June 29, 2020

Nagaland Post

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Vol XXX No. 203

DIMAPUR, MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020 Pages 12 ` 5.00

Global coronavirus cases hit 10 million

Follow us on @Nagaland_Post

international, Page 9

Beating Covid, lifting economy our two main goals, says Modi NEW DELHI, JUN 28 (PTI): Defeating the coronavirus disease and strengthening the economy should be the two focal points as India gradually lifts restrictions on movement and activities, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Sunday, appealing to people to remain vigilant, use masks and follow social distancing rules to contain the spread of Covid19. He also stressed that India has always transformed adversities into stepping stones to success and this year won’t be different.

“During this unlock period, one will have to focus on two points-- defeating coronavirus and strengthening the economy,” Modi said in his monthly “Mann ki Baat” radio address.

He said as people move out during the unlock period, they have to remain more vigilant compared to the lockdown period.

“Always remember, if you do not wear a mask, do not observe the two-yard social distancing norms or do not take other precautions, you are putting others at risk

Railways cancel regular trains DIMAPUR, JUN 28 (NPN): Following the rise in the number of COVID19 cases, Indian Railways has decided to cancel all regular passenger train services until further notice.

In this regard, NFR Chief Public Relations Officer, Subhanan Chanda said that all regular passenger carrying trains coming towards N.F. Railway and originating from N.F. Railway will also remain cancelled. He also informed that all tickets booked for the period up to August 12 will be cancelled and a full refund would be given to passengers.

For PRS counter generated tickets, CPRO said refund across counters can be taken up to six months from the date of journey and for e-tickets, the refund will be made automatically.

However, CPRO informed that Shramik Special trains-- Rajdhani Special trains and other passenger special trains for transportation of stranded and other people will continue.

Moreover, in order to ensure uninterrupted supplies of the essential commodities across the country, movement of freight, parcel and POL carrying trains will also continue, he added.

This is it!

“It’s him again. He’s been trying to make me respond to every issue he raises.”

K Y M C

Narendra Modi (PTI)

besides yourselves, especially the elderly and children at home,” he cautioned.

Referring to the recent decisions taken by his government, Modi said during this unlock phase, “many other things are getting unlocked”, which had shackled the country for decades.

He referred to reforms in the mining, space, agriculture and other sectors, saying these will not only pace up the movement towards self-reliant India, but also boost the advancement of technology in India.

On the various challenges thrown up during the year 2020, Modi said people often discuss as to when the year will end. Referring to

coronavirus, Modi said as if one calamity wasn’t enough, the country has had to face an unending slew of challenges.

“A few days ago, our east coast had to face the fury of cyclone Amphan; on the West coast it was cyclone Nisarg. In many states, farmers had to bear the brunt of swarming locust ... many parts of the country have been witnessing intermittent earthquakes,” he said.

After 68 days of lockdown since March 25, India entered the “Unlock 1” phase in June, allowing the resumption of shopping malls, dine-in restaurants and religious places. Before that, the government allowed the gradual opening of shops, and partial passenger railway services and domestic air travel.

A call is expected on the reopening of educational institutes in July in the second phase. And in the third phase, Centre will decide on resuming international air travel, cinema halls, gyms, swimming pools, bars, and auditoriums, among others.

In an apparent reference to China’s actions in east Ladakh, he said, “amidst all these, the country has had to deal with the designs of some of our neighbours.” Rare are the occasions when one gets to hear of adversities of this kind, that too simultaneously, he said. Modi was of the view that despite adversities, people should not consider 2020 as a bad year.

“Historically, India has always emerged brighter and stronger, ensuring victory over all kinds of disasters and challenges. For centuries, myriad tyrants invaded India pushing her to the edge of such an abyss of adversities that people once used to feel that the very idea, the fabric of Bharat would be wiped out: her culture would be annihilated. But India overcame the scourge, and more gloriously so,” he said.

India has always transformed adversities into stepping stones to success, he said adding that this year will prove to be a “record setter, path breaker on new fronts for the country”.

Chelsea through to FA Cup semi-finals

nagalandpostofficial nagalandpostofficial

COVID-19 cases in India cross 5.28L NEW DELHI, JUN 28 (AGENCIES): India recorded its biggest surge in the number of coronavirus cases in 24 hours for the second consecutive day with 19,906 new patients, taking the total to 5,28,859 infections, the Union Health Ministry said Sunday morning. The country also witnessed 410 COVID-19-related deaths during the period, taking the total number of casualties due to the virus to 16,095.

Fur ther, there are 2,03,051 active cases and all are under medical supervision. While there are 3,09,713 cured/discharged/ migrated patients. The death toll has risen up to 16,095 in the country with 410 persons succumbing to the lethal infection in the last 24 hours.

India is the fourth worst-hit country in the world by the pandemic after the United States, Brazil and Russia. Delhi, the worstaffected city in the country, has over 80,000 infections now. The total number of deaths in the national capital has mounted to 2,558 as the city-state grapples with the shortage of hospital beds.

sports, Page 12

Spike in COVID-19 cases as India attempts ‘Unlock 2.0’ Spl. Correspondent

NEW DELHI, JUN 28 (NPN): As North East experiences a surge in COVID19 cases (10,477 as on June 28) , the premier commercial and transit route of the region-Guwahati city- is on lockdown for two weeks, from June 28 (7 p.m.) to July 12, 2020 (6 p.m.) as there are indications that the spike in COVID cases could be due to community transmission.

However, despite Assam health minister Himanta Biswa Sarma having hinted at such a possibility, yet there has been a disinclination by the Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) to admit it.

“India is definitely not in community transmission.

But we have to continue with effective surveillance & containment strategies,” Prof Balram Bhargava, director general of ICMR had said.

The situation even in Delhi has been a cause of concern for both the state and central governments with a total of 80,188 COVID-19 cases as on June

28, 2020 and the number still rising.

As COVID-19 cases surge across India and vaccines and as other treatment strategies are being devised, the current scenario has thrown many in limbo. For one, there is no immediate cure or prevention plan for coronavirus while on the other, asymptomatic cases are on the rise, and most importantly, affecting everyone differently.

As COVID-19 cases are showing record spikes with each passing day, states are faced with the dilemma of either opening up activities further with the advent of second phase of Unlock beginning July 1 or of resorting to varying degrees of lockdown in an attempt to arrest the tide of cases.

Some states like West Bengal and Jharkhand have decided to extend the lockdown till July 31, while others like Tamil Nadu have decided to selectively lockdown a few worst-affected districts.

With the Centre keen on Unlock-1 of the national lockdown that ends on June 30, 2020 and likely to advise states on Unlock-2, the ris-

ing numbers has led many virologists including the Indian Council of Medical Research to conclude that by September the total COVID-19 cases in India could be around 20 lakh.

Noted scientist Ramanan Laxminarayan, director of the Washingtonbased Center for Disease Dynamics, Economics & Policy has said that India probably already has tens of millions of COVID-19 infected people.

In a recent interview to a news portal, Laximarayan said the nationwide part of the ICMR’s recent serological survey which suggests that 0.73% of the population has been exposed to the virus corroborated this.

Laxminarayan said majority of these will be asymptomatic people although a few might have mild infections which they have not bothered about.

He also said the virus was already on community transmission in India, which means that people are getting infected from within the community without knowing from whom or (Cont’d on p-8) how.

State COVID tally crosses 400-mark Ravi’s assessment on law Mon DC, SP & barber test negative for COVID COVID-19 STATUS: JUNE 28, 2020 Active Recovcases ered Dimapur 55 128 Kiphire 0 0 Kohima 69 25 Longleng 0 0 Mokokchung 0 0 Mon 38 0 Peren 82 6 Phek 1 0 Tuensang 3 5 Wokha 0 0 Zunheboto 3 0 Total 251 164 District

Total Cases 183 0 94 0 0 38 88 1 8 0 3 415

DIMAPUR, JUN 28 (NPN): Nagaland COVID-19 positive cases crossed the 400-mark on Sunday after 28 fresh cases were reported from various quarantine centres across the state.

With this, the state’s totally tally as on June 28 stood at 415-- 251 active cases and 164 recovered.

According to state Health and Family Welfare minister, S. Pangnyu Phom the 28 fresh positives cases were reported from 624 samples that were sent for testing. He said that 20 patients were from Dimapur quarantine

centre (QC), 3 from Kohima QC, 2 from Peren QC and 3 from Mon QC. All the positive persons have been shifted to the designated COVID-19 Hospitals for treatment.

As per the severity of symptoms, all the 251 active cases were asymptomatic, principal secretary Home Abhijit Sinha said in his daily briefing.

As per the distribution of the 415 cases by age, Sinha said that 4 cases were between 0-17 years, 396 cases between 18-44 years, 13 cases between 45-64 years and 2 cases between 6574 years.

Out of 11,449 samples that were sent for testing till June 28, Sinha said 7,794 samples were received at the BSL-3 lab at Naga Hospital Authority Kohima (NHAK), where 7,315 samples were tested. Out this, he said 341 tested positive.

Further, 4,548 samples had been tested by TrueNat, out of which 108 tested positive and sent for confirmation by RTPCR, he added.

and order correct: NPCC

DIMAPUR, JUN 28 (NPN): Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee (NPCC) has credited governor RN Ravi for correctly assessing the law and order situation of the State.

Holding governments led by regional parties responsible for “systemizing” illegal taxation, Nagaland Pradesh Congress Committee president K Therie observed that ever since these parties adopted the policy to merely facilitate and support the Naga peace talks, they had gone beyond the prescription of the constitution.

He accused these parties of having abandoned the constitution and laws of the land, even as parallel governments and taxations by way of extortion and forced collections were accepted.

Therie said many were kidnapped while others assassinated, some in the open, even as cases were registered against “unknown miscreants”.

Certain factions had even confiscated land, collected fines and forcefully occupied land.

Red handed extortionists and murderers were arrested with unauthorised weapons but released without trial.

NPCC alleged that when public sought government assistance, the latter directed the former, especially entrepreneurs, to compromise (Cont’d on p-8) with the extortionists.

Policemen sealing an area in Mon as precautionary measures. (NP)

Correspondent

KOHIMA, JUN 28 (NPN): In a huge relief to the administration, Mon deputy commissioner (DC), superintendent of police (SP) and the barber who gave haircut to both the senior district officials tested negative for COVID-19. The rest results were received on Sunday afternoon.

Samples of Mon chief

‘COVID was present in Barcelona waste waters in March 2019’ BARCELONA, JUN 28 (IANS): In what could alter the entire debate on the origin of novel coronavirus that has infected over 10 million people worldwide, researchers from University of Barcelona have claimed that SARS-CoV-2 virus which causes Covid-19 disease was detected in samples of waste water in the Spanish city way back in March last year.

C ov i d - 1 9 wa s a n nounced in Wuhan, China in early December in 2019 and reached every place worldwide later, including Europe.

The first case in Europe was announced in France in late January 2020 but this chronology on the evolution of the disease can change according to a study led by the University of Barcelona, in collaboration with Aigues de Barcelona.

“All samples were negatives

regarding the SARS-CoV-2 genome presence except for March 12, 2019, in which the levels of SARS-CoV-2 were low but were positive, using two different targets”, the researchers wrote. The results which have been published in the research archive medRxiv and are yet to be peer-reviewed, suggest the infection was present before knowing about any case of Covid-19 in any part of the world.

Barcelona receives many visitors for both tourist and professional reasons and it is possible for a similar situation to have taken place in other parts of the

world.

“Since most of the Covid-19 cases show a similar symptomatology to the flu, those cases could have been disguised as an undiagnosed flu,” the authors said. As part of the sentinel surveillance project, the researchers analyzed weekly obtained samples in two big water treatment plants in Barcelona.

“The levels of the SARS-CoV-2 genome coincided with the evolution of Covid-19 cases in the population”, said Albert Bosch, professor and coordinator of the study.

Later, researchers analyzed frozen samples from previous months to the systematic sampling, which revealed the growing apparition of SARS-CoV-2 genome between early January and early March in 2020, bringing the chronology of the new coronavirus arrival

in Spain even earlier.

The presence of the Covid-19 virus was detected in Spain on January 15, 41 days before the announcement of the first reported case of Covid-19 in the country on February 25.

According to the researchers, the new results show the validity of the surveillance of waste waters to anticipate cases, especially considering the significant contribution of the asymptomatic and presymptomatic carriers in the spreading of the virus.

“Those infected with COVID-19 could have been diagnosed with flu in primary care by mistake, contributing to the community transmission before the public health took measures”, said Bosch, also the president of the Spanish Society of Virology. “In the specific case of Barcelona, having detected

the SARS-CoV-2 spread a month before could have improved the response to the pandemic,” he noted.

Although Covid-19 is a respiratory disease, researchers proved there are large quantities of the coronavirus genome in the excrements that reach waste waters.

This situation made the waste water-based epidemiology a potential tool for an early detection of the circulation of the virus among the population, especially considering the important presence of asymptomatic people who transmit the virus, said the study.

Independent experts, however, have questioned the Spanish study which is yet to be peer-reviewed, saying “other lines of evidence strongly suggest the virus emerged in China last year,” reports The New York Times.

medical officer (CMO) and additional SP too will be tested in a day or two.

Exercising abundant precaution, the DC, SP and CMO went into selfisolation after the three had haircuts from the same barber who came in contact with a policeman, who later tested positive.

The additional SP too went into self-isolation after one of his house guards

tested positive.

Speaking to Nagaland Post, DC Thaveseelan K said investigation was on to find out how the policeman got infected, adding that the focus at the moment was on contact tracing and containment. According to the DC, almost 1,000 tests had been done, including on TrueNat machine, out of which 38 had come positive, including nine police personnel.

Thaveseelan said more samples of returnees would be tested in the next seven days, and only after they test negative, they would be allowed to go home.

Further, he informed this correspondent that the tests would be conducted for the entire residents in containment zones, family members of the police personnel, shopkeepers where the policemen who tested positive came in contact with, NST bus drivers and petrol pump employees.

WC, NNPGs condemn June 23 police action DIMAPUR, JUN 28 (NPN): Working Committee of Naga National Political Groups (WC, NNPGs) has condemned the killing of an alleged extortionist by the anti-extortion squad of the police at Kohima on June 23.

In a statement, WC media cell said that irrespective of the fact whether he belonged to any Naga political group or not, gunning down an unarmed man was cowardice.

Pointing out that the policemen as trained personnel were expected to display tactical acumen, awareness and arrest or subdue a suspect, WC alleged that these “trigger-happy” cops, “most of whom were backdoor appointees with fake high school certificates, were not fit to be assigned duties on the street.”

Warning that harassing and terrorising the public would be counterproductive, WC alleged that these policemen endangered the lives of citizens more than anyone else. It also claimed that there were eyewitnesses to the incident, adding that shooting a man in the head and later justifying it by saying the gun went off accidentally in a scuffle was frivolous. This heinous crime was a blot on the police department which was not acceptable at all, WC stated.

Stating that the murder of the alleged extortionist would not absolve the police from the fact that they were the real extortionists, WC termed as most unfortunate that Anti Extortion Squad was on the prowl with shooting orders.

(Cont’d on p-8) K Y M C

state

2

First consultative meet of ZNNW & ZCOs

Members from ZNNW and Zeliangrong civil organizations at the consultative meeting.

DIMAPUR: Zeliangrong Naga National Workers (ZNNW) and Zeliangrong Civil Organizations (ZCOs) held its first consultative meeting at Punglwa village on June 27

A press release from ZNNW stated that, during the meeting the house discussed various issues pertaining to Zeliangrong people especially its history, land and reaffirmation

of support towards Naga political solution.

The members reaffirmed to have unity with one voice among the Zeliangrong brothers and sisters living in different

parts of the state. House also discussed the issue of some Kukis residing in Athibung sub-division under Peren district. After thorough deliberation on the separate Kuki region

of NNC-PB, the house resolved “to disagree the existence of any separate body other than the tag of Zeliangrong region NNCParent Body 2nd Bn. D. Company Athibung area.�

Further, house resolved to support the present delimitation move by the delimitation commission of India for equal representatives in the state assembly.

The meeting was attended by ZUF chairman, Raitu Chawang, member working committee NNPGS Liangkebo, host ZLR national workers from NNC-Parent body, NNPGS, ZUF, GPRN/ NSCN along with CSOs comprising of Chairmen Union Peren District, GBs Union Peren District, Zeliangrong Baudi Nagaland, Zeliangrong Students’ Union Nagaland, Zeliangrong Mipui Organization Nagaland, Zeme Council, Liangmai Council respectively.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

Activities conducted on tobacco awareness

Police personnel with seized tobacco products from various places for destruction in Kohima.

DIMAPUR: State Tobacco Control Cell (STCC), Nagaland has been conducting activities such as focused group discussions (FGDs) with tobacco users, distribution of IEC materials in quarantine centers,

government offices, markets and advocacy for tobacco free village in all the districts during the week.

A press release from STCC stated that, Dr C Tetseo, state nodal officer, NTCP stressed on the need

of district administration and village councils to strengthen the ban on spitting and sale of chewable tobacco products in view of the increasing number of positive cases in the state.

Wreath laying ceremony for late Capt Kenguruse

Alichen Longkhum Students’ Union organised a one-day free community saloon at community hall Alichen, where they volunteered to give haircut to those needed on June 27. A total of 47 individuals had their hair cut, with proper social distancing measures. (ALSU)

5 armed cadres arrested in Dimapur DIMAPUR: As part of the ongoing crackdown

by Assam Rifles on insurgent groups operating in Nagaland, five active and armed cadres of “NSCN (K2)� were apprehended near Thahekhu in Dimapur on June 25.

According to PRO (Defence), based on specific inputs regarding presence of a UG cadre, the troops of Assam Rifles along with Nagaland Police launched an operation and apprehended five active and armed cadres from the area.

The apprehended cadres belonging to the proscribed group have been identified as ‘SS Col’ Weangna Konyak, ‘SS 2nd Lt’ Nikato

Aye, ‘SS Sgt Maj’ Akahi Konyak, ‘SS Sgt’ Wangtos Konyak and ‘SS Khapur’ Vikaho Sumi. The team also recovered one M22 rifle with mag, one carbine with mag, two point 303 rifles with mag, one point 22 mm air gun, four point 22mm pistol, one 7. 65 mm pistol, one point 22 mm revolver, besides other warlike stores and incriminating documents. The apprehended individuals along with recovered items have been handed over to Sub Urban Police Station for further investigations.

In another operation, Assam Rifles apprehended two active cadres of ZUF (K) near Burma Camp

in Dimapur on June 25.

Troops launched an operation and apprehended the cadres belonging to the proscribed group from the area. The apprehended cadre have been identified as ‘SS Captain’ Haisuibe Pame, age 29 years, r/o Nchureloa village in Dima Hasao district of Assam and ‘Khapur’ Mariamka Thangabo Kumar, age 49 years, r/o Phongla village in Kangpokpi district of Manipur. The team also recovered rubber stamp and extortion slips. Apprehended individuals along with recovered items have been handed over to East Police Station for further investigations.

DIMAPUR: A wreath laying ceremony commemorating the 21st death anniversary of Capt Neikezhakuo Kenguruse, MVC (posthumous) HQ IGAR (North) was organised at the Capt Neikezhakuo Kenguruse, MVC (posthumous) War Memorial, Nerhema village, Kohima on June 28.

