui Ekhung (DNME) extends our heartiest congratulations to Er. Nribemo Mozhui, S/o Lt. Rev. E. M. Mozhui on being promoted to Chief Engineer (T&G), Dept of Power, Government of Nagaland.

The Ekhung further wishes and prays that Almighty God continue to bless him throughout his career.

(Chenirao Mozhui) Secreatry, DNME

(Rakomo Mozhui) Chairman, DNME

DP-3099

dent could take additional measures against China in the coming days.

US National Security Advisor Robert O’Brien on Wednesday had told reporters that China had annexed Hong Kong, referring to the new security law in the former British colony.

“I think you’re going to see a significant rollout of measures with respect to China over the coming days and weeks. There’s no president that’s ever stood up to China the way President Donald Trump has.

He was the first president to put a massive tariff on the Chinese to stop the trade imbalance,” he said.

O’Brien said that he gave a speech in Arizona two weeks ago on the Communist Party of China and the threat that it poses to the

Melbourne, Jul 9 (PTI): Prime Minister Scott Morrison on Thursday announced the suspension of Australia’s extradition treaty with Hong Kong over the controversial Chinese national security law imposed there and offered visas to 10,000 students and temporary skilled workers from the former British territory to start a new life in this country.

The move came after Chinese President Xi Jinping last month signed a controversial legislation to impose a national security law in Hong Kong that allowed Beijing to crackdown against dissent, criminalising sedition and curtailing protests with punishments up to life in prison.

Morrison said the new national security laws imposed by China in Hong Kong represented a “fundamental change of circumstances” for many governments around the world.

“Our decision to suspend the extradition agreement with Hong Kong represents an acknowledgement of the fundamental change of circumstances in relation to Hong Kong because of the new security law, which in our view undermines the ‘one country,

OFFICE OF THE

UNGER STUDENTS UNION UNGER: P.O. CHUCHU TOWN

FELICITATION

With immense joy & gratitude, the Unger Students Union would like to extend our heartiest congratulations to all the successful students of HSLC & HSSLC Exam 2020.

The Union wishes all of them best of luck and success in their future endeavours.

(I. Along Longkumer) President

(Rokerchila) General Sect.

DC-593

Donald Trump (File)

Heavy rain hits scenic central Japan, more damage in south

Tokyo, Jul 9 (AP): Flooding and mudslides have stranded hundreds of people in scenic hot springs and hiking areas in central Japan, while rescue workers searched on Thursday for more people missing in the disaster that already has killed nearly 60 people in a southern region.

Pa r t s o f N a g a n o and Gifu, including areas known for scenic mountain trails and hot springs,

public of China, by the Communist Party of China, and they’re imposing their will on free and democratic people and not only are they doing it in Hong Kong, but they’re using this Hong Kong law to try and impose their will extra-territorially,” he said.

Australia suspends extradition treaty with HK; offer visas to students & workers

CHUDI STUDENTS' UNION WOKHA : NAGALAND

FELICITATION

The Chudi Students' Union with immense pride and honour, would like to extend their heartiest congratulations to: 1. Shri Moyithung Lotha (Junior Engineer) on being promoted to the post of SDO (Sub Divisional Officer) NPWD. 2. Mr. Tesnbemo Jungi on being promoted to the rank of Dy. SP/Asst. Commandant.

3. All the Chudi students who have successfully qualified in their HSLC and HSSLC examination NBSE 2020.

The Union further wishes and prays for the best in their future endeavor.

DP-3108

WASHINGTON, JUL 9 (PTI): The United States is preparing to take additional actions against China, the White House has said, but what those presidential measures would be was not made clear.

Relations between Washington and Beijing have spiralled downward since the outbreak of the novel coronavir us. US President Donald Trump has questioned the Asian powerhouse’s handing of COVID-19.

The two countries have also sparred over China imposing a new national security law in Hong Kong, restrictions on American journalists, treatment of Uyghurs Muslims and security measures in Tibet. “I’m not going to get ahead of the president on what our actions on China will be, but you will be hearing about some upcoming actions that pertain to China. So, I can confirm that,” White House Press Secretary Kayleigh McEnany told reporters on Wednesday.

McEnany was responding to a question on recent statements made by top administration officials, including White House Chief of Staff, National Security Advisor and Secretary of States, hinting the presi-

9

international

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020

CHONBENTHUNG B. MOZHU HACHOBENI V JUNGI PRESIDENT, CSU GENERAL SECRETARY, CSU

Infotainment

10

Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020

Veteran comedian Jagdeep passes away at 81 Naya Rivera missing, presumed dead N

In this April 30, 2010 file photo, Bollywood actor Jagdeep (L).

