#delhi elections 2020

[mukharnews]

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[kp777]

By Jake Johnson

Common Dreams

Sept. 5, 2023

"The accumulation of extreme wealth by the world's richest individuals has become an economic, ecological, and human rights disaster."

Hundreds of economists, wealthy individuals, and elected officials from around the world called on the leaders of G20 nations to help tackle runaway inequality by collectively raising taxes on the global rich, who saw their fortunes explode during the deadly coronavirus pandemic.

In an open letter to G20 leaders as they prepared to convene in New Delhi, India this weekend for their annual summit, U.S. Sen Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) joined economist Jayati Ghosh, Patriotic Millionaires chair Morris Pearl, philanthropist Abigail Disney, and more than 300 others in declaring that "we cannot allow extreme wealth to continue corroding our collective future."

"Decades of falling taxes on the richest, based on the false promise that the wealth at the top would somehow benefit us all, has contributed to the rise in extreme inequality," the Tuesday letter states. "Our political choices allow ultra-wealthy individuals to continue to use tax shelters and enjoy preferential treatment to the extent that, in most countries in the world, they pay lower tax rates than ordinary people."

"At the same time, the world has seldom had more need for the richest to pay," the letter continues, noting that global extreme poverty rose in 2020 for the first time in more than two decades as Covid-19 threw the world into economic chaos.

That same year, billionaire wealth surged to a new high. Between March 2020 and November 2022, global billionaires collectively added $1.5 trillion to their fortunes, capturing nearly two-thirds of all new wealth.

Meanwhile, according to a recent United Nations report, around 165 million people were thrown into poverty during the pandemic.

"The growing gap between rich and poor has destabilized the global economy, exacerbated the rise of extremist politics, and frayed the very fabric of our social order," said Pearl, the former managing director of the investment giant BlackRock. "As an ultra-wealthy person, representing an organization of like-minded wealthy people, I am asking the G20 to tax us."

Pearl warned that if G20 nations don't "tax extreme wealth, the results will be a perpetually weakened global economy, the decline of democratic institutions, and worsening social unrest. The G20 must act."

The billionaire wealth surge has continued in 2023, with the world's 500 richest people adding more than $850 billion to their combined wealth in the first half of the year.

The new open letter argues that a coordinated G20 agreement imposing wealth taxes on ultra-rich individuals "would shrink dangerous levels of inequality while also allowing leaders to raise vital funds to tackle the multiple challenges facing our world."

"This will not be easy, but it will be worth it," the letter reads. "Much work has already been done. There is an abundance of policy proposals on wealth taxation from some of the world's leading economists. The public wants it. We want it. Now all that's missing is the political will to deliver it. It's time for you to find it."

Oxfam International estimates the average tax rate on the wealthiest individuals in rich countries has fallen from 58% to 42% since 1980, accelerating the rise of economic inequality. Over just the past decade, the combined wealth of global billionaires has more than doubled, growing from $5.6 trillion to nearly $12 trillion.

Billionaires' accumulation of vast wealth is also destructive to the planet. An Oxfam report released last year estimated that a billionaire is responsible for a million times more planet-warming greenhouse gas pollution than the average person.

"The accumulation of extreme wealth by the world's richest individuals has become an economic, ecological, and human rights disaster, threatening political stability in countries all over the world," the open letter reads. "Such steep levels of inequality undermine the strength of virtually every one of our global systems, and must be addressed head-on."

Our work is licensed under Creative Commons (CC BY-NC-ND 3.0). Feel free to republish and share widely.

[jobaaj]

In case you missed it, here’s what you need to know: Farmers are protesting Again!! But why? In 2020, farmers protested against 3 controversial laws dubbed ‘anti-farmer’ while demanding a Minimum Support Price (MSP). The protest came to an end in 2021 when the three laws were annulled by the government but no guaranteed MSP was introduced.