According to PRO HQ IGAR (N), his father Neiselie Kenguruse, family members, officers and troops of Assam Rifles were present on the occasion.

Capt Neikezhakuo Kenguruse who was awarded with MahaVir Chakra (posthumously), hailed from Nerhema village in Kohima. He was born on July 15, 1974, studied at St Xavier School, Jalukie and graduated from Kohima Science College. Earlier, he served as a teacher at Govt High School, Kohima from 1994 till 1997 and was later commissioned into the Indian Army on December 12, 1998. He attained martyrdom during the Kargil War on June 28, 1999 while destroying enemy bunkers and killing four enemy soldiers.

Power Grid Corporation of India Limited (PGCIL) as part of its corporate social responsibility provided 6 air conditioners to District Hospital Diampur on June 27 attended by Dr. Kheshito Zhimo, medical superintendent of DHD and Ponen, sr. general manager of Power Grid, Dimapur and other staff members. (Power Grid Dimapur substation)

NSCN (I-M) condolence DIMAPUR: NSCN (I-M) has expressed grief at the untimely demise of ‘Lieutenant’ (posthumous) Kinwibou PameiNaga Army No. 41101/06 of the general headquarters (GHq), Naga Army from Longpram village under Makui-

longdi region on June 28 while on duty.

NSCN (I-M) in a condolence message through its MIP stated that, late Kinwibou had joined Naga national service on October 21, 2006 and had served the Naga nation

Autobiography and dictionary released in Dimapur, Kohima

NIT Nagaland organises FDPs during lockdown

Wife of late Gen Mowu (Right) Tiala with publisher Author of the book along with pastor of KABA and publisher during the of HPH at Dimapur during the book release. book release.

DIMAPUR: A book “Undying Spirit of Freedom� of late Rtd. Gen Mowu was released by his wife Tiala Momu at her residence in Dimapur on June 27.

A press release from Heritage Publishing House (HPH) administrator, Petekhrienuo Keditsu stated that, Dr. Walunir who had reviewed the book said that, the book narrates the story of a selfless national fighter, who, with his comrades, with steadfast moral K Y M C

integrity and unwavering conviction to the cause of Naga nationalism, gave all he had and could for all those who believe in freedom.

Dr. Walunir also added that the book recounts the joy and satisfaction emanating from horror and pain of serving the people in dire circumstances amidst friends and foes, pain and persistence, torture and tolerance, despair and providence in the face of powerful forces-

wilderness and enemy.�

In Gen. Mowu’s words, “only peace loving people struggle for freedom and liberation... because peace does not mean living under one foreign government and tyrannical authority.

Peace does not mean to surrender our rights of selfdetermination and freedom to surrender our country to outsider.� The book was published by Heritage Publishing House, Dimapur.

Kohima: A dictionary of Ao idioms titled

“1001 Olong Ratetâ€? written by S. Wati OzĂźkĂźm was formally released at Kohima by Sentisashi Aier, pastor, Kohima Ao Baptist Church in the presence of the proprietor of Woods Publishers, RepalemzĂźng Longkumer on June 27.

A press release from the organisers stated that, the book contains 1001 idioms in Ao Naga dialect in alphabetical order.

The meaning and interpretation of each idiom is provided for the reader to

understand its contextual usage. The book is believed to be the most comprehensive dictionary of Ao idioms ever published till date and writer S. Wati OzĂźkĂźm believes that the book would be a “treasure troveâ€? for readers as well as all those who are interested in studying the Ao dialect.

The 270 pages book will be available at all leading book stores in Kohima, Dimapur, Mokokchug and Changtongya as well as online at www.amazon.in.

DIMAPUR: NIT Nagaland has informed that it organised Faculty Development Programme (FDP) on different thrust areas during the pandemic lockdown.

A press release by NIT Nagaland informed that four FDP, each with five days duration consisting of fourteen sessions, was joined by 720 faculty, staff and research scholars from all over the country.

The release said all the FDPs were conducted online and the FDP on blockchain and its application was centrally inaugurated by chairman, AICTE, Prof. Anil D. Sahasrabudhe on June 22.

The other three FDPs were inaugurated by director, National Institute of Technology Nagaland, Prof. S. Venugopal.

The release said the FDP was conducted under the umbrella of AICTE Training and Learning (ATAL) Academy, New Delhi.

The first FDP in data analytics present & future on May 11, 2020; second FDP on Internet of Things (IoT), started on May 18 and third on Cyber Security & Ethical Hacking commenced on June 1.

with unwavering patriotism until his demise.

While the void created would be deeply felt and difficult to fill in, the NSCN (I-M) stated that his name shall be recorded in the pages of the Naga history and his sacrifices for

the Naga nation shall ever be cherished by all.

GPRN conveyed deep condolences to the bereaved family members and friends and pray the Almighty God grant his soul eternal peace and rest.

acknowledgement

Risendong Longkumer (Son of Lt. Dr. L. Longkumer)

A golden heart stopped beating, Hard working hands at rest; You asked for so little, But gave so very much in return.

You left us with a trail of good examples to follow, The way you lived your life has only made us realise; How imperfectly perfect you were, You taught us to value Life, value Time and value Moments.

You have left a void no one can fill, We mourn the loss of a good soul; You will always be remembered, Your sweet memories engraved in our hearts forever.

To all the relatives, friends, neighbours, well-wishers and all who were acquainted with him in small and big ways, we convey our deep gratitude and appreciation to one and all for the kindness and love shown to Late Risendong Longkumer and his family during his sudden demise and till he was laid to rest.

We thank you for your prayers, your time, help and resources. We are indeed blessed and touched.

May God bless you all abundantly.

Beloved brothers, sisters, nieces, nephews and in-laws DP-2956

K Y M C

nagalandpost.com Poll Q.: S h o u l d s c h o o l s / colleges reopen by July while coronavirus continues to spread?

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

A B C

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A

B

C

46% 54% 0%

Next poll

Q: Sh o u l d t h e g ov t o f

Nagaland make it mandatory on all to take tests for COVID 19?  Yes.  No.

 Can’t Say.

WEATHER FORECAST june 29

(Temperature in ºC)

Max Min

Agartala A thunderstorm in spots

32 26

Cloudy, a t-storm in the p.m.

29 21

Guwahati Mostly cloudy with a t-storm

31 25

Aizawl Imphal

A p.m. shower in the places

30 22

Itanagar Some rain and a thunderstorm 27 23 Shillong

Couple of thunderstorms

Kohima

Rather cloudy, heavy t-storms 24 18

Dimapur A thunderstorm in spots Mkg

A p.m. t-storm in spots

24 18 31 24 26 20

Tuensang Mostly cloudy with a t-storm

20 16

A t-storm around in the p.m.

25 21

Zunheboto Mostly cloudy with a t-storm

24 18

Wokha

Orientation-cum-training for SHG

––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Yes. No. Can’t Say.

Guwahati landslide kills one GUWAHATI, JUN 28 (PTI): A woman student was killed in a landslide near the Raj Bhawan here, prompting the administration to ask people living in vulnerable areas to move to safer places,” officials said.

The administration also closed down a hospital temporarily near the Raj Bhawan, they added The Governor’s Residence located in Kharghuli area of the city, however, is safe, they added.

Another incident of landslide took place at Gita Nagar locality, but no casualty was reported from there. Union Home Minister Amit Shah called up Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and assured him of all help to the state.

Officials said the college student, who was also an accomplished dancer, was just outside her home when a huge chunk of landmass from the hill above came down and buried her under it, killing her instantly.

3

State/northeast

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

SHG members along with SDAO and the agricultural inputs provided by the department.

DIMAPUR: Department of Agriculture, Niuland conducted an orientation cum one day training programme for the newly created Self Help Group viz., Shitsa SHG under the subscheme Women in Agriculture, RKVY at Ghotovi village under Niuland block on June 26.

A press release from SDAO office stated that, the newly formed SHG members were briefed by SDAO L. Kivika Chophi on the importance of empowering themselves by coming together to harness socioeconomic benefits especially for farm women whose contribution was very little

recognized. He explained about various scopes in the agricultural sector which the SHG can take up to generate income and further encouraged them to make use of all the benefits that will be provided under the scheme to improve their livelihood.

He also stressed about the crucial role of improving

the savings and credit and explained on how to maintain a quality balance sheet and other book keeping aspects.

During the technical session, agriculture officer Ditolyn Sumi trained the group on how to follow improved package of practices on soybean for higher production. She encouraged the farmers to fill the huge gap between production and consumption by attaining self sufficiency. She also demonstrated on how to go for seed treatment to avoid various seed borne diseases and maintain a healthy crop stand in the field.

Department supplied the SHG with seed money, soybean HYV seeds, falcon tool sets, biofertilizers, knapsack sprayer and watering can as input support.

Fifteen members of the group attended the meeting.

WSYF concerned over deplorable road condition

WSYF members with village authorities from three areas at Vihokhu village.

DIMAPUR: Western Sumi Youth Front (WSYF) has expressed concern over deplorable condition of Niuland road and asked the concerned department and contractor to speed up the ongoing works.

In a press statement, WSYF media cell stated

northeast

Idu Mishmi people object construction of Etalin project I TA NAG A R , J U N 2 8 (AGENCIES): Idu Mishmi people have expressed dissent over the construction of Etalin Hydroelectric project.

In a letter to the Tribal Affairs Minister Arjun Munda, the group stated that that the Wildlife Conservation Plan prepared by Wildlife Institute of India (WII) for the Etalin Project is incorrect and scientifically biased.

Quashing the report, the group said “It cannot be used to inform decision-making on this project as a recent peer review by 29 Indian scientists found that it contained shocking inaccuracies, falsehoods and contradictory claims, in addition to the fact that it conveniently skipped the mandated ‘multi seasonal study’ instead conducting a short 4-month survey on ‘mutually agreeable terms’ with the Project Developer (Jindal Power Ltd.).”

The groups called assessment unprincipled alleging that it has essentially given a green signal to the project by falsely stating that there is no evidence of tigers in the region. It pointed out that the Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) accepted the report by the WII which obliterated the tigers of Dibang Valley but instead included African bats, not found in India.

“Such blatant falsehoods by a supposedly ‘scientific’

Etalin Hydroelectric project

institute are shameful, ” the group stated.

The Forest Advisory Committee (FAC) of the Environment Ministry on April 23 accepted the WII Etalin study ‘in toto’ despite the reported inaccuracies and falsehoods, the group alleged.

Also rejecting the assurance for compensatory afforestation, the group said that no amount of compensation can replace the essential forest ecosystems that will be lost due to the mega dam. The disruption of the complex ecological relationships within a natural ecosystem can cause zoonotic diseases like the global tragedy brought on

by COVID-19. This project would not only risk future disease outbreaks, it will

surely further accelerate climate change, it added.

Stating that the region exhibits high seismicity and lies within the seismic zone V as per IS Code (IS 1893 (Part 1): 2002), the letter also asked whether if the Etalin HPP and the many other projects proposed in the Dibang Basin would be able to withstand seismic events of magnitude greater than 8.6.

The group also expressed fear of losing their identity due to the influx of labourers that will be needed to construct the dam. “Such huge numbers of workers will no doubt outweigh the population of the IduMishmi and neighbouring communities. The loss of market control will marginalise local people in their

own lands. And majoritarianism undoubtedly configures the politics of any region. The threat therefore is not just social, economic, political, and cultural, it is existential,” the letter read.

We understand the nuances of developmental projects but we strongly resist the imposition of ‘development’ that threatens our very existence, takes away our rightful ownership of our own lands, risks culture and biodiversity, and exposes our future generations to a vulnerable, impoverished and uncertain future, the letter further said.

that a joint meeting was held on June 27 at Vihokhu village with three areas, namely Niuland, Kuhuboto and Ato in this regard.

The youth front said the present road condition is not pliable for light vehicles owing to which “untold problems” are be-

ing faced by the public of the three areas in particular and Nagas in general.

WSYF has also assured to cooperate for smooth execution of the road works and urged the concerned department to ensure pliable road at least for the first phase.

IJU national executive council meeting held online

ITANAGAR, JUN 28 (Agencies): The Indian Journalist Union (IJU) held its national executive council (NEC) meeting online, participated by respective state journalists’ unions on June 26. Thirteen states took part in the virtual NEC meeting.

Chairing the virtual NEC meeting, IJU president Geetartha Pathak expressed concern over the repressive approach being adopted by the Uttar Pradesh government towards journalists who were writing critical articles against the government. In this aspect, Pathak sought a report from the Uttar Pradesh state unit on the atrocities against journalists.

Asserting that the IJU cannot function or even exist without the active involvement of respective state unions, the IJU president suggested that the respective state units raise its voice against the oppressor so that the issue can be pursued by the national team at the national level.

IJU secretary general Sabina Inderjit expressed displeasure over UP state union for not taking up the issue even after Yogi Adityanath government targeting the journalists reporting against his government. She said that IJU can function effectively only if the federal units are functioning effectively, urging

UP unit to be proactive on the ground. The journalist body also discussed the widespread laying off journalists across the country by media houses, and resolved to write to the Prime Minister’s office for announcing financial packages for the media houses in the country, genuinely affected by the pandemic.

Participating in the miscellaneous discussion, IJU NEC member from Arunachal Pradesh Taya Bagang proposed for stateto-state exposure tour when pandemic situation gets normalised to give a platform to young journalists to learn about functioning of union.

14-day lockdown in Guwahati begins prices of essentials shoot up

People buy essentials at a market after the state government declared complete lockdown from June 28 to curb the spread of COVID-19, in Guwahati. (PTI) Guwahati, Jun 28 (PTI): A 14-day lockdown in Guwahati came into force on Sunday evening in order to fight the rising number of coronavirus cases in the city, which the opposition Congress termed the failure of the Assam health minister.

Kamrup Metropolitan district, under which Guwahati falls, was completely locked down from 7 pm on Sunday till 6 pm on July 12 with even shops of grocery, meat and all other items downing the shutters.

K Y M C

Only pharmacies have been allowed to function.

This time, authorities have decided not to issue any vehicle pass even for essential services as there were many instances of its misuse during the nationwidelockdown that came into effect on March 25.

Former chief minister Tarun Gogoi criticised the decision to impose a stricter lockdown in Guwahati and blamed it to inefficacy of Health Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma.

“Lockdown declared by Dr. Himanta B Sarma is not only unwise & also to cover up his failure in containing covid patients but also failed to adequately arrange hospital beds for treatment.

Ultimately adversely affecting the daily wage earners, common people,” he tweeted.

As grocery and vegetable shops will remain closed during the lockdown, people across the city thronged markets and department stores to stock the essentials, ignoring

norms of social distancing.

Large gatherings and long queues were seen at shops, markets and ATMs. Taking advantage of the situation, retailers of vegetables and fishes increased the prices exorbitantly in almost all areas of the city.

The prices of potatoes rose to Rs 80 a kg from around Rs 25 on Friday, while cucumber was priced at Rs 100 per kg.

Tomatoes and squash were selling at Rs 120 per kg, while onions were being sold at Rs 40-50 per kg.

“Where is the Civil Supply Department? Where are the district administration and police? Why was there no control at all? How can we purchase items for 14 days at this high rate?” a shopper said, expressing helplessness.

Many people expressed anguish as the lockdown came into force in monthend when salary was not credited in their accounts yet, thereby putting them in a fix.

A rickshaw puller said, “I can earn only for the day’s need. Where will I get money to store for 14 days?

At this high prices, I cannot feed my family properly for one day even. If there is no help from the government, my family will starve to death K Y M C

4

northeast

Assam floods: 2 more dead, nearly 9.3 L affected

GUWAHATI, JUN 28 (PTI): The flood situation in Assam worsened further on Sunday with two more persons losing their lives in the deluge which affected nearly 9.3 lakh people in 23 districts, the State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) said.

According to the ASDMA daily flood report, one person died at Jonai revenue circle of Dhemaji district and another at Udalguri revenue circle of Udalguri district due to flood.

With two more deaths, the fatalities due to flood this year has gone up to 18.

ASDMA said more than 9.26 lakh people have been affected due to floods in Dhemaji, Lakhimpur, Biswanath, Udalguri, Darrang, Nalbari, Barpeta, Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Dhubri, South Salmara, Goalpara, Kamrup, Morigaon, Hojai, Nagaon, Golaghat, Jorhat, Majuli, Sivasagar, Dibrugarh, Tinsukia and West Karbi Anglong districts.

Barpeta has emerged as the worst-hit district with nearly 1.35 lakh people having been affected, followed

by Dhemaji with almost

Commuters wade through a waterlogged street after rainfall, at Chamata in Nalbari district, Sunday. (PTI) one lakh people and Nalbari with more than 96,000 persons hit by this natural calamity.

SDRF, district administrations, civil defence and Inland Water Transport departments have evacuated 9,303 people during the last 24 hours in five districts, the bulletin said.

Till Saturday, more than 4.6 lakh persons were affected due to the deluge across 21 districts.

At present, 2,071 villages are under water and 68,806.73 hectares of crop areas have been damaged, ASDMA said.

It further said authorities are running 193 relief camps and distribution centres across 12 districts, where 27,308 people have taken shelter.

The authorities have distributed a total of 1,206.32 quintals of rice, dal and salt, and 2,195.92

Girl recovered from COVID-19 commits suicide on last day of home quarantine

Correspondent

IMPHAL, Jun 28: In a first, a 23-year-old girl who recovered from COVID-19, allegedly committed suicide by hanging herself in her bedroom on the last day of her 14 days home quarantine period on Sunday, police said.

The girl was found hanging in her bedroom at Singjamei in Imphal West district early Sunday morning. No suicide note was left behind, police said.

The patient who had recovered tested positive for the virus while staying at a quarantine centre in her locality after she returned from Chandigarh. She returned to Imphal on May 30 last and was admitted at Covid care facility at JNIMS hospital on June 2 after testing positive her neighbours said.

After recovering from the disease, she was discharged on June 14 and was under home quarantine since then. Her home quarantine was due to end on Sunday, they added.

The deceased studied in Chandigarh. Her head was found tonsured at the time of her death, police who initiated an investigation after registering a case said.

Preliminary police investigation indicates she might have taken the extreme step out of depression while she was quarantined at home. This is the first case of COVID-19 related suicide reported in the state, the police added.

According to officials of the state health department, 20 to 25 percent of people who have completed COVID-19 treatment or quarantine may suffer from social stigma.

Such persons were no longer a source of COVID19 transmission to others.

They must be given support and should not be stigmatised, he health department added. They said isolation and loneliness during quarantine can have long lasting negative impact on physical and mental well being.

Feeling isolated can lead to poor sleep, poor

AR provides umbrellas to ensure social distancing

cardiovascular health , lower immunity, impaired executive functions and depressive symptoms. Psychological help and counselling can be accessed through toll free 24x7 helpline number 1800-345-3818, the officials added.

Meanwhile, Manipur recorded the highest singleday spike of COVID-19 infection on Sunday with the detection of 93 infected persons in the last 24 hours.

With the 93 fresh cases, the COVID-19 infection tally of the state rose to 1185 with 730 active cases and 444 recoveries.

The recovery rate is 38.39 percent.

Among the fresh cases, 56 were male and the remaining 37 female. All of them were returnees from other states. 25 of them are from Ukhrul district, 21 from Kamjong, 14 from Tamenglong, 13 from Kakching, 10 from Churachandpur, 6 from Senapati two from Imphal East and 1 each from Imphal West and Noney district.

