#Mr Lee Kuan Yew

[richardnixonlibrary]

#Nixon50 #OTD 4/10/1973 President and Mrs. Nixon hosted a State Dinner honoring Prime Minister of Singapore Lee Kuan Yew and his wife Kwa Geok Choo. Lee Kuan Yew served as Singapore’s first Prime Minister during the years 1959-1990. Their son, Lee Hsien Loong, is the current Prime Minister of Singapore, an office he has held since August 2004. (Image: WHPO-E0596-14)

[bllnr]

Mandala Club Unveils Daniel Arsham Sculpture Installation in Tribute to Mr. Lee Kuan Yew https://tinyurl.com/27t4vu5u

[embunroseedh]

Death of the honorable Mr. Ali Yusoff. He had been the only one to photograph our founding father, Honorable LKY, when our country was expelled from Malaysia.

https://www.straitstimes.com/singapore/photographer-who-shot-the-only-print-image-of-lee-kuan-yew-in-tears-dies

[jeronimoloco]

Royston Tan's LKY100

The National Museum of Singapore is literally going big in the commemoration of Mr Lee Kuan Yew’s 100th birth anniversary. With National Day just around the corner, images of Singapore’s first Prime Minister are being projected across the museum’s façade as part of its National Day façade light-up from 21 July to 9 August 2023 (7.30pm to 12 midnight). The images, come from snippets of a short…

[chawsl]

OPINION

FARAH STOCKMAN

*He Made His Country Rich, but Something Has Gone Wrong With the System*

_April 12, 2023_

"But now, eight years after the death of Lee Kuan Yew, Singapore is at a crossroads. It’s being run by his eldest son, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, who leans heavily on his father’s legacy. Elections for the largely ceremonial post of president are expected in September and parliamentary elections are due by 2025. The prime minister’s potential successor has already been picked. But the ruling People’s Action Party has never looked so vulnerable.

Critics say Singapore is becoming more like a plutocracy, in which well-paid yes men with the right connections to the Lee family rise up the ranks. Today, Singapore is a place where forklift operators can face jail time for taking one-dollar bribes but executives from the Singaporean conglomerate Keppel — who paid millions in bribes, according to the U.S. Justice Department — got off with “stern warnings.” (Officials in Singapore have said that they didn’t have enough evidence to take the case to court.)

The trouble is that the system requires someone like Lee Kuan Yew at the top — strict and charismatic, as Michael Barr, author of “Singapore: A Modern History,” told me. “But no one who has that political skill would ever rise to the top today because that person would be regarded as a threat,” he said.

Perhaps the clearest sign that something in Singapore has gone wrong is the fact that Lee Kuan Yew’s youngest son and one of his grandsons say they are now living in exile, fearful that they would be arrested if they ever returned.

“My uncle doesn’t want competing claims to legitimacy,” Lee Kuan Yew’s grandson Shengwu Li told me over a cup of tea in Cambridge, Mass. “Authoritarian systems don’t survive by taking chances. If they think there’s a 5 percent chance I’ll be a problem for them, they want that to be zero.”

The irony is that Mr. Li, a 38-year-old assistant professor of economics at Harvard who was just awarded a top honor in his field, doesn’t have political ambitions. Soft-spoken and cerebral, he says he’s happy working on his theorems in a place where nobody gives him special treatment because he’s related to Lee Kuan Yew. After 10 years studying at Oxford and Stanford, he got used to certain freedoms.

Lee Hsien Yang, Lee Kuan Yew’s youngest son, says he has been fighting to honor his father’s wish not to have a cult of personality built around the house. But he says his elder brother, the prime minister, wants to preserve the house as a national monument to bolster his own political legitimacy. Lee Hsien Yang spoke out publicly against his brother, only to get hit with an investigation. Eventually, he fled the country, like his son. It seems to be an example of what Kenneth Paul Tan, a Singaporean professor of cultural studies, calls the “politics of evermore sophisticated bullying.” At its core, the fight isn’t about a house or a will. It’s about the future of Singapore.

“The institutions in Singapore, whether it is the judiciary, the civil service, the army, the institutions of higher learning, have all gradually come under direct control in a way that stifles independent thinking and challenge,” Lee Hsien Yang told me. Lee Kuan Yew would solicit different views and occasionally change his mind, he said. “Today, the Singapore authorities no longer have people who would challenge the system to say, ‘Here’s my view. I don’t think you are doing the right thing.’ They are too well-paid.”