Thousands of farmers, representing over 200 Unions, are marching to Delhi once again to get their demands fulfilled. Some of these demands are:- An MSP that is 50% higher than the cost of crop production. compensation for the farmers who lost their lives in the protests decommissioning the cases against the farmers who took part in the protests

Pensions for farmers. Debt waivers. Fulfillment of promises made in 2021. But there is something amiss. Why are the farmers protesting when elections are so close and Lok Sabha has almost been dissolved? Wouldn’t it be better to do so when the new government is formed? In 2021, governmental authorities claimed that Khalistani elements had infiltrated the protests. Are separatists provoking an anti-India movement when elections are right around the corner? Is this a farmers’ protest or a political move against the BJP?? Follow Jobaaj Stories (the media arm of Jobaaj.com Group) for more.

[csrmagnovite24]

Singhania Group flow for sustainability‼️

As the Delhi assembly elections of 2020 drew near, Chief Minister Arvind Kejriwal made a resolute promise to the public: to restore the Yamuna River to a state where it would be safe for swimming by the year 2025. Yet, as the deadline approaches, the grim reality of the river's pollution persists. Recent data from environmental agencies paints a stark picture - pollution levels in the Yamuna River have surged by a troubling 25% over the past year alone. The untreated effluents discharged by industries emerge as a significant contributor to this alarming trend. Furthermore, public awareness and concern regarding environmental issues have surged, with a notable 78% of individuals expressing a preference for supporting environmentally responsible companies.

In the midst of these environmental challenges, the Pollution Control Board (PCB) intervened, delivering a damning public notice against the Singhania Group. The accusation was severe - the group was accused of discharging an alarming 62% of untreated effluent into the already beleaguered Yamuna. This revelation cast a shadow over the reputation of the Singhania Group, a textile manufacturer with a distinguished three-decade legacy. The timing of this accusation couldn't have been more detrimental as the promising future suddenly seems uncertain for the company as share prices take a dramatic plunge in the wake of recent accusations. This unfortunate timing, just as optimism reigned, casts a long shadow over their previously rosy outlook.

The fallout triggered a domino effect, eroding investor trust and confidence. With scepticism about the company's leadership and practices rising, investors are pulling back, sending share prices spiralling downwards. Heightened media attention and public speculation further amplify the negative sentiment, compounding the downward trend.

This situation underscores profound questions about environmental responsibility, corporate ethics, and the integrity of political promises. While the actions of the PCB may appear justifiable in their mission to safeguard the Yamuna, the timing raises legitimate concerns about potential political motivations. Conversely, the Singhania Group finds itself grappling with the consequences of potential negligence in effluent treatment, underscoring the critical importance of responsible industrial practices.

In response to these challenges, the Singhania Group must embark on a concerted outreach campaign aimed at showcasing their ongoing efforts to address environmental concerns. Transparency, coupled with robust community engagement initiatives and tangible sustainability measures, will be key in demonstrating the group's unwavering commitment to environmental stewardship. By aligning their corporate interests with the broader goals of societal and environmental well-being, the Singhania Group can chart a course towards a more sustainable and socially responsible future, thereby regaining the trust and confidence of the public.

TASK AT HAND

As the Singhania Group's CSR head,

1) develop a CSR campaign to restore the company's reputation

2) an investment portfolio that prioritises sustainable solutions.

3) Make a website to promote the company's CSR actions and increase transparency.

DELIVERABLES

PPT of not more than 7 slides

A website

[mullahusman]

Hashimpura Massacre

It was the 22nd of May 1987, Ramzan and Friday, just like today, when 'secular' India's most shameful and horrendous custodial kil-ling took place at #Hashimpura. That day, after the Friday prayers, in the midst of the ongoing Meerut riots, some 600-700 Muslims..

were dragged from their homes by army personnel, CRPF, PAC, and police and were made to sit on the footpath near Gulmarg Talkies. — The young and the strong among them were chosen, loaded in a PAC truck URU 1493, and taken to Upper Ganga Canal in Murad Nagar..

and later to Makanpur in Ghaziabad only to be shot cold-blooded and thrown into the canal. — This was totally an anti-muslim crime by the state, though the documented facts are known to everyone, three points are worth mentioning:

A) On May 23, 1987, at Meerut Circuit House, the next day after the massæcre, there was a meeting attended by Veer Bahadur Singh, the CM, Daya Shankar, the DGP, SK Mukherjee, the IG, Nasim Zaidi, the Ghaziabad DM, Vibhuti Narain, the Ghaziabad SP and other senior officials.