This initiative aims at promoting the maxim -‘Break the Chain’ -- in the fight against COVID-19.

“The residents have been urged to use umbrellas voluntarily at public places which would automatically ensure social distancing without any conscious effort,” an official release said.

The new initiative by Assam Rifles was appreciated by village authorities and the residents as well.

“Assam Rifles proves to be a driving force working at grass-roots level and lives up to the adage of ‘Friends of the Hill People’,” the release added.

19 buildings damaged, 35 families affected in North Sikkim flash flood

Sikkim flash floods (Photo-Pawan Chamling Twitter) Ga n g to k , J u n 2 8 (PTI): Nineteen houses and an old hostel of a senior secondary school have been damaged in a flash flood in upper Djongu region of North Sikkim district, an official said on Sunday.

The flash flood also affected 35 families, he said.

Triggered by heavy rainfall over the past few days, the flash flood damaged the proper ties at Passidang village and its surrounding areas on Saturday, the official said.

The local administration has evacuated the affected families to the Public Health Engineer-

ing (PHE) department’s building at Passidang, the official said.

MLA from Djongu constituency Pinstso Namgyal Lepcha along with District Magistrate Tenzing T Kaleon and Superintendent of Police North Ongmu Bhutia visited the affected areas on Sunday.

Manipur lockdown extended till July 15 Correspondent IMPHAL, Jun 28: The ongoing lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19 pandemic in the state will be extended for another 15 days considering the surge in the number of COVID-19 infections, Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh announced on Sunday.

However, inter-district bus service will resume from July 1 by maintaining Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and guidelines to check the spread of the virus, he added.

Like other states of the country, Manipur has been under lockdown to contain the spread of COVID-19

since March 24. With certain relaxations, the lockdown was being extended phase by phase till date.

Addressing a press conference , Singh said the state government took the decision to resume the interdistrict bus service from July 1 considering the plights of the people owing to the prolonged suspension of the service. Necessary steps to resume the inter-district bus services, strictly adhering to the guidelines of the ICMR, currently enforcing SOPs and social distancing have been taken up, he said.

No other public transport system including autorickshaw service will be allowed during this period,

the chief minister said, and appealed the people to strictly adhere to the SOPs and guidelines issued by the government to overcome the COVID-19 pandemic.

More than 50,000 samples have been taken, including for re-test and for testing frontline workers till now. Almost all test results have been declared and there was no backlog for testing, he asserted.

He maintained that the testing capacity has increased to nearly 2600 tests per day by getting new machines and engaging more persons.

The chief minister said that in order to supplement testing capacity, TRUENAT

machines have been procured, adding that at present there were two machines in RIMS, one machine at JNIMS, two machines at IRL Imphal, two machines at Senapati, one machine at Tamenglong and one being installed in Ukhrul.

He informed a TRUENAT machine can give about 20 – 35 results per day depending on the capacity and can supplement PCR machines for urgent or vulnerable cases immediately as the result is declared within an hour.

Assuring that there is no case of community transmission of the disease in the state, Singh said that almost all positive cases

were from returnees except seven frontline workers who came in contact with positive cases. Mention may be made that two doctors, four nurses and one volunteer at catering service in quarantine centres have tested positive for the virus in the last few days.

Till date, around 43,000 persons have been sent to institutional and community quarantine centres and around 7200 inmates are at present in quarantine centres.

The chief minister also informed that the state government will resume evacuation of state people stranded outside the state due to COVID-19 lockdown.

NE likely to receive heavy rainfall in next 4-5 days NEW DELHI, JUN 28 (AGENCIES): North Eastern region is likely to receive widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rains over the region in next four to five days as the eastern end of monsoon trough continues to run along the foothills of Himalayas with the convergence of strong southerly/southwesterly winds from Bay of Bengal over the North East and adjoining

East India, said India Meteorological Department (IMD).

“Eastern end of monsoon trough continues to run along the foothills of Himalayas with convergence of strong southerly/southwesterly winds from Bay of Bengal over the northeast and adjoining east India. It is most likely to cause widespread rainfall with isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall over northeast

India during the next four to five days. Extremely heavy falls also most likely over Assam and Meghalaya during next 24 hours,” said IMD. IMD senior scientist Naresh Kumar said, “Bihar and North Eastern states will receive heavy rainfall activity in the coming two days...”

“Presently the monsoon trough condition is close to foothills of Himalayas and we are expecting it

should continue for the next four to five days. The heavy spell is likely to continue over this region again for five days specifically if we talk about Bihar we are expecting isolated heavy to very heavy rainfall up to 12 centimetre likely to continue next two days and thereafter it will decrease.

About East...there also we are expecting isolated heavy rainfall the next three to four days,” he added.

IK Songbijit led PDCK cadre arrested in Karbi Anglong

Bokajan, Jun 28 ( AGENCIES): Inflicting yet another significant blow to IK Songbijit led Peoples’ Democratic Council of Karbi Longri (PDCK), the Karbi Anglong police nabbed another hardcore cadre of the outfit in a successful operation in East Karbi Anglong on Sunday.

As per reports, based on a specific information, Karbi Anglong police and army launched a joint operation in the general area of Chaukihala and arrested Bonnet Terong aka Denja from a hideout. Denja is reportedly the self styled Sergeant Major of PDCK. Assam Rifles gives umbrellas in Mizoram villages Several warlike items includto ensure physical distancing. (IANS) A i z awl , J u n 2 8 (IANS): In an innovative attempt to follow ‘social distancing by people, the Central paramilitary Assam Rifles have been distributing umbrellas to economically weaker sections of society and senior citizens in Mizoram, officials said here on Sunday.

An Assam Rifles official said the troops distributed umbrellas in Ngopa, M i m b u n g, K aw l b e m , New Vaikhawtlang and Hnahlan villages in Aizawl district on Saturday, keeping in view the impending monsoons and to curb the spread of COVID-19.

litres of mustard oil along with other relief materials such as tarpaulin, baby food, snacks, candle, match box, drinking water, milk, biscuit and mosquito coil.

The Brahmaputra is flowing above the danger mark at Guwahati, Nimatighat in Jorhat, Tezpur in Sonitpur, Goalpara town in Goalpara and Dhubri town in Dhubri districts.

Its tributaries Burhi Dihing at Chenimari in

Dibrugarh, Dhansiri at Numaligarh in Golaghat, Jia Bharali at NT Road Crossing in Sonitpur, Kopili at Kampur in Nagaon, Puthimari at NH Road Crossing in Kamrup, Pagladiya at NT Road Crossing in Nalbari, Manas at NH Road Crossing at Barpeta, Beki at Road Bridge in Barpeta and Sankosh at Golakganj in Dhubri are flowing above the danger mark.

Embankments, roads, bridges, culverts and many other infrastructure have been damaged at various places in Lakhimpur, Dibrugarh, Barpeta, Udalguri, Kamrup, Dhubri, Majuli, Kokrajhar, Dhemaji, Biswanath, Tinsukia, Jorhat, Morigaon, Hojai, Sivasagar and West Karbi Anglong districts.

Massive erosions have been witnessed at different places of Biswanath district, ASDMA said.

ASDMA also said that a total of 92 camps out of 183 are affected due to flood at Kaziranga National Park.

The flood has also affected 15,27,832 domestic animals and poultry across the state, it added.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

The arrested PDCK cadre Bonnet Terong with IEDs and detonators. ing suspected IED, deto- (KPLT) in the hill district nators and batteries have of Karbi Anglong. Some been recovered from his of the disgruntled KPLT possession. sided with IK Songbinit, the The arrest comes as former Bodo militant leader another setback to Sogbijit- to form PDCK in an undisled PDCK who tried to cash closed location on October in the vacuum created by 27, 2016. IK Songbijit, who the disintegration of Karbi remained cornered amongst Peoples’ Liberation Tiger the Bodo people after the

BTAD massacre, 2014 was looking for alliances and took it as an opportunity to keep up the arm struggle.

However, his plans failed as most of the outfits members were arrested by security forces.

A couple of weeks back, the Karbi Anglong police arrested four cadres of PDCK including former self-styled army chief and present home secretary Francis Terang aka David Mukrang, self-styled Sergent Naman Rishi Rengma aka Akhevi Rengma and two new recruits from a hideout under Dolamora police station in East Karbi Anglong.

3 more test COVID-19 positive Two more BSF troopers tests in Mizoram; count rises to 151 positive for COVID-19 in M’laya

Aizawl, Jun 28 (PTI): Three more persons have tested positive for COVID-19 in Mizoram, taking the northeastern state’s tally to 151 on Sunday, officials said.

Two of the new patients are from Mamit district and one is from Aizawl, a statement issued by the state Information and Public Relations Department said.

Two of them had returned from Maharashtra and one from Delhi, it said, adding their condition is out of danger. Of the 151 cases, 96 are active while 55 people have recovered. Meanwhile, Health Minister Dr R Lalthangliana said testing of samples of all returnees to the state is “almost complete”.

Around 2,000 residents are yet to return to the state, he said. At least 2,424 people have been placed under institutional quarantine in the state, officials said.

The lockdown imposed in the state to contain the spread of COVID-19 is scheduled to end on June 30.

Correspondent Shillong, Jun 28 : Two more Border Security Force (BSF) troopers tested positive for COVID-19 in Meghalaya on Sunday taking the total tally to 50.

Within a span of two days, three BSF troopers have tested positive with the first case detected on Saturday.

Health and Family Welfare Minister, Alexander Laloo Hek said that one of the infected troopers had

returned to the State from Haryana on June 26 and another is a driver engaged in transporting troopers from Assam to BSF Meghalaya Frontier Headquarters.

“Both troopers are asymptomatic and are now admitted at the isolation ward of the composite BSF hospital,” he said, adding that the BSF is tracing the contact of the troopers.

With the new two fresh positive cases, Meghalaya has 7 active cases, 42 recovered and one death.

Dear Atouzo, Thanks for giving me the opportunity to feel such an all-encompassing love. No matter how old you get, know that you will always be my baby boy. You’ll forever be my pride and joy. Happy birthday to my darling little son.

Love from Khreth Regd. No. 121/2020

AFFIDAVIT

Date 29/01/2020

I, Smti K. Alibo Chophi, daughter of H.K Chophi, aged about 37 years, and a resident of Agri Colony, Kohima, Nagaland, do hereby solemnly affirm on oath and declare as follows:1. That I am a bonafide citizen of India.

2. That my correct and official name is K. Alibo Chophi.

3. That I am a serving as Peon under the Department of Nagaland Civil Secretariat, Government of Nagaland.

4. That however in my appointment Order dated Kohima, the 24th June 2003 bearing order No. SAB-5/15/2002 my name has been entered and recorded as Alibo instead of K. Alibo Chophi.

5. That the names K. Alibo Chophi and Alibo refers to one and the same person i.e., myself.

6. That this affidavit is made to declare that my correct and Official name is K. Alibo Chophi and the same shall be used for all Official purposes, future references and correspondences.

7. That this affidavit shall also be used as a piece of evidence of the fact and proof as mentioned above and to be for rectification if arises in future.

That the statements from para 1-6 are true to the best of my knowledge and nothing false has been stated. And I sign this affidavit before the competent authority at Kohima, Nagaland on this the 29th day of January, 2020.

Deponent Notary Public DP-2839

INFORMATION

This is to inform all the Okotsoe Pensioners that due to the ongoing Pandemic and restrictions on movement, the 3rd Annual Meet on 30th June, 2020 will not be held as planned.

With prayer, hope and good health we look forward to our next meeting on 30th June, 2021.

Our ardent request to all the Pensioners to uphold each other in prayer on the morning of 30/06/2020 at 6:30 AM so as to unite one another in chain prayer.

Isaiah 46:4 (NIV) Okotsoe Pensioners Khungtsü Head Office Dimapur Notun Bosti H/No.20 Nagaland DP-2948

national

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

Befitting reply given to those eyeing Ladakh: PM

New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI): Prime Minister Narendra Modi asserted on Sunday that India has given a befitting reply to those who cast an evil eye on its territory in Ladakh, stating that while the country honours the spirit of friendship, it is also capable of giving an appropriate response to any adversary.

Paying tributes to the 20 army men killed in the violent stand off with China’s People’s Liberation Army earlier this month, Modi also said that India’s brave soldiers have shown that they will not allow the nation’s pride to be hurt.

The prime minister’s strong words on his monthly ‘Mann ki Baat’ broadcast came amid a standoff between Indian and Chinese armies in eastern Ladakh, with the opposition Congress constantly attacking the central government over the issue.

“Those who cast an evil eye on Indian soil in Ladakh have got a befitting response. India honours the spirit of friendship. It is also capable of giving an appropriate response to any adversary, without shying away,” he said in his address without naming China.

The prime minister also made a vigorous push for the use of locally made

Narendra Modi

products, saying being “vocal for local” is also a way to strengthen the country and to serve it. Modi said India’s aim is to become self-reliant. Its tradition is trust and friendship and its spirit is brotherhood. “We will keep moving ahead abiding by these principles,” he said.

The prime minister also referred to an old saying which means that a person who is wicked by nature uses education to foster conflict, wealth for conceit and strength to trouble others whereas, a gentleman uses education for knowledge, wealth for helping and strength for protecting.

“India has always used her might, echoing the same sentiment,” he said. The prime minister felt that a self-reliant India would be true tribute to the slain soldiers.

“We should strive towards enhancing the coun-

try’s capabilities and capacities in safeguarding our borders. A self-reliant India would be a tribute to our martyrs in the truest, deepest sense,” he said.

Modi also referred to a woman from Assam who wrote that she has resolved to buy only local products after watching what happened in east Ladakh.

“I am receiving messages on these lines from every corner of the country,” he said.

There have been calls for boycotting Chinese products in the wake of the Ladakh incident.

Responding to another letter, he said before Independence, India was ahead of many nations in the defence sector with a multitude of ordnance factories.

“Many countries that lagged behind us then, are ahead of us now. After Independence, we should have made efforts in the defence sector, taking advantage of our prior experience…we did not,” he lamented.

“But today, in the fields of defence and technology, India is relentlessly endeavouring to advance on those fronts….India is taking strides towards selfreliance,” he said.

He also pitched for people’s participation in making India self-reliant.

West Bengal registers highest single-day spike of 542 Covid cases; total 16,190

A medic collects samples for COVID-19 testing from an ambulance, at a slum area in Kolkata on Sunday. (PTI)

When you will talk on nation’s defence: Rahul Gandhi to PM

Rahul Gandhi

New Delhi, June 28 (IANS): Amid the political slugfest over the Chinese transgression, Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Sunday again questioned the government on the status of the LAC. After the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) raised the issue of donation by the Chinese companies to the Congress controlled Rajiv Gandhi Foundation (RGF), Rahul Gandhi hit back in a barbed attack.

The former Congress chief, in a tweet, said: “When will talks of national security and defence happen?”

The controversy is related to the RGF as it took donation from the Chinese embassy. Before it, Congress’ chief spokesperson Randeep Surjewala had countered

the BJP on Saturday by asking its connection with the Chinese Communist Party (CCP). He also dragged the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh into the controversy.

Surjewala asked, “Why did the Sangh visit China in January 2009?”

The spokesman also recalled former BJP chief Nitin Gadkari’s five-day visit to China on January 19, 2011 when he was invited by the CCP. “Why did the then BJP President Amit Shah sent a delegation of MPs/ MLAs in November 2014 to China for a week-long study in ‘The Party School’ of the CCP?,” he asked. The Congress even asked for the reason of Modi’s four visits to China as Gujarat Chief Minister and five visits as the Prime Minister.

Lockdown in 8 zones in Gurugram for 2 weeks Gurugram, June 28 (IANS): In view of fast rising COVID-19 cases, the Gurugram administration has identified 8 containment zones in the district and will enforce a complete lockdown for two weeks, an official said.

Gurugram District Magistrate Amit Khatri said that these wards are identified as large outbreak zones.

“Under the provision of Disaster Management Act, human movement will be completely banned here from two weeks from June 30 to July 14.

The violators will be liable to face action under Disaster Management Act 2005 and relevant sections of IPC,” Khatri said.

The large outbreak areas are identified as ward number 4 Dundehera, ward number 16 Arjun Nagar, Jyoti Park, Madanpuri, Ward number 17 Ratan garden and Shiv Puri, Ward number 20 Shivaji Nagar

and Shanti nagar, Ward number 21 Baldev Nagar, Feroz Gandhi Colony, Ravi Nagar, Ward number 22 Hira Nagar, Gandhi Nagar Shvaji Park, Ward number 23 Hari Nagar Shakti Park and Ward number 35 DLF phase 3 Nathupur.

These areas will be completely barricaded from all exit points followed by adequate police deployment to prevent violation.

The movement of residents will be allowed only for emergency situations.

“Health department will also start door to door screening in these areas through rapid antigen test to identify suspects,” Khatri said.

“It will be mandatory for residents to install Aarogya Setu app and they have to undergo thermal as well as symptomatic screening every time they step out of their houses for buying daily needs domestic items,” Amit Khatri added.

5 COVID facility in Surat flooded; cong blames govt Surat, Jun 28 (PTI): The basement of a civic hospital in Gujarat’s Surat being used as a COVID-19 facility was flooded after water from an underground tank overflowed causing hardships to 65 patients, an official said on Sunday.

The incident happened late Saturday night and was set right soon after, he added.

However, videos of the flooded facility went viral on social media some time later.

Surat Municipal Corporation Deputy Commissioner (Health), Dr Ashish Naik, confirmed there were 65 coronavirus positive patients at the COVID facility set up in the multi- level parking of SMIMER Hospital.

“Water from an underground tank overflowed and flooded the basement briefly.

The water was flushed out and the issue resolved within half an hour,” Naik said.

Meanwhile, state Congress president Amit Chavda shared the video and attacked the Vijay Rupani government over what he claimed was the “fake Gujarat model”.

Chavda also questioned state Health Minister Nitin Patel over preparations to contain the outbreak.

PGIMER to conduct clinical trial for rapid antigen detection C h and i ga r h , June 28 (IANS): The Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR) has initiated a programme of clinical trials for rapid antigen detection for COVID19 patients.

The Postgraduate Institute of Medical Education and Research (PGIMER) hospital is one among them, officials said on Sunday.

The decision has been made considering the high surge in the number of COVID patients in last few days.

The procedure will not only help keep a track on the increasing number of COVID-19 patients but also enable easy access to detect the affected COVID-19 patients on a larger scale within a short span of time.

The ICMR has identified seven tertiary-care hospitals across the country to initiate trials and the PGIMER has been selected as one of the sites to be part of this programme for critically-ill COVID-19 patients.

Responding to the development, PGIMER director Jagat Ram said, “The availability of antigen-based detection tests is very limited all across the world.”

“Most of such tests have relatively moderate sensitivity but high specificity. The test is a promising tool to keep a track of COVID patients by rapid testing. We are thankful to ICMR for having entrusted us with the responsibility,” he added.

On the execution plan, the director said, “A committee will be constituted to work out the modalities and comprehensive plan along with timelines to meet the desired expectations of the ICMR and contribute towards containing the pandemic.”

Yogi visits Ayodhya, offers prayers

Uttar Pradesh Chief Minister Yogi Adityanath visits the Ram Janmabhoomi site to inspect the ongoing temple construction work, in Ayodhya on Sunday. (PTI)

ties. He then held a meeting with district officials about the various development projects in the city. The local elected representatives were present in the meeting.