V

eteran Bollywood comedian Jagdeep is no more. He passed away here on Wednesday owing to age-related health problems at the age of 81.

Bollywood star Ajay Devgn confirmed the news on social media.

“Heard the sad news of Jagdeep Saab’s demise.

Always enjoyed watching him on screen. He brought so much joy to the audience.

My deepest condolences to Jaaved and all members of the family. Prayers for Jagdeep Saab’s soul,” tweeted

@ajaydevgn with an emoji of folded hands.

The late actor’s sons Jaaved Jaaferi and Naved Jafri have also made their mark in the entertainment industry. Jaaved is a noted actor and dancer, and along with Naved, he hosted the longrunning and popular dance show, “Boogie Woogie”. The show was created and directed by Naved.

Born on March 29, 1939 as Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jafri in Amritsar, Jagdeep acted in over 400 films.

He is best known for his

Jagdeep as Soorma Bhopali in ‘Sholay’

role of Soorma Bhopali in Ramesh Sippy’s blockbuster “Sholay” (1975). New-generation Bollywood buffs would recall him as Salman Khan’s father in Rajkumar Santoshi’s “Andaaz Apna Apna” (1994).

Jagdeep started his career as a child artiste in BR Chopra’s 1951 release, “Afsana”, starring Ashok Kumar, Veena and Pran. As a child artiste he also worked in the Raj Kapoor-produced “Ab Dilli Door Nahin”, KA Abbas’s “Munna”, Guru Dutt’s “Aar Paar”, Bimal

Roy’s “Do Bigha Zamin” and the AVM-produced “Hum Panchi Ek Dal Ke”.

Later, he would make a mark with roles in films such as “Bhabhi” (1957) and “Barkha” (1959).

J a g d e e p ’s g o l d e n patch would begin with GP Sippy’s 1968 film “Brahmachari”, starring Shammi Kapoor. His comic role in the film was widely appreciated. Through the seventies, eighties and the nineties, he became a familiar face in Hindi films, essaying the goofy funnyman in film

Tom Meighan makes public apology

Javicia Leslie is first Black actress to play Batwoman

Tom Meighan

T

om Meighan has apologised for attacking his former fiance.

The former Kasabian singer - who left the band earlier this week - was sentenced to 200 hours unpaid work on Tuesday (07.07.20) after pleading guilty to assaulting Vikki Ager on 9 April and he's described the shocking incident as a ''wake-up call'' and revealed he had been to rehab to get help for his alcoholism.

He said in a statement: ''I would like to make a statement about recent events and publicly apologise to my partner Vikki, my bandmates, my friends,

family and fans. ''I am very sorry and deeply regret my recent behaviour. In no way am I trying to condone my actions or make excuses. I am completely to blame and accept all responsibility. ''I have struggled for many years with alcohol addiction. The incident in April was a wake-up call for me, for who I was, and what I was becoming. ''I was spiralling out of control. My mental health was becoming more and more unstable and I was at breaking point.''

The 39-year-old singer - who also revealed he has been diagnosed with

ADHD - is determined to get sober for good this time round.

He said: ''I booked myself into a rehabilitation programme for alcoholism.

It's been well documented I've undergone treatment before, but in truth I've never actually been completely sober. ''This time has been different. I left the programme 3 weeks ago and with the support of my family and friends, I've been taking every day as it comes, getting through each day completely clean and sober. ''This time I actually really want to do it, not just for those I care about, but also for myself.''

It was revealed before Tom's appearance in court he had left Kasabian due to ''personal issues'', and following his sentencing, the rest of the band slammed his ''totally unacceptable'' behaviour and accused him of misleading fans about his departure by not ''telling everyone what he'd done''.

(Contactmusic)

A

ctress Javicia Leslie has been cast as the new Batwoman in the superhero series, becoming the first Black actress to portray the superhero in a live-action television or film production.

Leslie’s casting comes after the makers announced they will introduce a new title character following Ruby Rose’s departure from the show after the end of season one. Leslie will make her debut in the cape and cowl when “Batwoman” returns for its second season in 2021. “I am extremely proud to be the first Black actress to play the iconic role of Batwoman on television, and as a bisexual woman, I am honoured to join this groundbreaking show which has been such a trailblazer for the LGBTQ+ community,” said Leslie.

Leslie, who starred in “God Friended Me”, “The Family Business” and “Always A Bridesmaid”, will portray a new character on the show named Ryan Wilder.

(IANS)

Lady Antebellum sue blues singer with same name

C

ountry band Lady Antebellum recently changed their name to Lady A due to the former’s racist connotations, and now they’re suing a Black blues singer who has gone by Lady A for over a decade for using the same name.

In a statement via Billboard, the band alleged that Anita ‘Lady A’ White asked for a $10million payment in order for the band to use the name.