There were discussions that can the bodies of 42 be thrown away in the canal just like Malyana, never to be found? Could the 3 survivors under police protection also die? Would anyone expect justice from them? #HashimpuraMassacre

B) One of the survivors Zulfiqar Nasir had a press conference in Delhi with Syed Shahabuddin and Subramanyam Swami, narrating the nightmare he went through. There was a shameless press brief the next day addressed by Meerut DM RS Kaushik, SSP Girdhari Sharma, nd frmr SP VKB Nair.

Not only did they claim that no massacre happened at Hashimpura but also that no one with the name of Zulfiqar ever lived in Hashimpura. Shouldn't they have been punished too for propagating blatant lies. #HashimpuraMassacre

3) There were three 'Sarkari Musalmans' sitting at the vital position throughout the investigation. Just to show the Indianness in them, they did very little to ensure Justice. Syed Khalid Rizvi, who headed the CID failed to link the role of Major Satish Kaushik whose brother..

Prabhat Kumar, a RSS terrœrist, was killed the previous day; who was present at Hashimpura during the whole incident. Mr Nasim Zaidi who later became chief Election commissioner failed to act responsibly and tell the outside world about the heinous crimes.

And Ms Mohsina Kidwai, the then MP of Meerut who later became the General Secretary of AICC, not only refused to ensure medical care to one of the injured survivors but kept silent about the gory crimes.

— Hashimpura, like the Bihar killings of 1946, Nellie of 1983, Bhagalpur of 1989, Delhi Pogrom of 1984 and 2020, Muzaffarnagar of 2013, Gujarat pogrom of 2002, and numerous others remain a disgraceful instance of the merciless and barbaric use of brute state force..

and a spineless, politically expedient government lying prostate before its own men - The Killers. Hashimpura is not just an instance, it's a phenomenon that goes deep into the mindset of Indian society. Justice is awaited. #HashimpuraMassacre

"I wish the dead could have eyes for once, they could look into the Indian State with tears and anger and say that irrespective of any political party at the government, you have been inherently anti-muslim"

[werindialive]

Harini Amarasuriya Becomes Sri Lanka's First Female Prime Minister in 25 Years, Hindu College Alumna 

Harini Amarasuriya, an accomplished academic and activist, has been appointed as the 16th Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, making her the first woman to hold this position in nearly 25 years. She follows in the footsteps of the country’s trailblazing female leaders like Sirimavo Bandaranaike and Chandrika Kumaratunga. At 54, Amarasuriya's rise to the nation’s top political office is a testament to her significant contributions to academia, social justice, and politics.

Born and raised in Colombo, Amarasuriya’s academic journey began with her Bachelor’s degree in Sociology from Delhi University’s Hindu College, where she studied from 1991 to 1994. She later pursued a Master’s in Applied Anthropology and Development Studies from an Australian university and a PhD in Social Anthropology from the University of Edinburgh. Her academic credentials and focus on critical issues such as youth, gender rights, and social activism earned her recognition in both academic and political circles.

Amarasuriya’s connection to Hindu College has been a point of pride for the institution. Principal Anju Srivastava expressed delight over her appointment, noting that the college, which has a rich tradition of political involvement, is honoured to have produced such a distinguished leader. Hindu College, known for nurturing future leaders across various fields, holds elections for student leaders annually, fostering a politically active environment that may have shaped Amarasuriya’s future career.

Entering politics in 2020 through the National People's Power (NPP) party’s national list, Amarasuriya quickly became a voice for progressive change in Sri Lanka. Her focus on education, child protection, and social justice issues resonated with many, helping her secure a prominent role in Sri Lanka’s political landscape. As Prime Minister, she will oversee crucial portfolios, including Justice, Labour, Education, Health, and more.

Her appointment is not just a personal achievement but also a milestone for Sri Lanka, as she becomes the country’s first female prime minister in over two decades. It also signals a strengthened cultural link between Sri Lanka and India, given her academic ties to Delhi. Many hope that her leadership will pave the way for stronger bilateral relations between the two nations.