Yogi Adityanath also met members of the Shri Ram Janambhoomi Teerth Kshetra Trust and other saints.

He offered prayers at the Ram temple and Hanuman Garhi temple.

Yogi Adityanath had

last visited Ayodhya on March 25 when Ram Lalla idol was shifted to a new structure in Manas Bhawan.

The chief minister was scheduled to visit Ayodhya on June 18 to oversee arrangements for the proposed ‘bhumi pujan’ on July 2 but his visit was later cancelled after the postponement of the ‘bhumi pujan’ of the temple due to the Corona pandemic.

Vande Bharat phase 4: AI to operate 170 flights Chinese companies contributed to PM-CARES fund, alleges Congress

family fined Rs 6.26 lakh for marriage function

Modi diverted the donations received in PMNRF to the controversial PMCARES Fund and how many hundred crores is the amount diverted?” Singhvi asked.

Singhvi said reports suggest that as on May 20, 2020, the fund received Rs 9,678 crore. “The shocking part is that though Chinese forces have transgressed into our territory, Prime Minister has received money in the fund from Chinese companies,” he alleged.

“No one knows the constitutional or operational framework of the PM-CARES fund and how it is controlled or money given to it utilised.

The fund is not even subject to audit by any public authority including CAG. PMO has gone to the extent of saying this fund is not a public authority.”

“The fund appears to be solely run by the Prime Minister in an opaque and secret fashion with zero transparency and zero accountability,” claimed

Jaipur, Jun 27 (PTI): A fine of over Rs 6 lakh was slapped on a family in Rajasthan’s Bhilwara district for inviting more than 50 guests in a marriage function amid the restrictions in place to combat the coronavirus threat, officials said on Saturday.

Ghisulal Rathi, a resident of Bhadada Mohalla, had arranged a function for his son’s marriage on June 13.

He had invited over 50 guests, violating the guidelines for the management of COVID-19. After the event, 15 guests tested positive for COVID-19 while one died of the disease, District Collector Rajendra Bhatt said.

A case was registered against Rathi in this regard on June 22, he said.

The state gover nment incurred a loss of Rs 6,26,600 for arranging isolation and quarantine facility, testing, food, ambulance for these guests.

To recover the said amount, the family has been asked to deposit the money in the CM Relief Fund, Bhatt said.

KOLKATA, JUN 28 ( AGENCIES): West Bengal registered its highest singleday increase in the number of Covid-19 cases on Friday, recording 542 fresh infections that pushed the tally in the state to 16,190 as the number of fatalities due to the disease also rose by 10, officials said.

A total of 10,535 patients have so far recovered from the respiratory ailment in the state, a bulletin issued

by the health department said. Of the latest fatalities, eight patients died because of comorbidities where Covid-19 was incidental, it said, adding that the death toll due to the disease now stands at 616 in the state.

Four deaths were reported from Howrah, three from Kolkata and one each was reported from Hooghly, Darjeeling and South 24 Parganas, the bulletin said.

Since Thursday, 345

coronavirus patients have been discharged from various hospitals in the state, it said. The state has 5,039 active Covid-19 cases at present. Kolkata accounted for the maximum number of 128 new infections, followed by Howrah (110), the bulletin said. “The number of cases has been increasing every day and most of the fresh cases are asymptomatic,” a senior health department official said.

Chartered flights under the fourth phase are scheduled to be operated between July 3 and 15.

New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI): Air India will be conducting 170 flights to and from 17 countries between July 3 and 15 under the fourth phase of the Vande Bharat Mission, according to an official document.

The government started the mission on May 6 to help stranded people reach their destinations using special repatriation flights.

Scheduled international passenger flights have been suspended in India since March 23 due to the coronavirus pandemic.

Under the fourth phase of the mission, Air India will be conducting 170 flights connecting India with

Canada, the US, the UK, Kenya, Sri Lanka, Philippines, Kyrgyzstan, Saudi Arabia, Bangladesh, Thailand, South Africa, Russia, Australia, Myanmar, Japan, Ukraine and Vietnam, as per the airline’s document accessed by the PTI. These 170 chartered flights under the fourth phase are scheduled to be operated between July 3 and 15, it stated.

A total of 38 flights and 32 flights will be operated on Indo-UK and Indo-US routes, respectively, as per the document.

The national carrier will operate 26 flights between India and Saudi Ara-

bia, it added. Air India is scheduled to operate 495 chartered flights to and from various countries in the third phase, which began on June 10 and it will end on July 4.

The first phase was from May 7 to 16, following which the second phase began.

The US Department of Transportation announced on June 22 that it has barred Air India from operating chartered flights between India and the United States from July 22 without its prior approval, in an apparent retaliation for the Indian government not allowing American carriers to operate between the two countries.

Therefore, on June 23, the Aviation Ministry had said that it was considering establishing “individual bilateral bubbles” with the US, the UK, Germany and France allowing airlines of each country in the pact to operate international passenger flights.

After nearly two months of suspension to combat the coronavirus outbreak, the government resumed scheduled domestic passenger flights from May 25 but in a curtailed manner and by placing lower and upper limits on airfares depending upon the flight duration.

Civil Aviation Minister Hardeep Singh Puri on June 20 said that the government will start thinking on resuming scheduled international passenger flights in midJuly, when it expects the domestic air traffic to reach 50-55 per cent of the levels before coronavirus.

The Directorate General of Civil Aviation (DGCA) said last Friday it is extending the suspension of scheduled international passenger flights in the country till July 15 but added that some international scheduled services on selected routes may be permitted on a case-tocase basis.

New Delhi, June 28 (IANS): Amid political mudslinging between the opposition Congress and the ruling BJP on the issue of donations from Chinese companies, the Congress has alleged that PMCARES fund also received donations from Chinese firms.

Senior Congress spokesperson Abhishek Manu Singhvi said “Why has PM Modi received Chinese money in the PMCARES fund, despite the overt Chinese hostilities?

Has PM received Rs 7 crore from the controversial company Huawei ?

Does Huawei have a direct connection with People’s Liberation Army of China?

Has the Chinese company owning TikTok facilitated a donation of Rs 30 crore to the controversial PM CARES Fund?”

The Congress has also asked if Paytm, which has 38 per cent Chinese ownership, given Rs 100 crore, Oppo 1 crore and Xiomi Rs 15 crore in the fund.

“Has Prime Minister

Ayodhya, June 28 (IANS): Uttar Pradesh chief minister Yogi Adityanath, on Sunday, visited Ayodhya where he met saints and seers and saw the progress of work going on at the Ram temple construction site.

The chief minister’s programme was delayed by about three hours due to incessant rains in the holy city. He first visited the district hospital and other non-COVID medical facili-

Singhvi.

The Congress spokesperson questioned that “if the Prime Minister of India will compromise his position by accepting donations of hundreds of crores from Chinese companies in the controversial and opaque fund, then how will he defend the country against Chinese aggression?”

The Congress alleged that the Modi government continues to sidestep the brazen Chinese transgressions and occupation of Indian territory by Chinese forces in Galwan Valley, Pangong Tso lake area, Hot Springs and Depsang plains upto Y-Junction.

“Prime Minister Narendra Modi unashamedly misleads the nation and serves the sinister agenda of the Chinese by claiming that China has never intruded into the Indian territory, nor is it in occupation of any territory,” alleged Singhvi.

The Congress leader said that the party will keep asking these questions in the national interest.

6

OPINiON/EDITORIAL

Nagaland Post Vol. XXx NO. 203 Dimapur, MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

To correct the drift

W

hat Nagaland Governor R.N.Ravi had stated, in a strong missive addressed to state chief minister Neiphiu Rio, was not exactly like letting the cat out of the bag since the issue had been in public domain for decades but nevertheless, it was the first time that an incumbent of the Raj Bhavan had openly dared to call a spade a spade. As a consequence of the uncomfortable revelation, all stakeholders have been rattled. The fourpage missive of the Governor was stinging when he made no bones about the near-collapse of the law and order by indicting the police for failing to rein in groups of various armed cadres involved. The letter reflected the Governor’s personal interactions with various NGOs , business including government officials and his observations about the situation in the state since he took over as Governor in August 2019.

It is undeniable that for decades, public continued to groan under the burgeoning load of illegal collections by whoever and under whatever reasons and widely publicised in the local media. Since decades back, the cries of the business firms, traders , fruit & vegetable vendors and dealers of meat and egg, construction materials etc have been reported in the local media. There have been lightning bandhs and protests over the depredations by lawless elements.

All these have been highlighted by the Nagaland Voluntary Consumers Organisation (NVCO), NPCC, Naga Council , Public Action Committee and ACAUT Nagaland etc. In 2013, after much discussions, ACAUT Nagaland organised mass public protest demonstrations in Dimapur, which found resonance when several thousands participated.

ACAUT’s protest rallies also attracted huge crowds across Nagaland where public openly declared that “enough is enough”. Despite all these being widely publicised and which received spontaneous support and clear message on the government to take action as per the law; yet whatever done was only seeking to treat the symptom rather than the disease. The government did constitute a three-member High Powered Committee (HPC) headed by a retired Supreme Court judge to go into various aspects of illegal and rampant collections. The report of the HPC was submitted to the government on June 10,2015 but till today, it remains in cold storage.

This is also another issue which has led public to strongly believe that the government has no political will to carry out its primary responsibility to ensure safety and security of its people under the constitution. As a measure to tone up the police law and order machinery, the Governor said he has decided to invoke Article 371A(1)(b) of the constitution which gives the governor of the state special powers. Under the above Article, Ravi disclosed, that he will oversee important law and order decisions pertaining to posting of officials entrusted with the maintenance of law and order responsibilities of officials above the district level which will be decided “after approval of the Governor”. It needs to be understood that present lawlessness is an accumulative consequence of the “khushi-khushi” syndrome since several decades back and which has mutated into corruption virus that has gradually and surely spread its pernicious tentacles to every level of society and its values. Public need to also seriously introspect on how they have allowed the situation to reach this stage of near collapse of governance.

Though Art.371(1)(b) is not the all-cure option but at least it has to start some.

DailyDevotion Held by the Grip of God

I press on, that I may lay hold of that for which Christ Jesus has also laid hold of me.

—Philippians 3:12 Never choose to be a worker for God, but once God has placed His call on you, woe be to you if you “turn aside to the right hand or to the left” (Deuteronomy 5:32). We are not here to work for God because we have chosen to do so, but because God has “laid hold of” us. And once He has done so, we never have this thought, “Well, I’m really not suited for this.” What you are to preach is also determined

by God, not by your own natural leanings or desires.

Keep your soul steadfastly related to God, and remember that you are called not simply to convey your testimony but also to preach the gospel. Every Christian must testify to the truth of God, but when it comes to the call to preach, there must be the agonizing grip of God’s hand on you— your life is in the grip of God for that very purpose. How many of us are held like that?

Never water down the Word of God, but preach it in its undiluted sternness. There must be unflinching faithfulness to the Word of God, but when you come to personal dealings with others, remember who you are— you are not some special being created in heaven, but a sinner saved by grace.

“Brethren, I do not count myself to have apprehended; but one thing I do…I press toward the goal for the prize of the upward call of God in Christ Jesus” (Philippians 3:13-14).

Quotes

Our knowledge is a little island in a great ocean of nonknowledge. ~ Isaac Bashevis Singer

T

he nation needs wisdom to stir it out of difficult situation.

An economy sinking for months hurt grievously by corona lockdown needs ability to come out of the blues with humane moves to help the traumatized people.

Everyone in the society is traumatized. The price rises of food items, garments, rail and bus fares, and fuel are driving people out of the market.

Some lopsided policies and advices even as international petro prices are hovering at almost 20year-low are playing havoc.

Truck operators are finding parking their vehicles more profitable. The cost of captive generation by industry, power back-ups by housing societies or institutions has become prohibitive.

The daily rise in prices making diesel more expensive that petrol, though production cost of diesel is far less, is hitting everyone - industry, farms, shops, taxi and truck operators or poorest households.

The doles that some farmers are getting would be used to support rising farm input cost. The rising fuel prices may ultimately

P

Diesel hike to hit poor

lead to lowering of demand, severe crunch in production and overall inflation.

The farmers are at their wits end. Potato is fetching seemingly “good” price amid about 40 percent low production. It seems to be good news though really not. They lost last year due to high production and low prices. Overall this year the farmer is likely to earn not more than what he did a year back.

The syndrome causes losses to all related sectors – the cold storage, because it has less to store, labourers earning less as there are fewer bags to handle, the transporter also gets less since he has less to carry.

It is almost happening nationally as the losses are seen uniformly everywhere because of excess rainfall.

The corn is hit by low production, again owing to bad weather, and low demand as processing factories are closed due to lockdown. The previous processed products are yet to be picked up as people are not queuing up to buy.

Despite doles of millions of tons of food grain, direct benefit cash to some and Rs 50,000 crore job scheme for migrant labourers in UP,

MP, Bihar and other states, the rural economy is not pepping up.

The silk hubs of Bhagalpur or carpet weaving centres at Mirzapur are crashing due to loss of export markets and low demand in domestic ones. The Trump threat of H1B visa cancellations has put IT professionals under stress.

People do not have the money because of job losses or severe wage cuts across the spectrum. The CMIE figures say that jobs have been restored almost to pre-lockdown level. On ground it is not being witnessed. It is just not the industry even the NGOs, Shivaji educational institutions or private universities and schools on the sly either have not paid salaries or resorted to 30 percent or more cuts.

Aacross large number of employees have been chucked out or have been asked to wait for better days. About 12 crore workers are in distress in India, according to World Bank (WB) figures. Global lost income from school closures could amount to $ 13 trillion, says WB. Even physical distancing has its

cost.

The LD may have been a necessity but the country has to work out a plan to face any future epidemic-like situation without LD. McKinsey says physical distancing to cost Rs 96 to 231 trillion for India.

The climate is changing. Many more new diseases or various mutants may emerge. The procedure for tackling such situations has to be worked out without getting bogged down

by Covid-19. The production lines have to remain open. Closed lines can create problems, including m ove m e n t Sarkar of essentials even to border regions. The country is stated to have faced a few such problems during the LD. Security is perennial and LD-like situation can hamper it.

Prime Minister Narendra Modi is right in his aversion that signals show India set to bounce back.

He pegs it with the coal block auctions likely to generate Rs 33,000 core.

The experts, however, want wider discussion. Some lure for money should not disturb pristine forested

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

or natural ecological reserves.

The Supreme Court guidelines for Niyamgiri in Odisha provide the base.

The recent LD has also revealed that how it has helped restoration of the nature, reduction of pollution, dust and cleaning of river waters. A bit of delay to discuss course correction would pave way for a better future.

The country in postLD situation is under stress to do things fast. It need not. Rather it has to tailor out policies for long term.

The revival needs money but it should not be the sole aim. The advisors, who suggested continuous hike in petrol prices, have not helped the policy makers.

It may have raised some quick funds but that cannot be the plank for long-term sustained recovery. Instead it needs to review the situation and create conducive atmosphere for continuous recovery and strengthening of the economy.

The UPA government committed such follies over a long period. They came under severe criticism. Repeating it would lead to complications. If prices of essentials continue to

rise and cash transactions are not eased it can cause severe problems. The housing sector is facing crisis due to job losses, pay cuts and surge in home loan defaults.

The delinquencies at India Mortgage guarantee Corporation (IMGC) have double in a year at Rs 8500 crore.

The IMGC guarantees 20 percent of the loan amount, which covers EMIs for two years.

The excise duty-hike in May of Rs 10 per litre on petrol and Rs 13 on diesel (not wise) a litre to mop up Rs 1.6 lakh crore till next March. This is in addition to gains of Rs 39,000 crore in March 2020. The daily hikes are to add to about similar amount to government’s kitty.

It is hitting the econo my ba d ly. F itc h a nd Moody’s are constantly portraying difficulties. ADB is not happy over Asia.

The corona challenge m ay r e m a i n f o r s o m e months. It is more urgent to look for lower cost and inflation for sustainability.

Petro price hike or LD or corona-centric policies cause more losses. There can be policies that save many more and pace up the economy.

Post-mortem Importance of Correct Data Paddy farming again

addy farming is here again in New Socunoma Village where the 'Nagaland Special Rice variety' is grown. The locals simply call it 'Nagaland Special.' A return to the roots movement is gaining momentum as the world exits this time of the pandemic crisis. Even the paddy fields that were once deserted are now springing back to life as home folks 'near and dear ones' with rejuvenated passion re-engage themselves in the age-old paddy farming practice inherited from their predecessors. Hence, the resurgence of paddy farming in New Socünoma Village is a reality and a most laudable one. Perhaps, it'd be proper to take a quick look at the history of the people who came and resettled in the present village throughout 1960.

The early settlers most of whom were Naga national freedom fighters who had most gallantly served the Naga Cause in varying capacities during the height of the Naga national movement.

Battle worn and illustrious, they immediately took up paddy farming as their main occupation. Their sheer hard work produced a selfsustainable lifestyle in the decades that followed.

New Socünoma Village falls under the subdivision of Medziphema, 5 Ghaspani II constituency, in Dimapur District. The area itself stretches toward the foothills of Peren district adjoining the valley famously known as the 'Rice Bowl of Nagaland'. In the glorious past, the village was acclaimed as the 'Capital of the Nagaland Special Rice variety' for the very reason that the aroma and shelf quality of the variety of rice grown in New Socünoma Village stood out distinctively superior to those grown in the immediate surrounding villages.

This was responsible for mainly two factors besides suitable climate and fertile soil: (1)The great Chathe River served as the main water source providing ample fresh water flowing through well-maintained canals and streams into the paddy fields.

(2) Implementation of meticulous traditional farming methods by hardworking farmers who were strict practitioners of paddy cultivation themselves and were exceptionally knowledgeable of the task inside out by decades of experience.

The golden era of paddy cultivation in New Socünoma village as seen by many con-

tinued to flourish throughout the eighties and to the early nineties. However, over the last two decades, we've seen a dramatic slowdown of paddy farming in the area.

The decline was in large part caused by a lack of interest in the agrarian economy among the younger generations as most ventured outside for greener pastures. Paddy farming is simply not profitable anymore. White-collar jobs and other less physically demanding trades are more preferable. On top of that, difficulty in obtaining migrant laborers has further discouraged the villagers to continue paddy farming.

In recent years, there have been some elements that have hindered paddy cultivation in the area much to the villager's dismay.

(1) Excessive extraction of boulders and sand from the river has lowered the river bed which has led to bank erosion and destruction of the irrigation canal mouths.

(2)The construction of Dimapur-Kohima railway line cutting across the paddy fields in the area has caused further undue damage to the irrigation canals and water drain basins essential to paddy farming.

(3)As if it was not enough, in 2019, a mysterious cattle epidemic broke out in New Socünoma Village and its surrounding villages which wiped out 90 % of the Buffalo population.

This was a devastating blow on the villagers who solely depended on draft animals for paddy farming which involves heavy physical labor. As a consolation remedy, the government provided a power tiller to the village. Formalities are still being carried out for financial help to compensate for the losses, hence the pandemic crisis. Consequently, these cited elements in one way or another have discouraged the villagers and compelled many to abandon farming completely. Nevertheless, the need to reach agricultural self-sufficiency in Nagaland continues to grow.