The suit that the band have filed apparently arises from White’s “attempt to enforce purported trademark rights in a mark that Plaintiffs have held for K Y M C

more than a decade.”

The band also revealed that they have had ‘Lady A’ trademarked for “many years”.

The lawsuit does acknowledge that White has been performing and recording music under that name at least since 2010, but has never trademarked it. If she did attempt to trademark it, it must have been after the band had already secured the name.

“Today we are sad to share that our sincere hope to join together with Anita White in unity and common purpose has ended,” the band said in the statement.

“She and her team have demanded a $10 million payment, so reluctantly we have come to the conclusion that we need to ask a court to affirm our right to continue to use the name Lady A, a trademark we have held for many years.”

The band also made it clear that they had no problem with White performing under the name as well.

“When we learned that Ms. White had also been performing under the name Lady A, we had heartfelt discussions with her about how we can all come together and make

something special and beautiful out of this moment,” the band said.

“We never even entertained the idea that she shouldn’t also be able to use the name Lady A, and never will – today’s action doesn’t change that.”

In a previous statement to Rolling Stone, White claimed that she has performed under the name for over two decades.

This is my life. Lady A is my brand, I’ve used it for over 20 years, and I’m proud of what I’ve done,” she said.

When it emerged that the band would be changing their name, White asserted that she wasn’t going to stop performing under the name.

“They’re using the name because of a Black Lives Matter incident that, for them, is just a moment in time. If it mattered, it would have mattered to them before. It shouldn’t have taken George Floyd to die for them to realise that their name had a slave reference to it,” she said.

“I don’t know if [the new Lady A] are going to give me a cease-and-desist.

I don’t know how they’d react. But I’m not about to stop using my name.”

(NME)

after film.

His last-released film is “Masti Nahi Sasti” in 2017.

The Ali Abbas Chaudharydirected comedy also featured Kader Khan, Shakti Kapoor, Johnny Lever and Prem Chopra.

Bollywood celebrities including Amitabh Bachchan, Ajay Devgn, Anil Kapoor and Shabana Azmi mourned the death of veteran comedian Jagdeep, who passed away aged 81 on Wednesday due to agerelated health problems.

Veteran actor-comedian Jagdeep, best known for his role as Soorma Bhopali in “Sholay”, was laid to rest in the presence of family and close friends at a cemetery here on Thursday.

The veteran actor was laid to rest at a cemetery in south Mumbai’s Byculla neighbourhood at around 2.30 pm, a family source told PTI. There were around 1012 people in attendance, including sons, actor Jaaved, producer Naved, grandson Meezaan, and industry colleague Johnny Lever.

From a child artiste to lead actor and then comic icon, Jagdeep appeared in around 400 films.

(IANS/PTI)

aya Rivera is missing and presumed dead.

A search is underway for the former ‘Glee’ actress after her four-year-old son Josey was found alone on a boat on Lake Piru in California on Wednesday (08.07.20) afternoon.

According to TMZ, Josey - whose father is Naya’s ex-husband Ryan Dorsey - was asleep when he was found in the rented vessel by another boater and later told Ventura County Sherrif ’s deputies that his mother had gone swimming in the water, but didn’t get back up.

Divers immediately started searching the lake, but had found no trace of the actress until the search was suspended at nightfall.

A Ventura County Sheriff ’s Department confirmed they had deployed air and dive teams to ‘’search for [a] possible drowning victim’’.

Naya’s life jacket was still in the boat, and her purse was found inside her car, which was in the parking lot near the boat rental company.

Josey is said to be OK and is with family members.

The search operation

Naya Rivera

will resume at “first light’’ on Thursday (09.07.20).

Earlier this week, the 33-year-old star had shared a post on her social media accounts of her cuddling up to her son.

It was captioned: “Just the two of us.’’

Naya previously praised her “theatrical’’ son and predicted he’d follow in her footsteps one day.

She said: “He’s theatrical in every way. He is definitely a little ham.’’

And when Naya brought Josey to the set of ‘Step Up: High Water’, he was desperate to join her on camera.

She said: “I was shooting and he was watching me in a scene and before we did the next take he goes, ‘I want to go to work with mommy! I want to go to work with you.’ I’m like, ‘You are at work with me!’

He goes, ‘no, in there,’ like in the scene.’’

(Contactmusic)

Metallica donate another $295,000 in COVID relief grants

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ll Within My Hands Foundation, the nonprofit organisation founded by Metallica, will donate another $295,000 in coronavirus relief grants. The band made the announcement on social media this week.

The donation follows from the $350,000 pledged by the foundation in April.