Amarasuriya’s journey from academic to prime minister illustrates the growing influence of educated women in global politics, and her leadership will be closely watched as Sri Lanka navigates complex political and economic challenges. For more politics news in Hindi, subscribe to our newsletter

[cmitimesnews-blog]

Atishi Singh Will be the Next Chief Minister of Delhi

Atishi Marlena Singh or Atishi Singh will be the next Chief Minister of Delhi. She is going to become the third woman Chief Minister of Delhi. Atishi’s name has been approved in the legislative party meeting. On Tuesday morning, a meeting of the legislative party was called at the residence of AAP convener Sri Arvind Kejriwal in Civil Lines.In this, the new leader of the House was elected unanimously. Atishi belongs to a Punjabi  family and is a graduate from Oxford University.Atishi was elected MLA for the first time in the 2020 assembly elections and became a minister in the Kejriwal government for the first time in 2023. Atishi is considered to be Kejriwal’s close friend and confidant. She has been active in the organisation since the time of the Anna movement.Currently, she has the responsibility of the maximum number of ministries and since Kejriwal went to jail in March, she has been seen handling the reins of the party as well as the government.

[warningsine]

Protests against sexual violence are taking place across India to demand more protection for women in the world’s most populous nation.

The demonstrations are helping to raise much-needed awareness about an epidemic of rape. But to tackle the pervasive culture of misogyny in a society that’s still fiercely patriarchal, reform needs to start with the top echelons of institutions, such as the courts and police force.

It won’t be easy to address norms that have been in place for centuries. While education and better policies can help, more women need to be elected and appointed to top jobs, both in politics and the corporate world (scores for women’s representation in ministerial positions (6.9%) and in parliament (17.2%) remain relatively low, according to the World Economic Forum’s Global Gender Gap report for 2024). Instituting change from within these largely male bastions of power will help to improve India’s reputation internationally, at a time when foreign investors are looking closely at the economic powerhouse.

The brutal act that prompted the marches was the rape and murder of a 31-year-old trainee doctor on Aug. 9 at a government hospital in Kolkata. It was reminiscent of the 2012 gang rape and murder of a 23-year-old physiotherapy student on a New Delhi bus.

Back then, massive demonstrations occurred across the nation and a commission was set up to reconsider laws on sexual crimes. The government passed tougher laws on rape, including the death penalty for repeat offenders. The legislation also provided for jail terms for police officers who fail to record an initial complaint lodged by an assaulted woman.

The policy changes, though small steps, were an improvement and recognize that lawmakers have to act to deal with these vicious crimes.

But it didn’t stop violence against women. In fact, it’s getting worse.

A total of 445,256 cases of crime against women were registered during 2022. Among them, around 32,000 were rapes, up from approximately 28,000 in 2020. In 2011, a woman was raped every 20 minutes, according to government data. That rose to about every 16 minutes by 2021.

India is not the only country with a strong patriarchal culture that favors men. However, it is one where it seems that those in power have been turning a blind eye to violence against women for far too long. It has become so normalized that a report from the National Crime Records Bureau has categories including murder with rape/gang rape, dowry deaths, abetment to suicide of women, acid attack and cruelty by husband or his relatives.

Despite economic advances, the picture for women isn’t improving. India ranked 129 out of 146 countries on the Global Gender Gap Index 2024. Nine-in-10 Indians agree with the notion that a wife must always obey her husband, including nearly two-thirds who completely agree with this sentiment, according to a 2022 survey by the Pew Research Center on how men and women perceive gender roles.

It all starts at home, which is another issue. Families tend to place a higher value on sons rather than daughters, because of a perception that they can help to financially support parents in old age — although many working women do this too. Then there’s the matter of dowries for brides. Despite being outlawed since 1961, they are still prevalent, even among the educated middle class.

Passing new laws won’t address these issues, because of inherent flaws within the system. "Law enforcement personnel are misogynistic and overburdened — they neither have the will nor the capacity to help women,” Poulami Roychowdhury, associate professor of sociology at Brown University, told me. "Policymakers need to implement police reforms and add judges to the benches, and make public spaces like hospitals, schools and other institutions where women are at risk, safer.”