Lee Hsien Yang and his son Shengwu Li avoided politics for most of their lives, but since the feud over the house burst into public view, both have voiced sympathy for the political opposition, lending the legitimacy of that crucial family name. Yet their ability to help the opposition has been curtailed by the accusations against them. The episode has exposed the cracks in Singapore’s celebrated system. If Lee Kuan Yew’s son and grandson can feel compelled to flee, what can happen to ordinary people?

Political scientists weren’t sure that Singapore’s highly successful system would outlast Lee Kuan Yew. By the end of his life, even the great man himself spoke of preparing for the day when his party would lose power. That’s the thing about benevolent autocracies: They tend to expire. They either cease to be autocracies — as happened in South Korea and Chile — or they cease to be benevolent."

[anurupautomobiles]

N. Chandrababu Naidu's Zeal for Transforming Andhra Pradesh

The State Administration of Andhra Pradesh has a unique calendar where the second day of the week is designated as Polavaram day instead of Monday. This change highlights the conviction of the Former Chief Minister, Nara Chandrababu Naidu, to prioritize the ambitious multi-purpose irrigation project that aims to interlink the Godavari and the Krishna rivers to address the water deficit in the latter’s river basin. Chandrababu Naidu, who has served as the Chief Minister of Andhra Pradesh for three terms, has not lost his zeal and determination to bring about transformation, despite being in the political wilderness for a decade.

Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s past initiatives, such as transforming the twin cities of Hyderabad and Secunderabad into a cyber-hub, also known as India’s Silicon Valley, demonstrates his ability to think outside of the box and strive for the seemingly impossible. He is working towards building the state capital, Amaravati, from scratch, with the help of TDP leaders, TDP MLAs, and entities from Singapore. He is determined to make Andhra Pradesh drought-proof through the Polavaram project. To get more info on this visit TDP’s recent news on TDPs official site.

Designating Polavaram as the first priority of the week is a signal from N. Chandrababu Naidu to his team and the rest of the state administration that the project is a top priority. Not only does it address a key development issue, but it also represents Chandrababu Naidu’s search for a “Yes, we can" moment and a daunting challenge in his career. He aims to implement the ‘Sunrise Andhra Pradesh-Vision 2029’ plan, which envisages Andhra Pradesh as one of the top three most developed states in India by 2022.

Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s association with the Bharatiya Janata Party-led National Democratic Alliance (NDA) has ensured that the federal government has designated the Polavaram project as a national project, spurring decision-making. The 40-year-old project is finally taking shape, and he is determined to see it through to completion. The project is expected to bring water to the Krishna River and also feed Visakhapatnam by 2018, with all aspects of the project being completed by 2019.

Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s admiration for the late Lee Kuan Yew, the founding father of Singapore, has led him to rope in entities from the city-state in designing and developing the new capital. Mr Chandrababu Naidu’s vision for Andhra Pradesh is to achieve sustained double-digit growth in the state’s economy, leading to a thorough structural transformation and making the state one of the best investment destinations in the world. The Polavaram project is a crucial step towards achieving this goal, and N. Chandrababu Naidu’s determination to make it a top priority shows his unwavering commitment to bringing about transformation in Andhra Pradesh.

In conclusion, Nara Chandrababu Naidu’s decision to designate Polavaram day as the second day of the week in the state administration’s calendar is a clear indication of his conviction to prioritize the project and bring about change in Andhra Pradesh. N. Chandrababu Naidu’s past initiatives and ambitious plans for the state demonstrate his determination to bring about transformation and make Andhra Pradesh one of the best investment destinations in the world.

[latestupdatesoftdp]

Andhra Pradesh Competing With Developed Nations Regarding Business Practices: N Chandrababu Naidu

A day after securing the status as India's second-best state in ease of doing business, Andhra Pradesh Former Chief Minister N Chandrababu Naidu says he will now look at competing with the already developed economies in the country and focus on best practices to attract investments in the state. In an exclusive interview with ET's CR Sukumar in Vijayawada, where Andhra Pradesh is preparing to build its Greenfield capital city with the planning assistance of Singapore, Chandrababu Naidu said this time he will focus mostly on port-based economic growth engines, leveraging the long coastline, to make Andhra Pradesh the most preferred destination not just in India but in the region which turned out as best of TDP Contributions.