All Within My Hands Foundation, named after the Metallica track, outlined that the second round of grants would be split between five charities: Feeding America, Direct Relief, Crew Nation, MusiCares and the USBG National Charity Foundation.

In May, Metallica urged fans to participate in their Month Of Giving initiative, which saw the band appeal for donations to their nonprofit. The band explained that donations to All Within My Hands Foundation would be passed on to a range of relevant charities.

Metallica also said that donations to the band’s nonprofit helped fund the

second round of grants.

“Thank you to the #MetallicaFamily for your generous contributions,” the band wrote on social media.

“You’ve made this second round of [All Within My Hands Foundation’s] #COVID19 Relief Grants possible.”

Over the past year, Metallica have given to a range of charitable causes.

Cash award worth 1.8L awaits winners at Kashish 2020

Bob Marley’s family to release ‘One Love’ cover for coronavirus charity

T

otal cash award worth Rs 1,80,000 will be given out at Kashish Mumbai International Queer Film Festival, which will be held online from July 22 to 30 this year, owing to the Covid- 19 pandemic.

The LGBTQIA+ film festival has been titled Kashish 2020 Virtual. This year marks the festival’s 11th edition.

A total of 157 films from 42 countries will be screened at the festival.

Out of these, 52 films will be shortlisted for competition.

The films will be competing in nine categories including Best Narrative Feature, Best Screenplay, Best Performance in a Lead Role, Best Documentary Feature and Short, Best Indian and International Narrative Short and Riyad Wadia Award for Best Emerging Indian Filmmaker.

Registrations have already begun for the festival.

(IANS)

In January, the band contributed $750,000 to the Australian bushfire relief effort. During their 2019 European tour, the band donated a total of €1.5 million to several local charities.

Metallica have been working on new music during the coronavirus pandemic. Earlier this month, bassist Rob Trujillo updated fans on the band’s

progress.

“We communicate every week, which is really great, so we have our connection intact. And what we’ve started doing is basically just really concentrating on our home studios and being creative from our homes and navigating through ideas and building on new ideas,” he said.

(NME)

T

he family of Bob Marley have reimagined the music icon’s song ‘One Love’ to raise money for Unicef ’s coronavirus fund.

Originally recorded in 1977 by Bob Marley and The Wailers, the new take on ‘One Love’ sees vocals from Marley’s son Stephen, daughter Cedella and grandson Skip.

It also features a host of children living in vulnerable environments and musicians from conflict zones.

Marley’s Tuff Gong International, the label and recording studio he founded in the 1970s, will team up with global record company Amplified Music to release the record on July 17.

All proceeds from the song will go to Reimagine, Unicef ’s global campaign which aims to prevent the lasting effects of the Covid19 pandemic for children.

“Over 40 years ago, my father wrote One Love about unity, peace and universal love during a time when there was much trouble in the world,” Cedella said.

“Even in a time when

Bob Marley

we aren’t able to get together, his message remains true today, we can get through this global crisis if we come together through one love and one heart.”

All proceeds from the track will help Reimagine to provide soap, masks, gloves, hygiene kits and protective equipment to children and families, as well as supporting recovery efforts and healthcare systems.

TikTok will also host a launch event featuring a challenge centred around the song, while jewellery giants Pandora will match

every US dollar donated by the public, up to one million US dollars.

Unicef executive director Henrietta Fore said: “One Love speaks directly to one key truth about this pandemic: our best hope to defeat Covid-19 and to reimagine a more equal, less discriminatory world for children is through global solidarity and cooperation.

“We are delighted that the Marley family along with Pandora have lent their generous support, creativity and love to help the most vulnerable children.”

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La Liga: Barca win derby against Espanyol

M a d r i d. J u l 9 (Agencies): Barcelona kept its title hopes alive with a 1-0 win in the city derby against Espanyol in the Spanish league on Wednesday, sealing the rival’s relegation for the first time in nearly three decades.

Luis Suárez scored the winning goal early in the second half to move Barcelona within a point of leader Real Madrid and send Espanyol to the second division after 26 straight seasons in the top flight.

Real Madrid can reclaim a four-point lead with three rounds left with a home win against relegation-threatened Alavés on Friday. Madrid, seeking its first league title in three years, has a perfect record since the league resumed following the coronavirus break.

“We knew it would be a difficult match because of Espanyol’s situation,” Suárez said. “We are going to keep trying to win our matches and see if Madrid falters.”

Only a win in the city derby could have kept last-place Espanyol with a chance of staying in the top tier. The club owned

by Chinese businessman Chen Yansheng hasn’t played in the second divi-

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur FRIDAY, JULY 10, 2020

Barcelona’s Luis Suarez in action during their La Liga match against Espanyol.

sion since the 1993-1994 season. It had been among the teams with most consecutive seasons in the top flight, along with Barcelona, Real Madrid and Athletic Bilbao.