Nagaland has been home to small scale traditional farmers. However, with rapid moder nization and consumer-driven mindset, we are becoming extremely dependent on external sources for basic food commodities controlled by corporate power in agriculture. It is controlling our food system from farming to the table, manipulating our markets, pushing our local farmers out of business, and leaving us all the more

vulnerable to food price shocks. Further, this excessive food dependency on outsiders coupled with rising global food prices presents an imminent threat to the extinction of self-sustainable agricultural practices in the Naga society and, hence, food insecurity.

Easier said than done.

There's no easy way or solution to reach food self-sufficiency via self-sustainable farming. Besides the involvement of long and arduous backbreaking physical labor, the plight of the small scale farmers across the nation has not improved over the years.

As study confirmed, 70 % of its rural household still primarily depend on agriculture as their livelihood. And 80% of Indian farmers are small scale marginal farmers who own up to 5 acres of land or less. Another survey led by NABARD nailed that 94% of government subsidies meant for small and marginal farmers are being used by big and medium farmers. The government should work to relieve the plight of the smallholder farmers by providing critical investment in credit/ capital and sales channels, etc. so they can reach their full potential.

Certainly, the younger generations equipped with better education and resources today are our best chance and hope to see an agricultural revival in the State. Unless they take on the responsibility to lead from the frontline along with the experts and reengage in the self-sustainable agricultural practices once dominant in our society, there's no other practical way to ensure food security and to become a more economically successful self-sustainable society in the long run.

To my fellow home folks; the sons and daughters of paddy planters, I couldn't help but admire your timely efforts and zeal to revive paddy farming. It is in keeping with the tradition and the legacy of our fathers.

Sadly, not many of them made it big or were able to afford an affluent lifestyle as small paddy planters. Nonetheless, they would be best remembered as a hardworking self-sufficient generation who enjoyed the fruit of their labor. Besides other critical inputs, the amount of hard work and dedication we put forth will be key to taking this legacy ahead to higher levels of success and prosperity.

Seyielhuvi Zhunyu, New Socünoma Village, Medziphema.

"There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies and statistics"- Mark Twain OVID-19 pandemic has brought to the forefront the importance of proper statistical data. One of the most reputed medical journal in the world, Lancet, published a paper concluding that the medicine hydroxychloroquine (a medicine for preventing and treating malaria) is ineffective in treating Covid-19. Based on that study, the World Health Organisation stopped the use of hydroxychloroquine in its Solidary Trials, a trial of different medicines to treat the Covid-19. Lancet had to retract the paper which came to that conclusion because the process of data collection was found to be doubtful. Lancet had to face embarrassment and backlash for its failure to crosscheck the process of data collection on which the paper was based. Closer home, Patanjali, one of the well-known faces of Indian products promoted by the yoga guru, Baba Ramdev, has come under fire because of the medicine, Coronil, which claims to cure COVID-19 patients. It is reported that the medicine was based on clinical trials with a sample size of only 95 patients (45 given Coronil and 50 on placebo). A clinical trial of a sample size of 95 is definitely not enough especially for a medicine which claims to cure the disease during a pandemic. Delhi Government has come under fire for not testing people enough and trying to hide the number of deaths due to the Corona Virus for which recently, the Home Ministry has issued guidelines for more testing in the national capital. Cases are bound to increase in Delhi as testing increases in the coming days and weeks.

In fact, with the new guidelines on testing, cases are already spiralling up.

Telangana has been under fire for low testing. With a high test positivity rate, there is fear that Telangana is sitting on a Covid bomb, hidden due to low testing. Farther home, US president, Donald Trump, and the Brazilian president, Bolsonaro, and their attempt to ignore the facts on the pandemic in their countries and how they face the highest cases and deaths in their countries need no emphasis. Statistics and data are the eyes of policymakers, researchers, and everyone who has a stake in the society. A society can ignore correct data at its own peril. For too long, Nagaland has been fudging data without abandonment. It is high time we, as a society, understand the critical role proper data plays in our well-being.

We have often escaped with poor data because we are of no consequence to the country - being poor and small in population. Any study on the country clubs the northeast separately. A section on the northeast thus become inconsequential on the whole country, barring Assam perhaps.

While we may fool others, we are the ones

C

who suffer.

To my knowledge, some ways in which data manipulation takes place are the following: 1. In school education, there are many government schools which have very few numbers of students due to the parents preference of private schools. The government often threatens to shut them down. What the schools do to remedy the situation is inflate the number of students they have, showing on the register students who are clearly not in schools. Perhaps, this explains why our gross enrolment ratio in higher education is among the lowest in the country.

2. A person living in a town registers in both the town and in the village - a clear case of double counting.

3. Estimate in providing data when Central government under different ministries enquire of them without verification.

Thus, a government official sitting in his office provides the data for the existence of facilities of institutions under his watch without verifying from the institutions. There must be many more. It is a researcher's nightmare to use secondary data from Nagaland to do proper analysis.

Our researchers' best social science studies (mostly Economics?) are based on correlation studies. The conclusion goes something like this "there is correlation between the two variables; there is no correlation between the two variables". Useful policy prescriptions have not arisen from such research.

The researchers also cannot be blamed since often (1) a particular data set simply disappears for a certain year (s) only to reappear in the future, (2) data does not make sense at all due to the fluctuation (an approximate 64% growth in population between 1991-2001 and a negative growth rate of -0.05% between 2001-2011 is only an example), (3) incompatible data sets, often the data being collected is simply clubbed with another variable and the first data set cannot be separated in the clubbed variable.

There is a competency in data collection which is needed. For 2021 census, even though census data collection comes under the central home ministry, nodal agency being Office of the Registrar General and Census Commissioner, the state will provide the man power. It is imperative that strict cross-checking of population data is done through random sampling. If a sample is found to be manipulated, the whole population of the district should be rejected, and the population data collected again. The incentive for a village/district to cheat is very high. As also is the disincentive for not cheating since everyone will cheat. And yet, if everyone cheats, no one gains. That is our dilemma.

Chothazo Nienu, Hyderabad

Reader’s Post

Extra precautionary measures Sir,

With Coronavirus pandemic on the rise in the state, the government has to take extra precautionary measures for the safety of the citizens. It is also advisable if certain restrictions are imposed in places especially around quarantine centres. Unless proper protocol is maintained as in the beginning of the lockdown where much care was taken, our state will face the consequences of community spread.

Deepali Chettri, Signal Basti, Dimapur

Reader’s note: Articles or letters published in any of the columns do not reflect the view of this newspaper nor that of the Editor in any manner.

national

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

7

All-India private school body writes to Locust attacks in UP; districts put on alert PM seeking funds to pay staff salaries

C h e n n ai , J u n 2 8 (IANS): In a damage control exercise in the custodial deaths of father and son in Sathankulam in Tuticorin district, Tamil Nadu Chief Minister K. Palaniswami on Sunday announced the transfer of probe to Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI).

Speaking to reporters in Salem, Palaniswami said the case will be transferred to the CBI after getting the permission from the Madurai Bench of the Madras High Court.

The father and son duo P. Jeyaraj and J. Bennicks were booked for not closing their mobile shop in time on June 19 by the Sathankulam police in Tuticorin district in Tamil Nadu. They were remanded in judicial custody and lodged in Kovilpatti jail on June 21.

Jeyaraj died on June 22 night and his son Bennicks on June 23 morning in judicial custody. The families alleged that police assault led to their deaths.

ing chemicals to kill the pests and all districts have been put on alert,” he said on Sunday.

Shahi said insecticides are being sprayed through fire department vehicles.

People have been told to make loud noise by beating ‘thaalis’ and other utensils, he said. Police sirens will

also be blared and smoke would be used to chase the locusts away.

The minister said that, “The UP government has given Rs five lakh to each of the bordering districts of the state for spraying chemicals to kill locusts. Apart from this, a monitoring committee has been formed

in each district under the chief development officer to continuously monitor the situation.”

Deoria District Magistrate Amit Kishor said a swarm spotted in the district has now moved to Kushinagar.

With the onset of monsoon in the state, Jodh-

letter to the prime minister read.

Similar letters are being sent to the prime minister by officials and teachers of the Association’s member schools, and the PMO is likely to receive 20 lakh letters by June 30, Ahmad said in a press conference here.

On the criteria of fund allotment, Ahmad said that the amount of money the government spends per child in its schools may be given to the private institutes according to their student strength for five months - March to July this year. Data on individual schools have been submitted on UDISE, Ahmad said in the letter.

The Ministry of Hu-

man Resource Development initiated the Unified District Information System for Education (UDISE) in 2012-13, in which schools regularly update information on, among others, the number of students and employees. Being aware of the situation arising out of the lockdown, the schools are not forcing parents to deposit fees as many of them are facing financial crunch and job loss, Ahmad said.

“We seek your help and believe that you will not disappoint us. Kindly transfer funds into the school accounts of private schools who are struggling to make their both ends meet without compromising on the online teaching,” he said in the letter to the prime minister.

Apar t from paying salaries to employees, other expenses of a school include rent for building, instalment of various bank loans, maintenance, electricity and water bills and taxes, the Association’s national president said.

Zomato employees burn company T-shirts COVID-19 containment zones in Delhi rises to 417 to protest Chinese investment in firm

Some agitators claimed they have quit their jobs as Zomato has a sizeable Chinese investment.

Kolkata, Jun 28 (PTI): A group of Zomato food delivery platform employees in Kolkata tore and burnt their official T-shirts to protest Chinese investment in the firm.

The agitation comes in the backdrop of the killing of 20 Indian soldiers in

a clash with Chinese troops in eastern Ladakh’s Galwan Valley on June 15.

During the protest at Behala in the southwestern part of the city on Saturday, some agitators claimed they have quit their jobs as Zomato has a sizeable Chinese investment and urged people

to stop ordering food via the company.

In 2018, Ant Financial, a part of Chinese major Alibaba, had invested USD 210 million in Zomato for a 14.7 per cent stake. The food delivery major recently raised an additional USD 150 million from Ant Financial.

“Chinese companies are making profits from here and attacking the Army of our country. They are trying to grab our land. This cannot be allowed,” one of the protesters said.

Another protester said they were ready to starve but would not work for companies that have investment from China.

In May, Zomato laid off 520 employees or 13 per cent of its workforce in a huge retrenchment exercise due to the novel coronavirus pandemic.

There was no immediate reaction from Zomato and whether the protesters were among those who were retrenched was not known.

New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI): The number of COVID-19 containment zones in Delhi has risen to 417 after re-mapping of such areas, while around 2.45 lakh people have been screened in a mammoth exercise to check the spread of COVID-19 in the national capital, officials said on Sunday.

They said the count of containment zones is expected to jump further as the authorities in some districts were yet to complete the task of redrawing such areas following the Centre’s directions.

Before the re-mapping exercise, the number of containment zones was 280 in the city, an official said.

“We have screened around two lakh people for COVID-19 in houseto-house survey being conducted across the city. Also, 45,000 people have been screened in COVID-19 containment zones,” the official told PTI. The process of screening every household has to be completed by July 6.

According to the 2011

Maha lockdown: Uddhav says curbs will continue after June 30

on maintaining stringent discipline as COVID-19 cases are still being reported in large numbers.

“Even if I am not using the term lockdown, do not misunderstand and lower your guard. In fact, we need to show more stringent discipline,” he said.

The crisis is not yet over, the chief minister said.

“We can’t leave this war halfway in this final phase. I am sure that you will continue to cooperate with the government to ensure that lockdown is not reimposed, he said.

“Mission Begin Again may result in more (coronavirus) cases, but the number of tests have also increased,” Thackeray said.

We are focusing on restarting education as this is more important than reopening schools, he said.

Monsoon has started

Census, there were over 34.35 lakh households in the national capital, including 33.56 lakh in urban areas and 79,574 in rural areas.

As per the COVID-19 response plan issued by the Delhi government, the remapping of the containment zones is to be completed by June 30.

Under new rules, the authorities have to delineate containment zones on a micro-level instead of big

ones.

At least 1,100 teams comprising two members each have been formed to screen the national capital’s population for COVID-19 infection.

The teams are armed with a mobile application -- SS Corona -- which will send real-time details to a dedicated web portal set up by the government.

Apart from basic details like name, age, ad-

dress and contact number, the teams are feeding the mobile application with information such as every individual’s travel history, whether or not they use the Centre’s Aarogya Setu app and if they have symptoms of influenza.

The same mobile application is being used in carrying out screening in the COVID-19 containment zones in the national capital, officials had earlier said.

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and we have already started meetings to address issues related to heavy rains and diseases, Thackeray said.

Rainy days may result in diseases and we have to take precautions by keeping our surroundings clean and ensure that stagnant water is not collecting anywhere,” he added.

He also requested senior private physicians to resume their practice to share burden of state health machinery.

“There is no shortage of PPE kits and N95 masks. Please reach out to the government if there is any shortage in medical supplies. Maharashtra needs your experience right now, he said.

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Mumbai, Jun 28 (PTI): Maharashtra Chief Minister Uddhav Thackeray on Sunday said the lockdown curbs in the state will continue beyond June 30.

In a televised address, Thackeray ruled out easing the restrictions, adding the state still faces coronavirus threat.

“Will lockdown be lifted after June 30? The clear answer is no,” Thackeray tweeted later.

The unlock process, dubbed Mission Begin Again by the state government, is being gradually implemented to put the economy back on track, Thackeray said in his address.

Thackeray said there will be some restrictions in the state after June 30 but more relaxations will be offered gradually.

“The state has now started the unlock process under the Mission Begin Again. There will be some restrictions even after June 30, but eventually more and more relaxations will be offered to the people,” he said.

“The relaxations will be offered on case to case basis. For example, passenger transportation will continue to have some restrictions but some local services will be resumed or allowed to function, said a senior official from the CM’s office.

Thackeray emphasised

Patna, Jun 28 (PTI): Faced with financial problems due to lockdown, an all-India organisation of private schools on Sunday wrote to Prime Minister Narendra Modi, urging him to allot funds to the institutes for paying salaries to their staff and meet other expenses for five months.

Despite working hard and adapting to virtual online teaching and content development, teaching and non-teaching staff are on the verge of starvation, national president of the Private Schools and Children Welfare Association, Syed Shamael Ahmad, said in the letter.

The Patna-headquartered Association claims to have around 2 lakh members across the country.

“We humbly request your kind self to look deeply into this serious matter and take a favourable decision by allotting funds to Private Schools to enable them to pay salaries in order to save many families/lives,” the

DP-2800

CBI to probe deaths of father, son: TN CM

Locust swarms have invaded several districts in the past 48 hours and attacked trees and crops.

pur-based Locust Warning Organisation (LWO) has intensified preparation to control the population of locusts that are hovering in the desert areas between India and neighbouring Pakistan which are now a breeding ground for the pests.

According to experts, broadly four species of locusts are found in India -- desert locust, migratory locust, Bombay locust and tree locust. The desert locust is considered the most destructive since it multiplies rapidly and is capable of covering 150 kilometres in a day.

This insect, a type of a grasshopper, can eat more than its body weight. A one square kilometre of locust swarm containing around 40 million locusts, can eat as much food as 35,000 people in a day.

Exper ts blame the growing menace of desert locusts on climate change.

They say breeding of locusts is directly related to soil moisture and food availability.

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Lu c k n ow, J u n 2 8 (IANS): Several districts of Uttar Pradesh, including Jhansi, Chitrakoot, Prayagraj, Pratapgarh, Bhadohi, Azamgarh and Ambedkar Nagar, have been facing locust attacks in the past 48 hours.

In Uttar Pradesh, locust swarms have invaded several districts in the past 48 hours and attacked trees and crops.

The UP Agriculture Department said that the authorities of the neighbouring districts like Hamirpur, Banda, Fatehpur, Kaushambhi, Mirzapur, Sultanpur, Mau and Ballia have been asked to remain alert.

Deoria, the home district of state Agriculture Minister Surya Pratap Shahi, in eastern Uttar Pradesh has also faced locust attacks.

“A swarm of locusts had come to Deoria, but they descended only on the Baisila Mainuddin village.

Villagers made noise and chased them away. The swarm has gone towards Kushinagar. We are spray-

8

business/state

RBI to get more powers over banks

New Delhi, Jun 28 (Agencies): President Ram Nath Kovind on Friday promulgated an Ordinance to give the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) more supervisory powers over urban and multi-state cooperative banks.

Apart from the regulatory changes related to cooperative banks, one of the key changes the Ordinance makes in the existing law, the Banking Regulation Act, 1949, is to allow the RBI to frame a reconstruction or amalgamation scheme for all banks “even without making an order of moratorium, so as to avoid disruption of the financial system”, a press statement issued by the finance ministry on Saturday said.

The RBI has to impose restrictions on lending and withdrawal activities before it can frame a revival scheme for commercial and cooperative banks, according to the previous law.

In March, the RBI had imposed a two-week moratorium on private lender YES Bank, restricting withdrawals to Rs 50,000 per depositor, while simultaneously appointing an administrator and framing a revival plan

for the bank with the help of the central government.

This created panic among the depositors, who rushed to withdraw their money, as the moratorium was perceived by them as a sign that their money was not safe. A similar situation arose in all other cases where the RBI imposed a moratorium in the past.

The Ordinance also empowers the RBI to frame an enforceable reconstruction scheme for co-operative banks, just like it does in the

case of commercial banks (like YES Bank). It further allows the RBI to frame governance norms for the co-operative banks akin to all commercial banks.

“The Ordinance seeks to protect the interests of depositors and strengthen co-operative banks by improving governance and oversight by extending powers already available with RBI in respect of other banks to co-operative banks as well as for sound banking regulation, and by ensur-

ing professionalism and enabling their access to capital,” the press statement said.

T h e a m e n d m e n t s, however, will not apply to primary agricultural credit societies (PACS), or cooperative societies, whose primary object and principal business is long-term finance for agricultural development, and which do not use the word “bank” or “banker” or “banking” in their name.

The RBI had in September 2019 started imposing restrictions on Punjab and Maharashtra Cooperative (PMC) Bank after it discovered financial irregularities, hiding and misreporting of loans given to one loan account belonging to real estate developer HDIL. The restrictions will continue to remain in place till December 2020, though the regulator has been relaxing it from time-to-time depending upon the financial position of the urban co-operative bank.

For now, the RBI has superseded PMC Bank’s board and appointed an administrator, while barring the bank from lending and accepting fresh deposits.

Spike in COVID19 cases as India attempts ‘Unlock 2.0’ (From p-1) In other words, the source of the infection cannot be traced to someone who has come from abroad or been in touch with such a person.

He further held the view that the return of millions of migrants to villages in Bengal, UP, Bihar, Orissa, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, etc. will lead to a surge of infections in these rural hinterlands. Laxminarayan also said India would see several regional peaks as individual states hit their peak at different times.

With Coronavirus going out of control, the unlock phases of the government appears to indicate that it may seek to contain the virus through herd immunity.

Herd immunity happens when a large percentile of people across a community become naturally immune to a disease’s spread and thereby, prevent the transmission from further happening. It can happen in two ways- either by injection of a vaccine which negates the working of the virus, or when a person actually gets infected.

Nagaland Post, Dimapur monDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

Government again extends deadline to bid for AI divestment New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI): The government has again extended the deadline to bid for Air India by two months till August 31 as the COVID-19 fallout has disrupted economic activities globally.

This is the third time the deadline has been extended. The divestment process for the national carrier was initiated on January 27.

Issuing a corrigendum to the Expression of Interest (EoI) for sale of Air India, the Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM) said the deadline has been extended in view of the “re-

quest received from the IBs (interested bidders) in view of the prevailing situation arising out of COVID-19.”