They played an excellent role in promotion, clearances, and support to prospective investors in terms of comprehensive information online, apart from online clearances through a single desk mechanism. The TDP Government would now work with Singapore- based Lee Kuan Yew Institute of Excellence, with whom they have tied up recently, to improve further their parameters on the front of ease of doing business. The TDP government of Andhra Pradesh is also establishing an Economic Development Board and appointing specialized nodal officers for each industry segment to help the state identify them globally. Now that they have excelled in rankings among the Indian states, the idea is to look at competing with developed economies in the region. With the help of many Top TDP Leaders and the Best TDP MLA Candidates the TDP Government attained much success under the presence of their chief head, Mr. Nara Chandrababu Naidu. Many of the governments in the state are not as successful as the Government of TDP. The focus on IT and ITES sectors earlier was owing to the available opportunities then, which helped Chandrababu Naidu and his team to build Cyberabad city with robust infrastructure to attract global IT giants. Then he wants to focus on a port-based economy and develop Andhra Pradesh as the logistics hub by connecting the airports and seaports. 

The TDP Government had many Contributions which turned out to be some of the Top TDP Achievements. The government of Andhra Pradesh also built industrial hubs, townships, and special economic zones around the seaports and airports. The focus will be on the two large industrial corridors coming up in the state — the Vizag- Chennai industrial corridor which the Asian Development Bank has extended. Rs 5,000 crores of financial assistance for the asian development bank and the Chennai- Bangalore industrial corridor connecting Krishnapatnam port in Andhra Pradesh were made under TDP Government and are said to be some of the Greatest  TDP Achievements. Industrial parks for agro-processing, food, hardware, software, automobile, defense and aerospace, pharmaceuticals, and textile, among others will come up around these port-based industrial infrastructure projects. 

It had attracted global investors to consider investing in the state of Andhra Pradesh. Therefore giving abundant opportunities for the state. The Coast-based states all around if looked at have at least 3-4 times better opportunities over the landlocked states. The Greenfield capital city construction in Andhra Pradesh also offers huge investment opportunities. The state government of Andhra Pradesh concentrates on a few ‘queen bee' sectors like hardware, software, and tourism with an ecosystem given the large employment generation potential.

[legislative-assembly-sg]

FIRE

In a surprise move, attorneys from the Attorney General's office entered the Legislative Assembly to put on trial multiple members of the Assembly. First was Chief Minister David Marshall, who faced accusations of misleading the Legislative Assembly, False Police Complaint, Conspiracy to commit crime, among other crimes. He represented himself, which forced many awkward moments within cross-examination. He seemingly resigned before the trial began, sparking confusion.

Next, Mr Lim Chin Siong opted to be represented by Mr Saul Badman, a pro-bono public defender, who all but admitted to the prosecution, represented by Mr Saul Good man, that the client was guilty. Mr Lim Chin Siong was also thrown under the bus, spectacularly, by former business partner Mr Ahmad Ibrahim, who was represented by Mr Lim Koon Teck. Mr Lim Koon Teck's passionate defence of Mr Ahmad Ibrahim has showed off his intellect and showcases why he is the first Asiatic person to join the Colonial Civil Service.

Mr Abdul Hamid Jumat, who faced accusations of being an accessory to arson, was defended by Mr Saul Gooderman. The defence and prosecution fought with one another on the most details, ignoring every other detail, like the damage caused

Mr Lee Kuan Yew, who faced accusations of being aligned with radical interests, was defended by Mr William Tan Ah Lek, who vociferously defended his client, spamming objections

For the verdicts, all members, except for Ahmad Ibrahim, were found guilty, with the ruling stating that members have to either pay the 10, 000 pound sterling fine or face a prison sentence of 10 years. As convicted members cannot serve while in prison, they effectively resign from their positions as members of the Legislative Assembly and would be escorted to prison shortly

[creatision]

Mr Lee Kuan Yew taking questions in Hong Kong

Lee was born at home on 16 September 1923, the first child to Lee Chin Koon and Chua Jim Neo, at 92 Kampong Java Road in Singapore, then part of the British Empire. Both of Lee's parents were English-educated third-generation Straits Chinese, with his paternal side being of Hakka descent from Dabu County. He was named 'Kuan Yew', meaning 'light and brightness', alternately meaning 'bringing great glory to one's ancestors'. Lee's paternal grandfather Lee Hoon Leong, who was described as "especially westernised", had worked on British ships as a purser, and hence gave Lee the Western name 'Harry'. While the family spoke English as its first language, Lee also learned Malay Lee would have three brothers and one sister, all of whom lived till old age.