“We have to apologize to our fans for what we have made them go through,” Espanyol captain Javi López said.

minutes, had already successfully teamed up with Messi in the team’s 4-1 win at Villarreal in the previous round. It was Suárez’s 195th goal for Barcelona, moving him past Ladislao Kubala to become the club’s third all-time highest scorer, behind César Rodríguez (232) and Messi (630).

Barcelona was in control from the start but Espanyol had some significant chances to open the scoring in the first half, hitting the post once and forcing goalkeeper MarcAndré ter Stegen to make a tough save. Barcelona, a two-time defending champion, next visits Valladolid on Saturday.

Meanwhile, Villarreal kept alive its chances of qualifying for the Champions League with a 3-1 win at Getafe, moving within three points of fourthplace Sevilla.

Santi Cazorla scored penalties in the 66th and 86th minutes for Villarreal, which opened a four-point gap to sixth-place Getafe.

Getafe loudly complained of the referring and players from both teams got into an altercation after the final whistle.

Real Betis secured its stay in the first division with a comfortable 3-0 win over midtable Osasuna, ending a three-match winless streak.

Tokyo 2020 expects to secure all venues for Games

Pedestrians wearing masks walk past the Olympic rings in Tokyo, Japan. (File)

TOKYO, Jul 9 (Agencies): Tokyo Olympics organisers expect to be able to use all the venues as originally planned at next year’s rearranged Games, several Japanese media outlets reported on Thursday.

Securing venues was a top priority for organisers after the Games were pushed back to 2021 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and Kyodo and NHK, citing unnamed sources, said they were now confident they would be tied down for Olympics use again.

However, at his regular weekly news conference, Tokyo 2020 spokesman Masa Takaya said the reports were “optimistic” and that nothing had been announced.

“We have seen a series of media reports concerning the status of securing venues for the Games in 2021,” said Takaya. “Tokyo 2020 is aware of these reports but I need to be very clear ... this is not something on which Tokyo Metropolitan

Government or the Tokyo organising committee has made a formal announcement. The organising committee has not made such an announcement at this stage and during this process, it is very unfortunate to see such reports based on this optimistic view.”

Last month, Tokyo 2020 CEO Toshiro Muto said 80% of all venues needed had been secured, with the Athlete’s Village and Tokyo Big Sight, the planned media centre, among those yet to be fully secured.

Thursday’s reports also said the competition schedule would remain largely unchanged and that all tickets holders would be eligible for refunds, and that organisers would seek approval of these decisions from the IOC’s General Assembly on July 17. Asked to confirm those details, Takaya said nothing had been decided and Tokyo 2020 did not expect to seek approval from the IOC next week.

“This is a difficult moment. Nothing went right for us this season. We are committed to coming back stronger.”

It was the sixth straight loss for Espanyol, and its 11th consecutive league defeat away to Barcelona at the Camp Nou Stadium. It has 24 points from 35 matches — 11

points from safety. Both teams went a man down to a straight red card early in the second half. Barcelona forward Ansu Fati was sent off after a hard foul on Fernando Calero in the 51st, and Espanyol midfielder Pol Lozano was ejected after a tough foul on Gerard Piqué in the 54th.

It didn’t take long for

Barcelona to take advantage of the extra space, and Suárez broke the deadlock from close range in the 56th after an exchange between Antoine Griezmann and Lionel Messi inside the area.

Griezmann, a starter for the second consecutive match after a lengthy period without getting many

Mourinho criticises FA over Dier ban

Have not offered to host IPL: NZ Cricket

My rivals have faced fewer injuries: Nadal

London, Jul 9 (Agencies): Tottenham Hotspur manager Jose Mourinho has criticised the Football Association’s decision to ban Eric Dier for four games over a confrontation with a fan in March.

Video footage of the incident during Tottenham’s defeat by Norwich City in the FA Cup fifth round showed the England international climbing over seats to confront a home supporter before being restrained by security guards and other fans.

The FA banned Dier and fined him 40,000 pounds ($50,460) on Wednesday.

“My feeling is that, in the majority of the cases, football is not protected by the people that is powerful and doesn’t belong to this world,” Mourinho said ahead of Tottenham’s trip to Bournemouth later on Thursday.

“They don’t have the know-how and it’s very, very difficult to lead something when you don’t have a clue about the world that you are leading.”

Dier told the FA he jumped into the crowd to protect his younger brother, who was involved in an altercation with the fan, but the FA did not accept that was the player’s sole intention, saying his actions were “clearly threatening”.

Mourinho added that the fan had

Eric Dier

apologised to Dier.