While issuing the EoI in January, the last date for bids was kept at March 17, which was later extended till April 30. This was further extended to June 30, and now till August 31.

Also, the date for intimation to Qualified Interested Bidders (QIBs) has been extended by two months till September 14, the DIPAM said in the corrigendum posted on its website.

“Further changes with respect to the Important Dates, if any, will be com-

municated to the Interested Bidders subsequently,” it added. The COVID-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdowns have disrupted economic activities globally.

The aviation sector has been hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, with airlines cancelling flights and announcing pay cuts for employees. The government has already extended the time given to investors to bid for its entire 52.98 per cent stake in Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) to July 31. The initial deadline was May 2, which was extended till June 13.

Ravi’s assessment on law and order...

(From p-1) Administrators were used as mediators to compromise while police were even used as faction leaders’ bodyguards.

Accusing all development departments of sharing development funds with the extortionists, the NPCC chief said funds released under Art 275(1) for construction of 223 buildings across Nagaland vanished. Loans were taken from banks and later lenders were threatened with dire-consequences.

According to him, no contractor or supplier was free from paying commissions, with the armed groups getting to know sanction and release orders before the contractors and suppliers.

Therie further alleged that the police and tax collectors of armed groups sat together at check gates, extorting trucks across all towns. As a result, he said Nagaland does not have any industry even as continuous extortions had stymied the growth of the State’s economy.

Amazon India announces 20,000 jobs Petrol, diesel price hike paused after 21 days

New Delhi, Jun 28 (IANS): Amazon India on Sunday announced that it has opened close to 20,000 seasonal or temporary employment opportunities in its customer service organisation to ensure customers worldwide continue to have a seamless online shopping experience.

The new positions are now open in Hyderabad, Pune, Coimbatore, Noida,

Kolkata, Jaipur, Chandigarh, Mangalore, Indore, Bhopal and Lucknow. Most of the positions are part of Amazon’s ‘Virtual Customer Service’ program that provides flexible work-fromhome options, the company said in a statement.

“The new associates who will join us in our offices or work from home through our Virtual Customer Service program will

Crossword

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play a key role in relentlessly advocating for our customers and raising the bar on their experience,” says Akshay Prabhu, Director for Customer Service, Amazon India.

“Over the past few months, we have scaled up to prioritise the safety of our CS associates and continue to serve our customers’ needs.

These new seasonal positions will provide candidates job security and livelihood during these unprecedented times,” he added.

Earlier this year, Amazon had announced that it plans to create 10 lakh new jobs in India by 2025 through continued investments in technology, infrastructure, and its logistics network.

New Delhi, Jun 28 (Agencies): Prices of petrol and diesel were not raised on Sunday for the first time since June 7 when state-run oil marketing companies resumed the daily revision of fuel rates after 82 days.

Petrol is priced at Rs 80.38 for every litre and diesel at Rs 80.40 per litre in Delhi. They were increased by 25 paise per litre for petrol and 21 paise per litre for diesel in the national capital on Saturday.

Petrol will cost Rs 87.14 per litre and diesel Rs 78.71 per litre in Mumbai—the same as Saturday.

Petrol and diesel prices have gone up by almost

Rs 10 for every litre across the country since June 7, when oil marketing companies resumed the daily revision.

However, the price of petrol was not raised on June 17.

Rates have been increased across the country and vary from state to state depending on the incidence of local sales tax or VAT. The freeze in rates was imposed in mid-March soon after the government hiked excise duty on petrol and diesel to shore up additional finances.

Indian Oil Corp (IOC), Bharat Petroleum Corp Ltd (BPCL) and Hindustan Petroleum Corp Ltd (HPCL) the fall in the retail rates of a decline in international on the excise duty hikes to have adjusted fuel against that was warranted because oil prices instead of passing customers.

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WC, NNPGs condemn June 23 police action (From p-1) As Nagaland was small and who pulled the trigger would be known, WC warned that it would not remain a mute spectator in future. Alleging that they themselves were indulged such activities, the committee asked what moral authority the police had to stop “national workers” from seeking and soliciting contributions from shops and commercial centres, particularly those who had come to Nagaland and making huge profits.

Claiming that all non-local traders were well-versed about Naga history, struggle and status of Naga people, WC said they were also aware that sustenance of Naga movement was important and could not be stopped till the political conflict was resolved. It further alleged that there were ample evidences of police extortion, and wanted to know whether the Naga national workers too should form an anti-extortion squad to target the extortionist cops.

WC reminded police that the national workers had “inherited a political legacy

and responsibility that preceded Indian independence”, adding that contribution to the cause had been mandatory since the inception of the Naga struggle. Hence, it contended that the question of extortion did not arise. Mentioning the struggle was for and by the Nagas to salvage their history and political right, WC declared that it would continue to seek contributions from Naga well-wishers and non-Naga business establishments in Nagaland.

It said there was a class of people who neither contributed nor understood the political and historical rights of the Nagas, while aiming to destroy the aspiration of the Nagas in connivance with enemies. WC appealed to the Nagas to distinguish between extortionists and genuine national workers considering the current status of political its negotiations with Government of India.

Stating that it was putting every effort to sustain the Naga political movement, the committee said its responsibility was to secure an honourable and acceptable political solution for all Nagas at the earliest.

Telcos seek refund of unutilised ITC

New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI): Industry body COAI has urged the government for urgent rationalisation of “high burden” of regulatory levies on telecom service providers (TSPs), including a cut in spectrum charges and licence fee, as it cited adverse impact of the Covid-19 pandemic on the sector.

In a letter to Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the Cellular Operators’ Association of India (COAI) also made a plea for refund of the unutilised input tax credit immediately.

“Else, we request that soft loan at MCLR rate (marginal cost of fundingbased lending rate) should be given to companies, using the GST input credit as collateral,” COAI Director General Rajan Mathews said in the letter dated June 26.

The association has also urged the government to rationalise the “high burden of the regulatory levies on the TSPs with immediate effect” citing “the adverse impact on the economy and operations of the digital communication industry due to the Covid-19 pandemic”.

“The effective rate of the spectrum usage charge (SUC) should be reduced by 3 per cent for all the telecom service providers...licence fee contribution should be immediately brought down from 8 per cent to 3 per cent,” Mathews said.

On the issue of goods and service tax (GST) or service tax, COAI said levy of GST should be exempted on licence fees, SUC and payment of spectrum acquired in auctions.

“Exempt service tax

on amount of licence fee/ spectrum usage charges payable by telecom operators in compliance with...Supreme Court order,” COAI said.

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international

Global coronavirus cases hit 10 million

People stand in queue to enter a restaurant on Ocean Drive in Miami Beach, Florida.

On Saturday alone the US recorded more than 43,000 new cases, according to a tally by Johns Hopkins University. US deaths now exceed 125,000, approximately one-quarter the world total of almost 499,000.

Across the Atlantic, the EU on Saturday pushed back a decision on a list of “safe countries” from which travellers can visit Europe -- a list which could exclude the US. Meanwhile stars including Coldplay, Miley Cyrus and Jennifer Hudson

lent support to a European Commission-led drive Saturday that raised 6.15 billion euros ($6.9 billion) to support vaccine research and help make it available to poorer countries.

In India, densely populated cities have been particularly hard hit. The country set a daily record Saturday with 18,500 new cases and 385 deaths. Total infections are at 509,000, with more than 15,600 deaths.

In the Middle East, the governor of Bethlehem announced that the Pales-

Russia’s Putin aims to be president till 83

Sri Lanka lifts coronavirus curfew

Vladimir Putin (File)

ing a renewed increase in negative attitudes toward the leadership of the country.

Putin caught even many in his inner circle by surprise in January when he announced plans to carry out the most extensive reform of the constitution since it was adopted in 1993. But the clause allowing him to sidestep term limits didn’t appear until March, even if many officials later suspected that had been his plan all along.

Putin is already the longestserving leader of the world’s largest country by landmass since Soviet dictator Josef Stalin. After a 2018 backlash over a pension-age increase, the former KGB colonel has found it harder to maintain public support as falling living standards stir increased resentment.

His popularity rating at 59% - though still respectable by western standards - is the lowest since he became president in 2000, and has fallen to the level of regional governors whom Putin routinely used to outpoll, according to the Levada Center, an independent pollster in Moscow.

Putin, who delegated the main responsibility for combating the spread of

Locust swarms enter Nepal Kathmandu, Jun 28 (IANS): Nepalese officials have confirmed that swarms of desert locusts, which ravage crops, have entered the country after more than two decades. The locusts were spotted in Nepal’s southern plains of Bara, Sarlahi, Parsa and Rupandehi districts on Saturday morning, Hari Bahadur KC, spokesperson of the Ministry of Agriculture and Livestock Development, told Efe news.

The government officials, however, have not ascertained the scope of the swarms that have wreaked havoc in 60 countries.

The movement of the migratory bugs depends on the winds, and in Nepal it was blowing west to north for two consecutive days, said KC. According to the spokesperson, the locusts could have migrated to Nepal via Varanasi in India.

The Ministry said Ne-

pal experienced its first locusts attack in 1962.

However, the worst locust invasion took place in 1996 when the swarms destroyed 80 per cent of crops in Chitwan and partially damaged crops in the Makwanpur, Mahottari and Bara districts.

The arrival of the insects could deal a double blow to Nepal as it comes amid the spread of the coronavirus. Confirmed cases as of Saturday climbed to 12,309 with 28 deaths.

According to the Food and Agriculture Organization, the desert locust (Schistocerca gregaria) is considered the most dangerous of all migratory pest species in the world. They can easily affect more than 65 of the world’s poorest countries, can reproduce rapidly, migrate long distances and devastate crops and pasture.

Covid-19 to regional chiefs, has seen his ratings fall because of people’s unhappiness at the current economic crisis, said Levada analyst Denis Volkov. At the same time, the authorities for now remain in greater control than they were at the time of the mass demonstrations almost a decade ago with most Russians still hopeful the country will emerge from the crisis, he said.

After years of stagnation, Russia’s economy may shrink by 6.6% this year, the worst contraction since 2009 in the wake of the global financial crisis, according to the International Monetary Fund. Growth has averaged under 2% in the past decade, far down on the more than 7% annual expansion that helped incomes soar during Putin’s first two terms as president. The Russian central bank sees little room for improvement in coming years without structural reform.

Real incomes are falling after stagnating over the past six years, while unemployment climbed to 6.1% in May from 4.7% in March.

Putin stirred patriotic sentiments before the referendum with a massive military parade in Red Square on June 24 to mark the 75th anniversary of the defeat of Nazi Germany in World War II, a commemoration delayed by the virus from May 9. He also sought to win over ordinary Russians on the eve of the vote by unveiling fresh cash payments for families and the unemployed and a tax increase for the rich.

Colombo, Jun 28 (PTI): The Sri Lankan government on Sunday completely lifted a curfew imposed to contain the spread of the coronavirus after no new case of community infection was recorded for nearly two months in the country.

Sri Lanka has been under a continuous lockdown since March 20, a week after the first local victim of the pandemic was reported.

Initially, a nationwide blanket curfew was imposed but it was later eased for about two-thirds of the country and was mostly confined to nighttime. The government had ordered partial opening of offices and businesses mid-May. From early June, the restrictions were further relaxed with public transport being allowed. The government further relaxed the COVID-19 curfew, which was in force from 11 pm to 4 am, to only four hours from midnight to 4 am daily from June 14 onwards. “The curfew has completely been lifted effective from today, June 28 Sunday,” President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s office said in a statement.

According to health authorities, no community coronavirus case was reported in the country since April 30 and no death due to the disease was reported since June 1. Lanka has so far recorded only 2,033 coronavirus cases and 11 fatalities. Political observers opine that the lifting of the curfew was mostly due to the need to hold the election for a new Parliament.

OFFICE OF THE

VILLAGE COUNCIL, CHANGKI FELICITATION

The Village Council, Changki on behalf of all its citizens extend our sincere Congratulation to the following bonafide members of our village on their new promotion.

1. Shri Tiatemsu Changkiri (S/O Late Lima Changkiri) Promoted to DSP 8th NAP Bn. 2. Shri Aodangti Amri (S/O Imkonglemba Amri) promoted to DSP 10th NAP (IR) Bn. 3. Shri Daniel Amri (S/O Late Imtiningsang Amri) promoted to inspector, 14th NAP (IR) Bn. 4. S h r i I m c h a l e m b a A m r i ( S / O L a t e Nokcha Amri) promoted to Inspector, DEF, Mokokchung.

5. Smti Imlichila (W/O Sangpangtsung Alingri) promoted to inspector, DEF,Mokokchung.

The council wishes them all Good health and success in their new assignment .

Lendimenba Amri Imodangba Pongen Chairman Secretary

MKC-152

M o s c o w, J u n 2 8 (Agencies): After two decades in power, Vladimir Putin’s approval ratings are at an all-time low as Russia’s economy reels under the impact of the coronavirus epidemic and the slump in oil prices. What better time for him to seek to extend his presidency for potentially 16 more years?

It’s a measure of how tightly Putin has controlled the operation to amend Russia’s constitution that there’s little suspense about the result of a referendum on the changes, despite the economic pain unleashed by the virus. Approval in the vote that concludes July 1 will allow him to seek two more six-year terms after his present one ends in 2024, staying in power until 2036, when he’d be 83.

Still, amid rising public discontent, officials are pulling out all the stops to ensure a high turnout in a vote Putin wasn’t obliged to call.

While a simple majority in favor and a turnout exceeding 50% of eligible voters is all that’s required, the Kremlin won’t be happy with anything less than an overwhelming endorsement. It’s sought to woo Russians with populist sweeteners such as an effective constitutional ban on gay marriage.

“People are disenchanted with the ‘presidential republic’ and iron fist they believed in 20 years ago,” said Sergei Belanovsky, a Moscow sociologist who helped to produce polling that predicted the biggest protests of Putin’s rule in 2011-2012 and is now track-

posed a strict lockdown on nearly half a million people in a province surrounding Beijing to contain a fresh coronavirus cluster.

Beijing city official Xu Hejian told reporters that the situation was “severe and complicated,” warning that the city needed to continue tracing the spread of the virus.

The tension between reopening battered economies -- efforts pushed in the US by President Donald Trump -- and public health is a source of debate in nearly every country.

tinian city would temporarily close due to rising infections.

Iran, which has struggled to curb its outbreak even as it gradually lifted restrictions from April, has launched a mask-wearing campaign.

Supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei had warned Saturday that Iran’s economic problems would worsen if the coronavirus spreads unchecked.

The disease also continues to rampage through Latin America, with Peru topping 9,000 deaths Saturday.

Brazil -- the second hardest-hit country after the US -- recorded 990 deaths on Saturday, the highest death count in the world that day, while Mexico recorded the second highest at 719.

In the US state of Florida, Republican Governor Ron DeSantis has conceded there has been an “explosion” in new cases.

On Saturday the “Sunshine State” notched 9,585 cases in 24 hours, a new daily record.

The average age of people infected has dropped

sharply -- to 33 from 65 two months ago. Young people frustrated by months of confinement have poured back to the state’s beaches, boardwalks and bars, often without masks and seemingly unconcerned about social distancing.

Miami announced beaches will close over the July 4 holiday weekend and bars are also shutting their doors.

With Trump struggling to lift his re-election bid off the ground ahead of November, the campaign confirmed that events featuring Vice President Mike Pence in Arizona and Florida next week have been postponed “out of an abundance of caution.”

Trump had faced a backlash after insisting on a rally in Oklahoma a week ago despite virus concerns.

In California, Governor Gavin Newsom ordered some areas to reinstate stay-at-home orders, while San Francisco announced a “pause” in its reopening.

Texas -- among the first US states to reopen -also shut down its bars.

L o n d o n, J u n 2 8 (IANS): UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson has pledged that his government will “not go back to the austerity of 10 years ago”, a media report said on Sunday.

In an interview with the Mail on Sunday, Johnson set out his plans for a post-lockdown economic recovery, reports the BBC. They will include the new Infrastructure Delivery Taskforce, led by Chancellor Rishi Sunak, which according to Johnson, will look at speeding up the building of hospitals, schools, roads and also remove “bottlenecks at every step of development and delivery”. Johnson’s comment comes after economy shrank by 20.4 per cent in April - the largest monthly fall on record, due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Amid continued criticism of the way his government has handled the pandemic, the Prime Minister told the Mail that Ministers will be “doubling down on levelling up” - spending on infrastructure in order to “build our way back to health”. “We’re going to

Boris Johnson (File)

make sure that we have plans to help people whose old jobs are not there any more to get the opportunities they need. We are absolutely not going back to the austerity of 10 years ago,” he told the paper.

Meanwhile, a Downing Street spokesperson said there was no excuse for delays in bolstering the country’s infrastructure.

“The coronavirus response has shown that it doesn’t have to take years to get essential projects off the ground - the Nightingale hospitals and ventilator challenge were up and running in a matter of weeks,” the BBC quoted the spokesperson as saying.

China reviews controversial HK security bill Beijing, Jun 28 (AP): China’s legislature on Sunday began reviewing a controversial national security bill for Hong Kong that critics worldwide say will severely compromise human rights in the semi-autonomous Chinese territory.

The National People’s Congress Standing Committee took up the matter at the start of a three-day session, China’s official Xinhua News Agency reported.

China has said it is determined to enact the law, and its passage is expected by Tuesday.

The US says it will respond by ending favorable trading terms granted to the former British colony after it passed to Chinese control in 1997. The Senate on Thursday unanimously approved a bill to impose sanctions on businesses and individuals — including the police — that undermine Hong Kong’s autonomy or restrict freedoms promised to the city’s residents.

The Senate bill targets police units that have cracked down on Hong Kong protesters, as well as Chinese Communist Party officials responsible for imposing the national security law. The measure also would impose sanctions on banks that do business with entities found to violate the law.

Last week, a former United Nations human rights chief

A woman (R) holds pro-democracy posters after a protest against China’s planned national security law in Hong Kong on June 28.

and eight former UN special envoys urged the body’s secretary-general to appoint a special envoy on Hong Kong over what they said is a pending “humanitarian tragedy.”

Britain has said it would grant passports to as many as 3 million of Hong Kong’s 7.8 million people.

Beijing has denounced all such moves as gross interference in its internal affairs.

The law would criminalize secession, subversion of state power, terrorist activities and colluding with foreign forces to endanger national security. Critics say Hong Kong’s legal statutes already account for such

OFFICE OF THE

ITOVI GHAMI KUQHAKULU DIMAPUR

FELICITATION

The Itovi Ghami Kuqhakulu Dimapur with immense pride and honor extend our heartiest congratulations to Shri. Tokashe Aye on his promotion to Inspector, HG & CD, Government of Nagaland.

The Union wishes him success and good luck in his newly assigned task.

DP-2957

General Secretary Hosheto Swu

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

The Sumi Kiphimi Kuqhakulu Delhi would like to profoundly extend its heartfelt gratitude to every individual and organizations who have persistently supported us in different capacities during these trying times. It would not have been possible for the SKKD to cater to the basic needs of our people without the love shown and services rendered to us through thick and thin.