Lee was not close to his father, who worked as a storekeeper within the Shell Oil Company and had a gambling addiction. His mother Chua would often stand up against her husband for his poor fiscal management and parenting skills.The family was considered prosperous with a high social standing compared to recent immigrants and had the expenses to hire servants.[26] During the Great Depression the family fortunes declined considerably, though Lee's father retained his job at Shell.[19] Later in life, Lee described his father as a man with a nasty temper and credited his mother with holding the family together amidst her husband's gambling addiction.

In 1930, Lee enrolled at Telok Kurau English School where he spent six years of his primary education. Attending Raffles Institution in 1935, Lee did poorly in his first two years but later topped the Junior Cambridge examinations. He also joined the Scouts and partook in several physical activities and debates. Lee was the top scorer in the Senior Cambridge examinations in 1940 across the Straits Settlements and Malaya, gaining the John Anderson scholarship to attend Raffles College. During the prize-awarding ceremony, Lee met his future wife Kwa Geok Choo; she was the only girl at the school. His subsequent university studies at Raffles College were disrupted by the onset of World War II in Asia, with the school being converted into a medical facility in 1941. The war arrived in December of that year and following the British surrender in February 1942, the Japanese occupation of Singapore began.

[ricfreak]

Brought my LKY composite acoustic along for the staycation....

[grandmaster-anne]

The Queen (centre) and Prince Philip held a dinner party for the Commonwealth Prime Ministers attending a conference at Buckingham Palace in London. (Front row, l-r) Sir Dawda Jawara (The Gambia), Dr Hastings Banda (Malawi), Harold Wilson, Tunku Abdul Rahman (Malaysia), Archbishop Makarios III (Cyprus), Keith Holyoake (New Zealand), Siaka Stevens (Sierra Leone) and John Gorton (Australia). (Second row, l-r) Zakir Hussain (Pakistan), Chief Jeremiah Obafemi Awolowo (Nigeria), Dr Borg Olivier (Malta), Mrs Indira Gandhi (India), Dudley Senanayake (Ceylon), Dr Milton Obote (Uganda), Pierre Trudeau (Canada), Mr Harlley (Ghana), Hugh Shearer (Jamaica) and Lee Kuan Yew (Singapore). (Third row, l-r) Sir Seewoosagur Ramgoolam (Mauritius), Prince Cedza Dlamini (Swaziland), Chief Joseph Leabua Jonathan (Lesotho), Dr Kenneth Kaunda (Zambia), Dr Julius Nyerere (Tanzania), Mr Gichuru (Kenya), Dr Eric Williams (Trinidad and Tobago). (back row, l-r) Sir Seretse Khama (Botswana), Errol Barrow (Barbados) and Forbes Burnham (Guyana). 8 January 1969

[theji]

Was casually watching the DDU episode where they visited Changsha Library and Yibo played a cat named Cabbage in a book reading session. Then this scene popped out and it was such a pleasant surprise.

Han-ge sharing his prized collection of books and one of them is a signed copy of Mr Lee Kuan Yew's memoir. Han-ge mentioned that when LKY's son Lee Hsien Loong went on DDU in 2010, he asked for his signature as well. For those who may be unaware, the late LKY was Singapore’s former Prime Minister and considered Singapore’s founding father, while LHL is the current Prime Minister.

Of cos I had to find out more about this cos why would my PM be on DDU?! Turns out PM Lee was visiting Hunan and the TV station was one of the stops. At that time they happen to be filming DDU so they invited him and his wife on the show, and they actually agreed!

I managed to find the 2010 video here.

Han-ge took the chance to ask for LHL's signature. And DDU brothers were so funny. Ou Di and Feng Ge fighting over the mic that LHL touched, and the rest of the brothers trying to lay claim on the book.

"Your book is now in my car."

"Your car has already been driven away by my chauffeur. "

"Your chauffeur is now at my place."

But Han-ge has the last word. DDU brothers can't win him at all.