“I want fans back very, very much,” the Portuguese said. “Even that specific fan, especially because the fan had the opportunity to meet the player, to apologise to the player, to understand that we are very well paid but we are not robots. It was a good opportunity for that fan to turn his profile and become a different fan.”

India’s pro league campaign to restart in 2021

New Delhi, Jul 9 (IANS): The Indian men’s hockey team’s FIH Pro League campaign is scheduled to restart on April 10 and 11, 2021 with a tie against Argentina away from home as the International Hockey Federation (FIH) on Thursday announced a new schedule for the men’s and women’s Pro League.

India will then play Great Britain away from home on May 8 and 9 before travelling to Spain where they play on May 12 and 13.

They then face Germany away on May 18 and 19 and will finally play a home tie on May 29 and 30 against New Zealand.

The original schedule saw India’s Pro league campaign ending on June 14 after their tie in Spain.

Before the suspension of the tournament on March 19, India were scheduled to face Germany in Berlin on April 25 and April 26 before taking on Great Britain in London on May 2 and May 3. They were then schedK Y M C

uled to host New Zealand on May 23 and May 24 before travelling to Tucuman, Argentina, for matches on June 5 and 6.

The first match of the revamped Pro League in both the men’s and women’s division will see Germany hosting Belgium on September 22 and 23.

“The calendar has been established in cooperation and agreement between the 11 participating National Associations (NAs) taking part in the second edition of the FIH Hockey Pro League and the FIH,” said the FIH in its statement.

“In such a challenging period and with a very busy hockey calendar in 2021 due to the rescheduled Tokyo Olympic Games, Continental Championships and domestic league competitions, finalising the schedule was made possible thanks to all parties showing solidarity and a willingness to compromise to complete the 2020 FIH Hockey Pro League season,” said FIH President Narinder Batra.

Wellington, Jul 9 (IANS): New Zealand Cricket has refuted the reports that it has offered to host the 13th IPL which currently stands indefinitely postponed amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

The tournament was due to start in March but has been postponed indefinitely although the BCCI is hopeful of playing it from the end of September-early November. NZC spokesperson Richard Boock said0, “The report is simply speculation. We have not offered to host the IPL nor have we had an approach to do so.”

This statement from Boock came after it was reported that New Zealand, after UAE and Sri Lanka, has offered to host the competition in case the league can’t be held in India because of COVID crisis.

Madrid, Jul 9 (IANS): Tennis superstar Rafael Nadal has revealed a lesser number of injuries would have helped his already illustrious career further, saying that is the only thing he envies about his rivals.

The world number two, who won his fourth US Open and 19th Grand Slam at last year’s event, said in an interview with CBS that the one thing he envied about his rivals was the lesser number of times they got injured.

“Yes. Sometimes I do.

It’s true that my rivals have faced fewer injuries than I have had to face,” he said when asked the question.

Is it because of the high intensity the Spaniard plays with that takes a toll on his body?

“No, or I don’t know.

I was told that for many years, I was told that because of the way I play, I would never have a very

Rafael Nadal

long career. But, hey, I’m still here…,” he replied as quoted by cbsnews.com.

Nadal had said last month that tennis “cannot

resume until the situation is completely safe”, adding that he would not take part in the US Open if the Grand Slam tournament

was being played this week.

World No. 1 Novak Djokovic said recently that he is still not sure of participating in the US Open and that there is a “witch-hunt” against him after the events of his ill-fated Adria Tour.

Djokovic had recently tested negative in his second test for coronavirus after the first test returned positive.

“I can only see criticism lately and much of it is malicious,” Djokovic told Wednesday’s issue of Serbian daily Sportski Zurnal.

“It’s obviously more than just criticism, it’s like an agenda and a witchhunt are on. Someone has to take the fall, a big name,” he said.

The Adria Tour was a series of tournaments across the Baltic countries that had eased social-distancing norms.

Inter eye move for Chelsea duo Emerson and Giroud Milan, Jul 9 (Agencies): Inter are ready to offer £19 million (€22m/$25m) plus addons for Chelsea full-back Emerson Palmieri, with the Italian giants also retaining their long-term interest in Olivier Giroud.

Antonio Conte is targeting a reunion with the pair that he managed in his spell in charge at Stamford Bridge and he believes they would fit into his ambitious project with the Nerazzurri.

Ideally, Emerson sees his long-term future in west London but, having not started a league game since January 22, he is realistic about his chances of convincing Frank Lampard that he should avoid selling him.

Cesar Azpilicueta has been moved to left-back, while Marcos Alonso also remains at the club and thus Emerson’s exposure to the first-team has been limited.

Furthermore, Chelsea are targeting a big-money move for Leicester City star Ben Chilwell, who may end up costing a similar fee to the £80m ($101m) paid

by Manchester United to sign Harry Maguire last season.