A special appreciation to: 1. Govt. of Nagaland for evacuating the stranded Nagas in Delhi 2. Nagaland Emergency Centre Delhi led by Shri Kethosituo Sekhose, DRC, Nagaland House, New Delhi 3. Dr. Hentok Phom, Senior Medical Officer, Nagaland House, New Delhi 4. Shri Kuolie Mero, PRO, Nagaland House, New Delhi 5. Nagaland House staff 6. Special Police Unit Northeast East Region 7. Shri. David Lalrinranga, IPS 8. Shri. Hibu Tamang, IPS 9. Sumi Community Delhi 10. Naga Elders in Delhi 11. No Tears Foundation 12. Hinoto P Awomi, President, NSUD 13. Isaac Charenamei, General Secretary, NSUD 14. Akavi N Zhimomi, IHRC Nagaland Chapter DP-2954 15. Mr Mavio J Woba

matters and that Beijing is determined to use the law to pursue political opponents.

The central government in Beijing also would set up a national security office in Hong Kong to collect and analyze intelligence and deal with criminal cases related to national security.

Few details have been released, but it appears that Beijing will have ultimate power over government appointments, further reducing the relative independence it promised to Hong Kong in a 1984 joint declaration with Britain that is considered an international treaty.

The measures have been widely seen as the most

significant erosion to date of Hong Kong’s British-style rule of law and high degree of autonomy that China promised Hong Kong would have under a “one country, two systems” principle.

China has long demanded such a law for Hong Kong, but efforts were shelved in the face of massive protests in 2003. Beijing appeared to have lost its patience in the face of widespread and often violent anti-government demonstrations last year, moving to circumvent Hong Kong’s own legislative council and enact the law at the national level on what critics say are weak legal grounds.

OFFICE OF THE

PHISAMI UNION DIMAPUR FELICITATION With immense pride and joy we the Phisami Union Dimapur extend our heartiest congratulations to SHRI. TOVIKA SUMI, S/O IHOTO SWU who have been promoted to Asst. Inspector of Exise and posted at Narcotic cell under the Department, Directorate of Excise, Dimapur, Nagaland.

The Union pray for your good health and further wishing you more success in your future Endeavour.

President KAHUTO YEPTHOMI P.U.D

General Secretary KHUTOLU AWOMI P.U.D

DP-2953

Paris, Jun 28 (Agencies): Global infections from the novel coronavirus have surpassed 10 million as the rate of new cases surges, according to an AFP tally on Sunday.

One million new cases were recorded in only six days, according to the AFP count, just as countries start to unwind punishing lockdowns that have devastated their economies and thrown millions out of work.

The worldwide death count from the disease that first emerged in China about six months ago is also nearing 500,000 as fears grow of a full-blown second wave.

The United States, the hardest hit country, has surpassed 2.5 million cases alone, as efforts to reopen the world’s economic powerhouse were set back by a jump in new infections in states such as Florida.

Infections are also up in some other parts of the world that have reopened, with Europe now registering over 2.6 million, according to the AFP tally based on official sources.

China on Sunday im-

9 Won’t return to austerity of 10 years ago: UK PM

ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

Also, The Sumi Kiphimi Kuqhakulu Delhi express its sincere appreciation and gratitude to every individual who have generously extended financial support in the wake of this unprecedented pandemic enabling the union in rendering our services to meet the basic amenities of our needy people. Such kindness and support truly reflects your humanity and desire to help others.

Er. Kitoshe Aye & Family Rs 30,000/Er. V Shikato Shohe Rs 5,000/Dr I Pihoto Khala Rs 5,000/Ilona T Tuccu Rs 4,000/Punuvi Chishi Rs 4000/L Tohovi Awomi Rs 2500/Tolika Y Awomi Rs 2000/Bohoto Zhimo Rs 2000/Akina Sumi Rs 1400/Kainoli Jimomi Rs 1000/Alice Achumi Rs 1000/Marykali Rs 1000/Mikato S Yepthomi Rs 500/Jepi Y Chisho Rs 500/Atoke B Aye Rs 500/Hotoka S Shohe Rs 500/Anonymous Rs 6500/The Union regrets if we have failed to acknowledge any more individual who stood by us.

DP-2955

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

Infotainment

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Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

artiste releases new Kelly Clarkson thanks estranged husband New song ‘Reflection Naga single music video ‘Down’ K (Hope)’ by Naga rappers N aga rapper and songwriter Imli Lee aka Dejavu feat Thunglamo Ngullie has released their new song “Reflection (Hope)” on June 28 on Lee's YouTube channel Imli Lee-Dejavu.

The song, Lee said has been dedicated to many youths who have made certain decisions in life and were living with regrets. “Just remember there is more to us than the bad decisions we made. And a special dedication to all the artistes trying to make it, hustle, be humble, and just hope for better days” Lee says.

The song in its first verse is inspired by a girl who gets lost in city life. The verse conveys “hard liquor she's sipping on cause her life is barely gripping on. It's better when she's feeling numb. Feelings are what she's tripping on. Her consciousness is slipping off. Feeling right but she's living wrong...”

The second verse of the song talks about struggling musicians.

The lyrics of the second verse convey “sing for the moment, with a vision. I was really young, started with poetry, turned into a song. Notebooks full of em' as the thoughts came along.....

Music helped me out when I hit depression”.

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iketoulie Metha who also goes by the stage name Ket Meth released a new music video for his latest single “Down”. According to the 19 year old Naga artiste, the song is about experiences which we all face during times of distress. It is an imagery of falling down a rabbit hole filled with sad-

ness and feeling of loneliness which one seldom fails to express. Ket said that he wanted to sing about something which most people can feel and relate to at such times, which led to the composition of the song.

One can check out the music video on YouTube and stream/download the song on iTunes and Spotify.

elly Clarkson has a winning attitude!

The talk show host and singer may have recently filed for divorce from her estranged husband Brandon Blackstock, but she's sharing a few kind words about him.

On Friday, the 38-yearold star learned that she won a Daytime Emmy Award for The Kelly Clarkson Show.

She earned an award for the category: Entertainment Talk Show Host.

"OH MY GOSH!!!!!!

What is happening?!!!! This is amazing!!! Thank y'all so much," she wrote on Twitter following her win. "And a MAJOR thank you to my entire crew that really is the reason I won!!! I can't wait to celebrate with our whole crew when humans can congregate again!! This calls for a PARTY!!!!"

Shortly after, the songstress took a moment to thank Brandon for all of his support—whom she credited as the one who encouraged her to do the show in the first place.

At this time, Brandon has yet to comment on Kelly's Daytime Emmy win.Ear-

lier this month, The Voice coach surprised fans and pop culture lovers when she filed for divorce from her husband of almost seven years. According to court documents, which were obtained by E! News, Kelly quietly filed in Los Angeles at the beginning of June. She cited irreconcilable differences as her reasoning for divorce.

Additionally, Kelly also requested joint legal and physical custody of her and Brandon's twochildren: River

Rose (6) and Remington Alexander (4).

The two have yet to publicly address their split.

However, sources close to the pair previously told E! News that their divorce has come as a complete shock.

The two got engaged in 2012, and tied the knot a year later in Tennessee. Kelly's tweet on Friday is one of the first times she's mentioned her estranged husband since the divorce filing.

(E!Online)

Robbie Williams Adele not coming out with Taylor Swift denounces 2020 census for SRK thanks fans for ‘allowing’ recalls his wild days new album anytime soon him to entertain for over 28 yrs excluding transgender, non-binary people

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aylor Swift is calling for more inclusion in the country for transgender and non-binary people.

The 30-year-old pop star was one of several celebrities to join Pride Live’s Stonewall Day Instagram livestream event to speak up for LGBTQ rights.

The remote event was held in honor of the 1969 riots that took place at the Stonewall Inn, a New York City gay bar and the historical site where the gay rights movement was launched.

“I wanted to say happy Pride Month,” Swift said to begin her recorded speech.

“The Stonewall Inn has been such a symbol of rebellion in the face of oppression and such a safe space for people.

I want to say thank you to everybody who works there, everyone who has worked there, everyone who’s made it the place that it is.”

Swift reminisced on her time performing at the venue, calling the people she met there “so lovely and wonderful.”

She also praised the

U.S. Supreme Court’s June 15 ruling protecting LGBT workers from job discrimination as a “really good step forward” before raising issues with policies she believes are lacking the same support.

“The Equality Act has still not been passed and that needs to happen,” Swift said.

The Grammy winner then condemned the Census Bureau for its lack of inclusion for transgender and non-binary people.

“I got my census the other day, and there were two choices for gender.

There was male and female, and that erasure was so upsetting to me, the erasure of transgender and non-binary people,” she said. “And when you don’t collect information on a group of people, that means that you have every excuse in the world not to support them.” “When you don’t collect data on a community, that’s a really, really brutal way of dismissing them,” she said.

(Fox News)

S

S

uperstar Shah Rukh Khan has completed 28 years in Bollywood, and he feels it’s the people who allowed him to entertain them for almost three decades.

Taking to Instagram, SRK penned a thank you note for his fans.

“Don’t know when my passion became my purpose and then turned into my profession. Thank you all for so many years of allowing me to entertain you.

“More than my professionalism I believe my passionalism will see me through many more years of service to all of you.

28 years and counting,” he wrote.

Along with it, he post-

ed a picture in which he is seen sporting beard and long hair.

“Thank you Gauri Khan for capturing this moment,” SRK captioned the post.

Shah Rukh made his foray into acting with small screen shows like “Circus” and “Fauji”. Then, in 1992, Shah Rukh entered Bollywood with “Deewana”, which also starred late actors Rishi Kapoor and Divya Bharti. And with the hard work he continued to put into his career, he gradually found a special place in the history of cinema and became one of the top personalities of the country.

(IANS)

inger Robbie Williams has shared something from his own experience. He has warned fans “not to get high and then go food shopping”.

The 46-year-old has been candid about his past abuse of drugs. He has discussed the topic again in a recent podcast, reports mirror.co.uk.

Williams recalled the time when he first quit Take That group in 1995 and the changes he went through.

He said: “I rented a flat. I went to the supermarket on my first shop. Once.

Stoned. Don’t go to a supermarket stoned. You make bad choices. I opened the fridge door and there was this whole Mr Kipling cake.

And I can remember this moment going, ‘Hang on, I don’t live with my mum. I can eat all that cake’.”

He went on to say he found himself gaining weight as a result of his high calorie diet. Williams explained: “That was January.

By February I was morbidly obese. I looked like a farm animal as it was quoted in the press in 1996, ‘Mr Kipling is a b*d’.”

(IANS)

S

inger Adele has shared that her highly-anticipated fourth album will be delayed because she is quarantining amid the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

The British singer sent some of her fans into a tizzy on Saturday when she posted a photograph of herself singing into a microphone, which she captioned with a cryptic smiley face emoji.

Her fans wondered if the picture holds a hint about her upcoming album, which will be her first album since 2015, reports people.com.

“Teaser? Albums coming out today???!!!! Tell me now!!!!a wrote one excited

fan. Adele was quick to shut down the speculation, telling the fan that they needed to “be patient”.

“Of course it’s not.

Corona ain’t over. I’m quarantining. Wear a mask and be patient,” she wrote.

Last year, rapper Nicki Minaj said the pair had recorded an “epic” song together, and shot a music video. The Grammy winner hasn’t released new music since 2015’s “25”, which featured singles like “Hello” and “Send my love (to your new lover)”. The album, which was her third studio release, earned the artist five Grammys, including album of the year.

(IANS)

Erica Fernandes opens Hulu removes ‘The Golden Girls’ episode Rolling Stones threatens up on her 3-year-long Donald Trump with legal action relationship

P

T

he Rolling Stones have threatened legal action against Donald Trump if he continues using their music at his campaign rallies.

A statement from the band said they were working with entertainment group BMI to stop the US president playing their songs at events without permission.

Mr Trump used the Rolling Stones song You Can't Always Get What You Want at his first campaign rally of the year in Tulsa last week. The president also played various other K Y M C

songs by the band during his 2016 campaign. The band tweeted at the time: "The Rolling Stones do not endorse Donald Trump."

The Rolling Stones say in the new statement that they "are taking further steps to exclude him using their songs at any of his future political campaigning." They add: "BMI [has] notified the Trump campaign on behalf of the Stones that the unauthorized use of their songs will constitute a breach of its licensing agreement.

"If Donald Trump dis-

regards the exclusion and persists, then he would face a lawsuit for breaking the embargo and playing music that has not been licensed."

The band's comments come after the family of Tom Petty issued a cease and desist letter to the Trump campaign over the use of the late guitarist's music.

The family said that Mr Petty, who died in 2017, "would never want a song of his used for a campaign of hate". Mr Trump used Mr Petty's song I Won't Back Down at the Tulsa rally.

(Dailymail)

utting an end to all rumours of dating herA “Kasautii Zindagi Kay” co-star Parth Samthaan, actress Erica Fernandes has revealed that she is not single and has been in relationship with a person who does not belong to the entertainment industry.

In a live chat on Instagram, Erica opened up about her relationship status.

“I am not single. I am in relationship and he’s not from the industry,” she said.

She also spoke about her bond with her beau.

“It’s been over three years now. We are very good friends. We speak about all kinds of nonsense..he doesn’t like watching me romance any other guy on screen,” Erica quipped.

Not only this, Erica also mentioned how her linking rumours with Parth and her previous co-star Shaheer Sheikh forced her to speak about her love life in public.

“Kahin na kahin toh effect hota hai ..(somewhere it does have an effect) and that’s why I wanted to come out and talk about it,” she added.

(IANS)

H

ulu has removed an episode of The Golden Girls containing a scene of characters in blackface after a request from the series’ distributor, Disney-ABC Domestic Television, sources tell Deadline.

The episode, titled “Mixed Blessings” and which aired in 1988, is the 23rd episode in the third season of the sitcom.

In the episode, Michael, played by Scott Jacoby, plans to marry an older Black woman, Lorraine, played by Rosalind Cash.

Dorothy, Michael’s mother, disapproves of their age difference with Lorraine’s family also opposing the interracial union. The two families join forces to stop the wedding.

Lorraine’s family arrives as Rose, played by Betty White, and Blanche, played by Rue McClanahan, are applying mud face treatment.

The two greet the family with their dark mud facial treatment retorting “This is mud on our faces, we’re not really Black.” A GIF of the scene that was

posted on Reddit is posted below.

This event caps a week of announcements regarding the removal of episodes containing characters in blackface. On Monday NBCUniversal removed four episodes of 30 Rock containing feature characters in blackface stemming from a request by show creator Tina Fey and coshowrunner Robert Carlock. On Friday, The Office creator Greg Daniels had cut a blackface scene in a 2012 episode saying that he was “sorry for the pain

that [he has] caused.”

Also on Friday Netflix and Hulu pulled an episode from Community in which Ken Jeong’s character appears in blackface.

(Deadline) Corrigendum: Apropos the news item published on June 28 under the headline, “Tetseo Sisters’ release campaign song ‘say yes to life’”, the 2nd para should be read as “SayYesToLife” and not as rendered.

(Correspondent) K Y M C

Celta dent Barca’s La Liga title bid

Players of Celta Vigo and Barcelona in action during their La Liga match.

Madrid, Jun 28 (Agencies): Barcelona was held

by Celta Vigo to 2-2 after conceding an 88th-minute equalizer on Saturday, opening the way for Real Madrid to take sole possession of the Spanish league lead.

Iago Aspas scored from a clever low free kick that went outside the wall to steal the win from Barcelona, which moved one point in front of Madrid ahead of the rival’s visit to last-placed Espanyol.

Barcelona lost the league lead after drawing

at Sevilla two rounds ago.

Madrid has yet to lose points after the pandemic break.

Celta moved further away from demotion with the draw, opening an eightpoint gap to the relegation zone. It was coming off two victories, including a 6-0 rout of Alavés.

Both Barcelona goals came from Luis Suárez, who hadn’t scored since recovering from surgery on his right knee in January.

He got on the board first with a 20th-minute header after a set-piece taken

by Lionel Messi, who again fell short of his 700th career goal for club and country. It was the third straight game in which Messi had a chance to reach the milestone goal.

Aspas, who hit the post in the first half, started the breakaway that led to the close-range equalizer

by Russian striker Fiodor Smolov in the 50th.

Suárez put Barcelona ahead again with a shot from near the center of the area after another assist by Messi in the 67th, but Aspas pulled off the late equal-

izer with his free kick that left Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen flatfooted.

Stegen later saved Barcelona from leaving Vigo without any points by making a goal-line save after a close-range shot by Nolito in the final minutes.

Barcelona hadn’t conceded in five straight matches. It hasn’t won at Celta in six consecutive matches, since 2015.

Barcelona coach Quique Setién started with youngsters Ansu Fati and Riqui Puig in the lineup, leaving Antoine Griezmann on the bench for most of the match at Balaídos Stadium.

Meanhwile, Athletic Bilbao increased its chances of qualifying for the Europa League by defeating relegation-threatened Mallorca 3-1 at home, moving to ninth place.

The Basque Country club is three points behind sixth-placed Villarreal in the final qualification spot for second-tiered European club competition.

It was Athletic’s second straight win since losing at Barcelona for its only defeat since the break. Mallorca, winless since the league resumed, remained in the relegation zone and could drop to last place depending on other results.

Indonesia announces FIFA U-20 WC venues

Ja k a rta , J u n 2 8 (IANS): The Football Association of Indonesia (PSSI) has officially picked six out of the 10 potential sports stadiums on the shortlist for the forthcoming 2021 FIFA U-20 World Cup to be staged in the country, an official has said.

The six stadiums are located on the main Java Island, Sumatra Island and Bali Island, reports Xinhua news agency.

The stadiums chosen were the Gelora Bung Karno in Indonesia’s capital of Jakarta, the Gelora Bung Tomo in East Java province’s capital of Surabaya, the Si Jalak Harupat Stadium in West Java province’s district of Bandung, the Gelora Sriwijaya Stadium in South Sumatra province’s capital of Palembang, and the Kapten I Wayan Dipta Stadium in Gianyar district in the resort island of Bali province. The U-20 World Cup is scheduled to be played from May 20 to June 12, 2021.

In September or October, FIFA’s delegates will visit Indonesia to inspect the six stadiums. “President Joko Widodo, and several ministries, have persistently given their full support to the success of this sports event, that makes us proud,” said Yunus Nusi, Acting Secretary General of PSSI.

Nadal wavers over US Open and Roland Garros M a d r i d, J u n 2 8 (Agencies): As Rafael Nadal was described as wavering over defending his US Open title or preparing for an assault on a 13th Roland Garros, Britain’s Andy Murray said he fears for the safety of top players as tennis emerges from its five-month coronavirus lockdown.

Tennis has been on ice since mid-March and will not return until early August.

The US Open will run from August 31 to September 13 on the hard courts of New York with the rescheduled French Open on clay taking place just a fortnight after.

In between are Masters events in Madrid and Rome, both on clay and also rescheduled from the spring.

“I have spoken to Rafa and he is doubting which tournaments to play,” Nadal’s uncle - and long-time former coach - Toni told ESPN Deportes.

“The schedule is unrealistic, especially for veteran players, who can-

Racism should be treated like matchfixing, says Holder London, Jun 28 (IANS): West Indies Test captain Jason Holder feels that racism should be penalised in the same manner as doping or match-fixing. Holder said that racism is one of the issues plaguing the sport and it must be dealt in similar manner as other sporting offences.

“I don’t think the penalty for doping or corruption should be any different for racism,” Holder told BBC Sport. “If we’ve got issues within our sport, we must deal with them equally.”