"Your house has already been bought by me." 🤣

What a cheap thrill to discover this tiny link between myself and DDU, and by extension, Yibo. ☺ The fandom never ceases to surprise me.

[solsingapore]

he founders of Sol had many great memories in the area of Tanjong Pagar, and we have always wanted to make this place our home. With the dwindling number of shops resulting from the COVID-19 situation, Sol is extremely honoured to be given a chance to carry on the legacy of Tanjong Pagar and its nightlife. Reflecting its origins as a former fishing village with many kelongs, Tanjong Pagar in Malay means "Cape of stakes". The legend, however, was that the fishing villages were constantly under attack by shoals of swordfishes. This led to the Sri Maharaja building a barricade of banana stems along the coast, which successfully trapped the attacking fishes as soon as they leap from the waters. Due to the favourable terrain and soil conditions, early settlers focused mainly on agricultural activities such as nutmeg farming. Some of these owners included Mr Tan Tock Seng and Charles Spottiswoode where their last names are all street names along the road of Tanjong Pagar. Tanjong Pagar also played an essential role in the development of Singapore's transport node. In the early 1900s, the Jinrikisha Station was built along with Neil and Tanjong Pagar Road, serving as a critical depot for rickshaws - an essential means of transport back then. As the 20th century emerge, Tanjong Pagar started to be more urbanised, where commercial and housing began to develop and the emergence of the shophouses we still see today. Politically, Tanjong Pagar is also known as the electoral district where the late PM Lee Kuan Yew was serving as the longest Member of Parliament (MP) for 60 years. Since then, Tanjong Pagar has changed drastically. Now, it has become an essential part of the Central Business District (CBD), filled with a mixture of enthralling developments from Residential to Food & Beverages. With its distinctive evolving blend of contemporary and traditional architecture, Tanjong Pagar's importance as a heritage landmark is eternal, and Sol is proud to play a part in continuing it! As Sol always believes in, go to the people and the places that set a spark in your soul. Come to Sol and relive your best days. Help us, find you a home with us at sol.

[jolenelaiart]

A 1992 oil on canvas of the 'Swearing-in of Lee Kuan Yew as Singapore's first prime minister' by artist Lai Kui Fang. The event was held at City Hall on June 5th 1959, and the painting documents Mr Lee Kuan Yew reciting the oath of office to become the first PM of Singapore. On the right of the painting is Sir William Goode, the last British governor of Singapore. Originally known as the island of Temasek, Singapore was founded in 1299 by Sang Nila Utama who renamed the island to Singapura. 'Singa', which means 'lion', and 'Pura', 'city', hence why Singapore is sometimes referred to as the 'Lion City'. It later adopted its modern name 'Singapore' in 1819 when Sir Stamford Raffles established it as a trading post of the British Empire. Singapore would eventually gain full independence from Malaysia in 1965. This sovereign island nation is located just off the southern tip of Peninsular Malaysia in Southeast Asia, and will be celebrating its 55th independence on August 9th. Happy Birthday Singapore! ( First viewed this painting at the @peranakanmuseum ) #Singapore #LeeKuanYew #happyBirthday #country #independent #nationalDay #art #oilPainting #tpmsg #peranakan #painting #artist #history https://www.instagram.com/p/CDpiS4ynRA8/?igshid=2kiksa60nvxy

[statestimes]

Lee Hsien Loong: I am your dog

During the election rally last night, Lee Hsien Loong said he is a dog for Singaporeans:

“MM (the late Minister Mentor) Mr Lee Kuan Yew used to say that this is dog loyalty and not cat loyalty. The difference is the dog loyalty is to the person. If the person goes somewhere else, the dog goes with him. The cat loyalty is not to the person. And MPs, our relationship with our voters is dog loyalty and they must build it.”

The Singapore ruling party dictator had an embarrassing turnout for his online election rally last night, with only 7,000 viewers on Facebook Live.

The viewership is less than 4% for Ang Mo Kio GRC where there are over 185,000 constituents.

The five PAP candidates described the upgrading projects in Ang Mo Kio GRC, claiming credit for the development.