Lampard is keen to

Emerson Palmieri

strengthen at left-back, which means that the Italy international is seemingly not in his plans as Inter target a deal.

Conte also remains interested in signing Giroud, who had his contract extended by a year back in April to avoid him leaving

on a free transfer, although talks have yet to restart.

Inter had agreed terms with the France international back in January before Chelsea blocked the move, with the Blues having been ready to sell their 33-year-old striker only to fail to find a suitable re-

Olivier Giroud

placement to allow the deal to go through.

As a result of Inter’s interest in Giroud and Emerson, they are now less keen on making Victor Moses’ loan move permanent despite having an option to buy him for £9m (€10m/$11m).

As first revealed by Goal last week, Chelsea have re-opened contract talks with in-form winger Willian despite strong interest from Arsenal.

This comes after the west Londoners allowed Pedro to leave on a free transfer to Roma despite

extending his contract until the end of the season.

Chelsea will also look to offload Michy Batshuayi, who may not play again this season after dropping down the striker pecking order at Stamford Bridge.

Jorginho, meanwhile, has been almost entirely out of the team since the Premier League restart but the Blues are yet to make a firm decision over his future, with Juventus having shown an interest in signing him.

The 28-year-old midfielder, who has been dropped in favour of Billy Gilmour recently, is unhappy at having to play a bit-part role at the club and is hopeful his situation will change in the final weeks of the season.

Chelsea will have to move players on to avoid an overly bloated squad for next season as they have already secured a £47m ($59m) move for RB Leipzig striker Timo Werner, as well as having signed Ajax star Hakim Ziyech.

As well as Chilwell, Chelsea are targeting the signing of Bayer Leverkusen forward Kai Havertz, while there is also interest in the likes of West Ham midfielder Declan Rice and Brentford winger Said Benrahma.

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Liverpool on track for points record Aus must tour Eng, says Langer

B R I G H TO N, J u l 9 (Agencies): Mohamed Salah scored twice as champions Liverpool moved on to 92 points with a 3-1 win at Brighton and Hove Albion in the Premier League on Wednesday.

The victory kept Liverpool on target to secure a record Premier League points tally, with Juergen Klopp’s side needing nine from their remaining four games to beat the mark set by Manchester City, who amassed 100 points in 2017-18.

Liverpool were 2-0 up within eight minutes after Brighton paid heavily for sloppy work in their attempt to play the ball out from the back.

Naby Keita robbed Davy Propper and slipped the ball to Salah who confidently drove home to open the scoring in the sixth minute.

Two minutes later and Brighton were caught out again by Liverpool’s pressing, this time Salah setting up Jordan Henderson who finished with a perfect drive.

G r a h a m Po t t e r ’s

Liverpool’s Mohamed Salah in action during their Premier League match against Brighton and Hove Albion.

15th-placed team pulled a goal back on the stroke of halftime with Leandro Trossard sweeping home a first-time shot after a pinpoint cross from Tariq Lamptey.

Brighton, who recovered well from their poor

start, should have drawn level on the hour when the ball fell to an unattended Dan Burn at the back post but he failed to test Alisson with a poor connection.

Egyptian Salah wrapped up the win, Liverpool’s 30th in their 34th

game of the season, with a superbly angled near post header from an inswinging Andy Robertson corner.

Klopp had given a first league start to 19-yearold Neco Williams at left back but replaced him at

the break after he picked up a yellow card.

The only negative for Liverpool was the loss of Henderson to a knee injury 10 minutes from the end.

Salah now has 19 goals, three behind Leicester City’s Jamie Vardy in the race for the “Golden Boot”.

Klopp said he was unconcerned about the chance to beat the points record.

“It’s not important for me, I’m not interested in any of this but I want to win football games. For sports people in general it might be important. We are champions and it could be softening but it is not - the boys go with everything,” he said.

“We now have 92 points and last season we had 97! We got five points more than this last season - that’s unbelievable, I have no idea how we did that.”

Liverpool host ninthplace Burnley at Anfield next, followed by Arsenal away, Chelsea at home and Newcastle United at St James’ Park in the final game.

M e l bo u rn e , J u l 9 (Agencies): Justin Langer says Australia’s tour of England in September must go ahead ‘for the health of world cricket’.

The Australians are due to visit England later this summer for a limitedovers series which is still scheduled to go ahead despite the logistical challenges posed by the coronavirus pandemic.

England this week, England began their Test series against the West Indies with a match at Southampton which is being played behind closed doors. Langer also feels Australia must release players to compete in this year’s Indian Premier League, with the Twenty20 World Cup, due to take place in Australia in October, also still on the schedule as it stands.