Holder said that antiracism briefings should become part of the pre-series routine alongwith briefings on doping and corruption.

“In addition to having anti-doping briefings and anti-corruption briefings, maybe we should have an anti-racism feature before we start a series,” he added.

“My message is that more education needs to go around it. I’ve not experienced any racial abuse first hand but have heard or seen a few things around it.

It’s something you just can’t stand for.”

K Y M C

Rafael Nadal

not compete for so many weeks in a row. I think it is a bit ugly what the ATP has done. This decision is totally against players like Rafael Nadal and Novak Djokovic.”

Murray, meanwhile, expressed his fears over player safety in quickly switching from surface to

11

sports

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

surface.

He suggested that a rankings rethink might be a solution.

“It’s not safe for players to go from the semis or final in New York, quarters even, and then you’re playing on the Tuesday in Madrid at altitude on the clay court, when players haven’t

competed for a very long time,” said Murray.

“None of the top players have competed a week before a Slam. The rankings, if you can keep the points as they are, could get a bit skewed.”

Murray added, “It might be worth potentially looking at a two-year rank-

ing for the time being so that the guys who did well last year and are not able to defend their points properly aren’t punished.

“There are big tournaments every single week and it’s going to be very difficult for players that are winning consistently to commit to that many events. I just think we need to be a bit careful with the rankings.”

Mur ray, retur ning from injury, went down to a 1-6, 6-3, 10-8 loss to Dan Evans in the semifinals of the ‘Battle of the Brits’ tournament exhibition event in Roehampton on Saturday.

It was Murray’s fourth match in five days in his first event since last November after being sidelined because of bone bruising on his pelvis.

Murray also needed hip surgery last year, but the 33-year-old is confident he is heading back to his best.

“My game is there, I just need more time to practise and prepare and I’ll get there,” he said.

Andy Murray withdraws from Battle of the Brits

Andy Murray

L o n d o n, J u n 2 8 (Agencies): Andy Murray has withdrawn from the third-place play-off at the Battle of the Brits

Man City to give Liverpool guard of honour

L o n d o n, J u n 2 8 ( Ag e n c i e s ) : M a n chester City will give newly crowned Premier League champions Liverpool a guard of honour when the teams meet at the Etihad Stadium on Thursday, manager Pep Guardiola has said.

Liverpool ended their 30-year wait for a top-flight title when last season’s champions City were beaten 2-1 by Chelsea last week, handing the Merseyside club an unassailable 23-point lead at the top of the table.

Liverpool’s first match since being confirmed as champions is at City’s stadium and Guardiola said his players would pay tribute to Juergen Klopp’s titlewinning side.

“We are going to do the guard of honour of course,” Guardiola said.

“We will greet Liverpool, when they come to our house, in an incredible way. We are going to do it because they deserve it.”

Wilder has opportunity to ‘prove everybody wrong’

Deontay Wilder

Las Vegas, Jun 28 (Agencies): Deontay Wilder has the opportunity to “prove everybody wrong” in a trilogy fight against Tyson Fury but the new champion’s promoter Frank Warren says “I don’t believe he will”.

Wilder is contracted to a third WBC heavyweight championship fight against Fury, who won their second meeting comprehensively.

“I think Tyson has got

Deontay’s number,” said his UK promoter Warren.

“I thought he won the first fight. Second fight he won it emphatically. I don’t know what Deontay can bring that’s any different from the previous two fights.”

“He feels that he can.

I know speaking to Shelly Finkel his manager, he’s very, very confident. He believes he’s got the beating of Tyson. That remains to be seen.”

Fury and Wilder’s trilogy meeting is still awaiting a finalised date and location after being postponed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

“At the moment, it’s contracted to take place in America, but it could take place anywhere at the moment, because obviously there are negotiations going on with various territories who may be interested in putting the fight on,” Warren said.

“As it stands right now, there is nothing set in stone.

It’s all talk, that’s why I’ve not really been going too much into it. It’s pointless, until something is concrete and on the table, what’s the point of commenting on something?”

“All we know is what the contract says, the rematch has to happen, so that’s where we are. When and where it happens, it will be decided I think fairly soon, because the fight will have to happen some time this year, towards the end of the year.”

Wilder insisted his ringwalk outfit, weighing 40lbs, tired his legs and contributed to his first career loss at the hands of Fury earlier this year but Warren has laughed that off. “Talk about excuses, Tyson in the first fight never came out with any excuses, never complained, which he should have done. He never complained about the result.

He never complained that he had to lose, over the course of six months, 11 stone in weight.”

“He didn’t complain that he had been inactive for a long period of time.

He never complained about anything, just got on with it, and did what he had to do.

I’m a big fan of Deontay, but I thought he embarrassed himself with some of the excuses that he made.”

“You’re better off not saying anything. Just get on with it. Get to the rematch and prove everybody wrong.

That will be his opportunity to do that. I hope he doesn’t. I don’t believe he will, but anything can happen in boxing when you’ve got big punchers. He’s a big puncher.”

Fury still has a “mountain” of terms to agree with IBF, WBA and WBO champion Anthony Joshua before an undisputed title fight can happen but Warren insists “no obstacle” should stand in the way.

“All that’s agreed is a 50-50 split,” he said.

“Who walks first? What side of the poster? Just toss a coin. Let’s make a list, here’s the 10 points. Spin a coin, whoever wins, you’ve got the first one, he’s got the second one. Get it on. Stop putting obstacles in the way. There are no obstacles in the way of this fight.”

exhibition tournament at Roehampton.

The for mer world number one was due to face Cam Norrie in a clash

of the losing semi-finalists at the event co-organised by his brother Jamie Murray.

But after playing four matches in the previous five days, in what was his first outing since November, the 33-year-old threetime Grand Slam tournament winner will not participate.

The Lawn Tennis Association confirmed the match will still go ahead with James Ward taking Murray’s place, before Dan Evans takes on Kyle Edmund in the final.

Murray was beaten 1-6 6-3 10-8 in the semifinal on Saturday by Evans, who battled back to beat the former world number one.

“I thought I started the match well and then like in all of my matches this week, my levels dropped off a bit after that,” Murray said after his defeat.

“I’ve just not been able to sustain a high level for long enough. My game is there, I just need more time to practise and prepare and I’ll get there.”

Murray has indicated his next event is likely to be the Citi Open in Washington, scheduled to start on August 14.

India, Aus match won’t look great without crowds Melbourne, Jun 28 (PTI): An “iconic” match like the Boxing Day Test between India and Australia must be played before capacity crowd and authorities should not hesitate in moving out the contest from the MCG in the wake of rising coronavirus cases of in Victoria, says Mark Taylor. The former Australia skipper also said venues like the Optus stadium in Perth and Adelaide Oval, where the situation is under control, will be vying to get the hosting rights of the prestigious Test match.

Victoria’s COVID-19 numbers have increased in the past few days, as the situation threatens to send parts of Melbourne into lockdown.

“Could it move? Obviously, because if you look at what is happening across Australia by Christmas time the MCG may only be able to host 10,000 or 20,000 people which will not look great for an iconic test like Australia and India,” Taylor told

Mark Taylor

‘Channel 9’.

“You move that to Optus stadium in Perth or even Adelaide Oval you will get full venues. Adelaide in particular loves seeing the Indians play.

The India-Pakistan game in the World Cup sold out in 52 mins or something,” he added.

Last month, Western Australia Cricket Association (WACA) chief Christina Matthews had lashed out at Cricket Australia for choosing Brisbane over Perth as one of the venues for the high-profile Test series against India, later this year.

Mizoram to have FIFA certified football ground soon Aizawl, Jun 28 (PTI): Mizoram sports minister Robert Romawia Royte on Saturday said that the state will soon have a FIFA certified football ground at Kolasib town near the Assam border.

Royte paid a visit and inspected the ongoing construction of Sports Authority of India (SAI) sports academy at Kolasib’s Saidan and the laying of artificial turf at the football ground there.

He was accompanied by supply minister and Kolasib MLA K Lalrinliana and Serlui MLA Lalrinsanga Ralte.

Royte said that the artificial turf, which is being laid at the SAI academy ground at Saidan, was certified by FIFA and is on the verge of completion.

“Mizoram will soon have its first FIFA certified football field,” he said, adding that apart from football, three more disciplines will be added at the under construction SAI sports academy at Saidan at Kolasib.

He expressed hope that the football field will greatly benefit sportspersons in the state.

The sports minister also visited Kawnpui and Vairengte in Kolasib district and inspected the feasibility of new sports infrastructure and upgrade of the existing infrastructure there.

He said that the existing football ground at Kawnpui will be upgraded to a standard ground by laying artificial turf. He inspected the feasibility of a standard basketball court and a standard volleyball court at Kawnpui, which are in the pipeline.

Royte said that the M i z o N a t i o n a l Fr o n t (MNF) led state government would set up sports training centre at Vairengte on the Mizoram-Assam border in order to fulfil its pre-poll promise.

Royte, who also holds the tourism portfolio, said that the government is mulling to revive the construction of a tourist lodge at Kawnpuia, which has been abandoned.

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sports

Nagaland Post, Dimapur MONDAY, JUNE 29, 2020

Chelsea through to FA Cup semi-finals Indian soccer needs exposure: Cahill New Delhi, Jun 28 (IANS): Former Australia and Jamshedpur FC striker Tim Cahill feels Indian football’s young prospects can make the best of their talent with systematic exposure.

Cahill, who brought his illustrious career to an end following his stint with Jamshedpur FC in the 2018-19 season of the Indian Super League (ISL), said his experience convinced him that India has what is needed to excel on the continental and world stages.

“Indian talents just need more games, get them playing all the time and competing and when they go into international fixtures, you (will) see that they can handle the pressure,” said Cahill to Star Sports Football United according to the Asian Football Confederation (AFC)’s official website.

Cahill’s spell at Jamshedpur was cut short to 11 games due to injury but the Australian veteran only has fond memories of his time with The Red Miners.

“It was amazing, I lived and breathed everything and was very close to the community as well as the owners from the Tata

in the last four.

Chelsea were guilty of a sloppy start, but Leicester lacked ruthlessness and did not call Willy Caballero into action until the 20th minute when Youri Tielemans saw his 20-yard effort turned wide.

Lampard's men had another couple of escapes soon after, as Harvey Barnes blazed high and wide before Jonny Evans failed to direct a free header on target from

a free-kick.

But Leicester had to rely on Kasper Schmeichel to avoid going behind in the 30th minute, the Danish goalkeeper producing a fine reaction save to deny Christian Pulisic.

A seemingly unimpressed Lampard made three alterations at half-time and it led to an improvement – Tammy Abraham finding the net in the 55th minute, only for celebrations to be

cut short by an offside flag.

A Ben Chilwell cross hit the crossbar at the other end, but that was a momentary lapse in Chelsea's second-half domination and they deservedly went ahead just past the hour – half-time substitute Barkley expertly turning in Willian's low cross.

The Blues should have finished Leicester off on the break in the 89th minute, but Barkley's initial pass to Ruben Loftus-Cheek was poor and when the ball was returned to him the former Everton midfielder's shot was saved in unorthodox fashion by Schmeichel.

It had no impact on the result, however, as Chelsea head to Wembley.

Few would have taken issue with Lampard's starting XI. After all, the three players taken off at halftime – Mason Mount, Billy Gilmour and Reece James – are all fine prospects.

However, when it was not working out, Lampard was able to turn to the likes of Barkley and Mateo Kovacic on the bench, and both were very bright after coming on.

Leicester go to Everton in the Premier League on Wednesday, while Chelsea face London rivals West Ham the same day.

Robben comes out of retirement

Meunier can play CL with PSG

More footballers will follow Devi’s footsteps

Chelsea's Ross Barkley wheels away in celebration after scoring a goal during their FC Cup match against Leicester City on Sunday.

L o nd o n , J u n 2 8 (Agencies): Ross Barkley came off the bench to secure Chelsea a 1-0 victory at Leicester City and take Frank Lampard's side into the FA Cup semi-finals.

Lampard made three substitutions after an underwhelming first-half display and they changed the game for the Blues, with Barkley – one of those introduced – getting the decisive goal.

Leicester looked the

better side in the opening period and appeared to have greater control of proceedings, though their final pass did not match up to promising build-up play.

Chelsea produced a marked improvement in the second half after Lampard tinkered with his team and Barkley ended the deadlock with a smart finish in the 63rd minute, earning his team a place alongside Manchester United and Arsenal

Arjen Robben

Amsterdam, Jun 28 (IANS): Former Bayern Munich and Netherlands midfielder Arjen Robben is set to come out of retirement to play for his boyhood club FC Groningen.

The 36-year-old, while making the announcement in a video on the club’s website, however also said that he hopes to be fit enough to

play for them next season.

“We’re coming home, back to Groningen,” Robben said in a video posted on the club website on Saturday. “At this time, I’m not sure it will happen,” he said. “What I am sure of is that my drive and motivation will be 100%. It will be a tough physical challenge, but I’m going for it.”

“These past few weeks, I’ve had many conversations with club staff and maybe more than anything I have listened to our supporters: ‘Arjen, follow your heart’,” he is quoted as saying by the club’s website.

“We’re coming home during this difficult time of crisis, one that also hits FC Groningen. It’s great to see how everyone is supporting the club, I’ve supported the club as well and it made me think about what else I could do for our club.”

Robben made his debut for Groningen at the age of 16 in 2000 before moving to PSV Eindhoven.

He went on to play for Chelsea, Real Madrid and Bayern Munich, winning the Dutch league once, the Premier League twice, LaLiga once and the Bundesliga eight times. He also scored the winning goal in Bayern’s Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund in 2013.

He was also capped 96 times for Netherlands with whom he finished runnerup in the World Cup in 2010 and in the third place in the 2014 tournament.

Berlin, Jun 28 (Agencies): Full-back Thomas Meunier could still play in the latter stages of this season’s Champions League for Paris Saint-Germain despite signing for Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga club’s CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke said on Sunday.

Belgian international Meunier has signed a fouryear deal with Dortmund and will join on a free transfer after the end of his PSG contract at the end of this month.

“We told him, ‘If you want to play in the Champions League, it’s OK for us’,” Watzke told Sport1.

“The quarter-finals of the Champions League is a hell of a level of football. If he wishes, we will have to negotiate the details with Paris. He is still thinking and we will try to resolve this matter with Paris.”

PSG beat Dortmund 3-2 on aggregate in the last 16 to reach the quarter-finals before the coronavirus lockdown, with the Champions League set to be concluded with a ‘final eight’ tournament in Lisbon in August.

New Delhi, Jun 28 (PTI): India women’s football team goalkeeper Aditi Chauhan feels that with the growth in profile of the game in the country, more players will follow the footsteps of trailblazer Bala Devi, who ventured out of the country in search of a professional career.

Women’s football is expected to get a boost with India hosting the FIFA U-17 World Cup next year and the AFC Asian Cup in 2022.

Aditi believes more girls will emulate striker Devi, who last year became the first Indian woman to play in a top-flight professional league in Europe. She now plays in Scottish Premier League with Glasgow-based Rangers.

“There is so much potential in India. I want more girls to get such exposures, and learn from playing against better opponents. With more avenues for younger girls coming up, I am sure there will be others who will follow in Bala’s footsteps. Bala is a gem of a player and her move to

Tim Cahill

Group,” Cahill added.

“One of the best things about the organisation and the club was that everything we did was for our fans and everything that Jamshedpur FC did was for the players,” Cahill said.

“The academy where we trained was not even half a mile away from our flats. We were around kids and in schools where we opened up training programmes.”

“I was asked about fundamental skills and things that I do such as projects. Literally, it was just crazy -- the stadium (JRD Tata Sports Complex),” said Cahill, who had also spent eight years

Bala Devi

Rangers is amazing,” said Chauhan.

Chauhan had played in England for London-based West Ham Ladies between 2015 and 2018, though not in the top-tier league, when she was pursuing her studies in the UK. “The standard

of play, the culture is so different. It’s a total professional set-up in Europe. The experience which she will gain will benefit not just her (Devi), but Indian football in general,” she said.

“Whenever she comes back to play for the National

at English Premier League club Everton, featuring in 226 matches with 56 goals to his credit.

“We were in the middle of nowhere and we have thousands at the game. I’m very blessed to have had that kind of experience.”

“The ISL and the leagues that are being played with its infrastructure are great and the only thing that the game needs more than anything is unity.” “Everyone is flowing in the same direction to get to that one goal, which is to win an AFC Asian Cup title, to reach the World Cup and help women’s football and to develop our own leagues.”

Team, we’d eagerly wait to hear about her experiences.

I am sure she’ll love to share all of that – especially with the U-17 girls. Her knowledge will matter a lot shaping the career of younger girls.”

Chauhan, who has earned 15 caps for the country since making debut in 2012, also said women’s football has now become more pan-Indian and gone are the day when the Manipuri players completely dominated the national team. “When I first started playing for the national team, it was majorly dominated by players from Manipur. But it has become more of a diverse team now.

The team now has a pan Indian representation,” she said.

“The competition for places in the team has grown – everyone is pushing each other. No one is comfortable as there are new kids coming from all over and securing slots in the squad. That’s how the team has grown, and the results have come out so well.”

Bundesliga: Bayern demolish Wolfsburg 4-0

Bayern Munich players celebrate with Bundesliga trophy after defeating VfL Wolfsburg.

B E R L I N, J u n 2 8 (Agencies): Bayern Munich, already crowned Bundesliga champions last week, lifted the league trophy in an empty stadium on Saturday after crushing hosts VfL Wolfsburg 4-0 on the final matchday.

The Bavarians, who have matched a club record of 25 matches in all competitions without defeat and are unbeaten in the Bundesliga in 2020, went ahead in the fourth minute

with Kingsley Coman netting from Thomas Mueller’s 21st assist, a league record.

Mickael Cuisance then rifled in from 25 metres for a sensational goal in the 37th and the 20-yearold Frenchman earned a penalty, which resulted in Joshua Guilavogui being sent off with a second booking. Bundesliga top scorer Robert Lewandowski converted it for his 34th goal of the season.

The Polish striker earned his fifth Bundesliga top scorer award and his third in a row. Mueller then made it 4-0 in the 79th minute as Bayern took their season goal tally to 100, one less than the league record set by them in the 1971-72 season.

“I am just proud of the way we have presented ourselves in the past months,” said coach Hansi Flick, who took over as interim coach in November.

Flick has since signed a deal to 2023.

“Obviously we were relieved to resume play after the coroanvirus break.

So in a way it is a special league title for us,” he said of his first title in his debut season as head coach in the Bundesliga.

For Wolfsburg the defeat denied them a direct Europa League group stage spot, leaving them in seventh place.

The bizarre trophy

ceremony in the empty Wolfsburg stadium was a reflection of the season that was interrupted for more than two months in March due to the COVID19 pandemic.

With no families, fans or friends in the stands to share their joy, the Bayern players were left to celebrate lifting the sparkling trophy with a handful of club bosses in the stands.

Bayern can win more silverware next week with the German Cup final against Bayer Leverkusen.

They are also still in the Champions League.

“It is a special but strange moment,” said German football League CEO Christian Seifert in an address before the trophy ceremony. We have never experienced a season ending in such a way, no fans, no whistles, no cheers.”

“It is not the Bundesliga we want but the only Bundesliga that could be played under the circumstances. This championship title belongs a bit to all of us to have played the season out and it ends with a sporting champion.”

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