[newstfionline]

Headlines

Protests, police and the use of force (NYT) Demonstrations continued across the United States on Sunday amid growing concern that aggressive law enforcement tactics intended to impose order were instead inflaming tensions. Videos showed police officers in recent nights using batons, tear gas, pepper spray and rubber bullets on protesters, bystanders and journalists, often without warning or seemingly unprovoked. The footage, which has been shared widely online, highlighted the very complaints over police behavior that have drawn protests in at least 75 cities across the United States. In Salt Lake City, officers in riot gear shoved a man with a cane to the ground. In Brooklyn, two police S.U.V.s plowed into a crowd of protesters. In Atlanta, police officers enforcing a curfew stopped two college students in a car, fired Tasers on them and dragged them out of the vehicle. And in Minneapolis, where there have been six consecutive nights of protests and clashes, a video appeared to show officers yelling at people on their porches to get inside and then firing paint canisters at them. “Light them up,” one officer said.

Deadly police raid fuels call to end ‘no knock’ warrants (AP) It’s the stuff of nightmares: Breonna Taylor and her boyfriend were in bed when a trio of armed men smashed through the front door. Gunfire erupted, killing the 26-year-old black woman. The three men turned out to be plainclothes police detectives, one of whom was wounded in the chaos and violence that March night. Taylor’s death led to protests and a review of how Louisville police use “no knock” search warrants, which allow officers to enter a home without announcing their presence, often in drug cases to prevent suspects from getting rid of a stash. Taylor’s name is one of those being chanted during nationwide protests decrying police killings of black people.

SpaceX capsule docks at ISS carrying US astronauts (WSJ) Elon Musk’s SpaceX on Sunday successfully docked a company-owned capsule carrying a pair of NASA astronauts with the International Space Station, capping a weekend of notable accomplishments that opened a new chapter in commercial space endeavors. Nineteen hours after a Falcon 9 rocket lifted off Saturday from Florida on a historic voyage featuring the first-ever private spacecraft to attain orbit with people on board, astronauts Doug Hurley and Bob Behnken made more history. They monitored the stately, automated rendezvous of their Crew Dragon capsule with the orbiting international laboratory 250 miles above earth, linking up at 10:16 a.m. ET to mark a new industry-government partnership aimed at revitalizing U.S. space ambitions.

Ambassadorships to the highest bidder (Foreign Policy) The United States is quite unique among major democracies in its custom of giving coveted ambassadorships to the highest bidder. Although it’s a bipartisan practice, the Trump administration has set a new record in the proportion of ambassadorial roles going to donors over career diplomats. Roughly 44 percent of Trump administration ambassadors have come from political appointments, versus the historical average of 30 percent, according to the American Foreign Service Association. Under U.S. law, career diplomats must outnumber political appointees in ambassadorial roles. That balance is under threat, with 57 percent of ambassador nominations this year going to political appointees.

The pandemic is making people reconsider city living, trading traffic for chickens (Washington Post) For 49 years, Jinky Demarest de Rivera has lived and thrived in dense, vibrant cities. The nonprofit finance director grew up in Manhattan and for the past 16 years has made a home in Oakland, where they live with their wife, Sara Demarest de Rivera, and dog, Onyx. Now the family is packing everything up for a large house in New York’s rural Hudson River Valley with enough room for chickens. Two months of sheltering in place in their rented two-bedroom apartment gave the pair some unexpected clarity about what was important to them. And new policies letting them work remotely indefinitely at their respective jobs gave them an opportunity to do something about it. They wanted to be closer to their aging parents on the East Coast, and saw no hope of ever owning in one of the most expensive real estate markets in the country. They aren’t the only ones making a big move. After months of forced stillness, unable to make many major decisions or follow through on some already planned, people are jumping into one of the biggest life changes there is and moving out of cities. For some, it’s a chance to be closer to family, which feels more urgent in the midst of a global health scare. For a large swath of people in the country’s most expensive cities, it’s a way to get more living space and be closer to nature, something increasingly made possible by the growing trend of remote work. And for many others it’s not really a decision at all, but a necessity in the face of growing job losses and still sky-high rents.

US declares a vaccine war on the world (Asia Times) “The United States and the UK were the only two holdouts in the World Health Assembly from the declaration that vaccines and medicines for Covid-19 should be available as public goods, and not under exclusive patent rights. The United States explicitly dissociated itself from the call for a patent pool, talking instead of ‘the critical role that intellectual property plays”—in other words, patents for vaccines and medicines.