“I think we have to go to England. There’s lots of challenges, of course, but we have to find solutions to make sure that can happen if possible,” Langer said.

“That’s my view. I think for the health of world cricket. If things out of control happen and we

Justin Langer

can’t end up going, at least we can say we’ve done everything in our power to make it happen.”

After a 117-day hiatus, international cricket returned on Wednesday as England and West Indies played a rain-hit opening day in Southampton in the first of three Tests.

With India having committed to touring for a four-test series in the Australian summer, Langer

said Australia should allow its top players like Steve Smith and Pat Cummins to play in the IPL, even if it means they might miss the start of the domestic season.

“I think we have to.

Talking frankly,” Langer said. “I’ll always look for win-win situations and hopefully we do that when we get some clarity on whats happening with the schedule.”

Asia Cup Clijsters steps up comeback with World Team Tennis FIFA takes full control of VAR postponed due

Zurich, Jul 9 (Agencies): FIFA has taken full operational control of Video Assistant Referees [VARs], world football’s governing body has informed all associations.

Mattias Grafstrom, FIFA’s deputy general secretary for football, told all 211 associations in a letter on June 29.

The Inter national Football Association Board [IFAB], football’s lawmakers, have previously worked closely with FIFA on the development and implementation of VAR in all competitions, including technological matter, training and education.

Grafstrom’s letter states, “We are proud that the introduction of VARs has been a universal success, with the implementation of the VAR system now complete in over 100 competitions globally.

Following the successful launch period where FIFA worked in conjunction with The IFAB, we would like to inform you that all

to COVID-19

VAR-related activities will now transfer to FIFA.” All VAR-related questions, comments or suggestions have been directed to FIFA from July 1.

FIFA will continue to work with IFAB on matters involving VAR protocol, the Laws of the Game or approval requirements.

IFAB secretary Lukas Brud said that it was always the intention for VAR’s operational plans to be taken over by FIFA. Last December Arsene Wenger, FIFA’s chief of global football development, called on Premier League referees to use pitchside monitors before making decisions using VAR. “That, for me, is the most important worry,”

said Wenger, after a meeting of the International Football Association Board (IFAB) in Belfast.

“The referee needs to have a monitor to check if he was right or wrong.

He will gain in credibility, especially, knowing that the people at VAR have yet the experience to make these kinds of decisions. He has a review to see if he was right or wrong. That is important for his confidence as well.”

He added, “I think it’s working much better than we think. You want VAR to intervene at the right moment. They are not the ones who should make the decisions but the ones who help the referees make the right decisions.”

Dubai, Jul 9 (Agencies): This year’s Asia Cup tournament, originally scheduled for September, has been postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the Asian Cricket Council (ACC) said on Thursday.

The ACC said in a statement it is hoping to stage the Twenty20 competition, which will feature six countries including India, Pakistan and Sri Lanka, in June next year.

“From the onset the ACC was keen on organising the tournament as per the original schedule.

However, travel restrictions, countr y-specific quarantine requirements... have posed substantial challenges to the holding of the Asia Cup,” the ACC said.

“Accordingly, the Board, after careful consideration of all the factors, has determined that the Asia Cup 2020 be postponed.”

Kim Clijsters

N e w Yor k , J u l 9 (IANS): Four-time Grand Slam singles champion Kim Clijsters is all-set to ramp up her professional comeback when she participates in the World Team Tennis (WTT) tournament starting Sunday.

Clijsters, who returned to professional tennis in February this year after

a gap of eight years, will team up with Mardy Fish, Jack Sock, Sabine Lisicki, Neal Skupski and Kveta Peschke for the New York Empire.

WTT had earlier announced that every player will play the entire threeweek regular season, which is currently scheduled to be played between July 12

to 30. The semifinals will be played on August 1, followed by the final on August 2.

“I have girlfriends now who at times struggle to find ‘me time’ and find their passion and find the time to live for their passion and still balance being a mum,” Clijsters was quoted as saying by ‘Ten-

nishead’ in April.

“I know in four years I’m not going to be able to do this challenge. I know that if I want to be able to compete with these girls then I’m going to have to be the fittest that I’ve ever been and to be able to move like I did in the past.

I think that’s going to be a lot tougher now than it was nine years or so ago,” she added.

This is Clijsters’ third comeback to the sport after she first bid adieu to tennis in 2007 owing to a string of injuries. She returned to the sport after a gap of two years wherein she also gave birth to her daughter.

In 2012, she announced her retirement for the second time, owing to injuries again, after winning US Open 2010 and Australian Open 2011 titles. Clijsters then returned to the court in February 2020 at an WTA event in Dubai, where she lost to Garbine Muguruza in straight sets in opening round.

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