Tropical storm kills 17 in El Salvador and Guatemala (AP) Rains from Tropical Storm Amanda left at least 17 dead and seven missing while causing extensive damage across El Salvador and Guatemala that pushed thousands of people into shelters amid the coronavirus pandemic. EL Salvador Interior Minister Mario Durán said Monday some 7,000 people were scattered across 154 shelters. He said a quarter of the rain that the country normally receives in a year fell in 70 hours. That set off landslides and flooding, especially in the western part of the country. Amanda pounded El Salvador with rain for days before moving ashore as a tropical storm on Sunday and pushing across Guatemala.

Nicaragua Becomes a Place of Midnight Burials (NYT) Just hours after Yamil Acevedo died in a hospital, funeral home workers in hazardous materials suits strapped his coffin to the back of a pickup truck, drove it to a cemetery and buried him in the dark of night. Across Nicaragua, families are being forced to hold these “express burials,” rushed funerals at all hours of the night, without time to call a priest or to buy flowers. The services are happening so fast, and in such a haphazard fashion, that relatives worry terrible mistakes are being made. “The doctor said, ‘If you can bury him as soon as possible, do it,’” said Amani Acevedo, Mr. Acevedo’s daughter. “I don’t know that the person in that coffin was even him.” The signs are everywhere that the coronavirus is raging across Nicaragua. But the Nicaraguan government insists it has the virus firmly under control, with the lowest Covid-19 death toll in Central America.

Grand Bazaar, cafes open and flights resume as Turkey eases up (Reuters) Flights and car travel resumed between Turkey’s big cities on Monday while cafes, restaurants and Istanbul’s Grand Bazaar reopened in the country’s biggest step to ease restrictions taken to contain the coronavirus pandemic. Traffic levels jumped in the commercial hub of Istanbul, with many Turks returning to work as the government sought to revive an economy hit hard by the pandemic. Employees of government offices and public facilities joined the many factory workers who restarted last month.

China and India Brawl at 14,000 Feet Along the Border (NYT) High in the Himalayas, an enormous fistfight erupted in early May between the soldiers of China and India. Brawls at 14,000 feet along their inhospitable and disputed frontier are not terribly unusual, but what happened next was. A few days later, Chinese troops confronted Indian soldiers again, this time at several other remote border points in the Himalayas, some more than 1,000 miles apart. Since then both armies have rushed in thousands of reinforcements. Indian analysts say that China has beefed up its forces with dump trucks, excavators, troop carriers, artillery and armored vehicles and that China is now occupying Indian territory. No shots have been fired, as the de facto border code dictates, but the soldiers have fought fiercely with rocks, wooden clubs and their hands in a handful of clashes. In one melee at the glacial lake Pangong Tso, several Indian troops were hurt badly enough that they had to be evacuated by helicopter, and Indian analysts said Chinese troops were injured as well. Nobody thinks China and India are about to go to war. But the escalating buildup has turned into their most serious confrontation since 2017 and may be a sign of more trouble to come as the world’s two most populous countries increasingly bump up against each other in one of the bleakest and most remote borderlands on earth.

In China, U.S. protests a hot topic on state, social media (Reuters) Chinese state media is giving extensive coverage to violent protests roiling cities across the United States, while the unrest has also featured widely in Chinese social media. CCTV featured reports from one of its reporters running with protesters in Minnesota, as well as short videos shot by Americans depicting police violence against protesters. On China’s social media platform Weibo, at least five news items on the protests were among the top 20 trending topics by midday, led by reports Trump had been temporarily taken to a bunker as protesters surrounded the White House. “The number one thing they want to show is that the Communist Party is doing a better job in terms of fighting the coronavirus and managing society,” said Alfred Wu, associate professor at the Lee Kuan Yew School of Public Policy at the National University of Singapore. “That’s the main message: the U.S. is not doing good.”

Gantz apologizes for the killing of Palestinian man (Foreign Policy) Israeli Defense Minister Benny Gantz has apologized after Israeli security forces shot and killed Iyad Halak, a Palestinian who was autistic, in Jerusalem’s Old City on Saturday. “We are really sorry about the incident in which Iyad Halak was shot to death and we share in the family’s grief,” Gantz said. Israeli police said they opened fire after they saw a suspect with a “suspicious object” who didn’t stop when ordered to. Police later confirmed that they found no weapon. Palestinian officials denounced the killing as a “war crime” and an “execution.” The killing led to demonstrations over the weekend in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv, with some participants holding signs tying the killing to that of George Floyd in the United States.