India’s judicial system is notoriously backlogged and cases can take years to go through the courts. For many women, this adds to the stigma of reporting a rape or sexual assault, because of the long delay they face to get any form of justice. The largely male police force also needs to change — women make up just under 11%, far behind the U.K., where female officers constitute a third of overall law enforcement. In 2022, the India Justice Report, which surveys the state of law enforcement, said it would take 24 years to reach the police’s target of 33% female representation.

Given a society that has long adhered to deeply ingrained views on the roles of men and women, it is not surprising that men are disproportionately represented in government and corporate positions of power. That makes it an uphill battle and a missed opportunity to acknowledge the value that women contribute to business. India could increase gross domestic product by $770 billion by 2025 if it gets more women to work and boost equality, McKinsey Global Institute estimated. The female contribution to GDP is 18%, one of the lowest in the world, reflecting the fact that women make up only 25% of the labor force.

People power has brought attention to the plight of women in India. But that is no longer enough. For meaningful change, policymakers need to reform the institutions that can directly improve the lives of half the population. Women in the world’s largest democracy deserve that.

[tfgadgets]

Pramod Kumar Yadav (Cong) Election Result 2020 Live Updates

Pramod Kumar Yadav is a Indian National Congress candidate from Badarpur constituency in the 2020 Delhi Assembly elections. His profession according to the election affidavit filed with the Election Commission is: Private Job. Pramod Kumar Yadav?s educational qualifications are: 12th Pass and is 43 years old. His total declared assets are Rs. 1 crore which includes Rs. 36.6 lakh in moveable…

[ezivoteofficial]

Political is fun with Ezivote

Know about the celebrities who supported farmer’s protest

India’s ongoing farmers’ protest in the election year 2024 unfolds conflicts between the central government and protesting farmers. This freshens the memories of a year-long protest of 2020-21 when farmers of Punjab, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh were protesting against the three controversial farm laws. The main demands are to reject smart meters, waive debt, legal procurement assurances, and set a Minimum Support Price (MSP) for commodities based on the Swaminathan formula. The results of the protests remain blurry as the central government is in the process of establishing communication with the farmers’ community. The last protest was backed by many celebrities. Read on to learn about celebrities who supported the farmers' protest and how they extended their support.

Celebrities who supported farmer's protest

Celebrities from various fields including activists, singers, actors, and global stars backed the last farmer’s protest. Some supported farmers by visiting the protest while others showed virtual support leading to social media trends.

Rihanna

Global star, singer, and actor Rihanna extended her support to the farmers as she shared a CNN news report on X. Her tweet along with the report read, “Why aren’t we talking about this?”. Amid this, there was a rise in controversies, and the internet divided into two groups, one appreciating Rihanna for extending support while some trolled her for the same.

Greta Thunberg

Another controversy came up after climate activist Greta Thunberg shared a toolkit related to the farmer’s protest. The Delhi Police's cybercrime unit filed a formal complaint (FIR) based on sedition, criminal conspiracy, and inciting hatred, over the post and its accompanying tools.

Amanda Cerny

Amanda Cerny, a US-based vlogger also extended virtual support to the protests resulting in massive trolling. Her Instagram post read, “does not have to be Indian, Punjabi or South Asian to understand the issue. All one has to do is care about humanity”.

Lilly Singh

One of the prominent content creators and Youtuber Lilly Singh, known for her sarcastic and humorous content walked the Grammys red carpet with a mask that read I stand with farmers’. Furthermore, she posted on X, “I know red carpet/award show pictures always get the most coverage, so here you go media. Feel free to run with it Raised fist #IStandWithFarmers #GRAMMYs.”

To sum up

Bollywood celebrities including Sonakshi Sinha, Taapsee Pannu, Richa Chada, and Swara Bhasker also supported farmers. Some celebs stood with the government and shared posts with hashtags of India Together and India against Propaganda. Their list includes Bollywood’s Akshay Kumar, Ajay Devgan, and Sunil Shetty. Cricket icons including Virat Kohli and Sachin Tendulkar also supported the same.

Your opinion counts!

Now you know the instances where celebrities extended support to the farmer’s protest, it's time to express your opinion. At Ezivote, we bring you stories that help you understand, relate, and become an opinionated citizen. Let us know your opinion in the form provided.

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[boyikayoyouy]

The U.S. policy on Myanmar is all wrong

NEW DELHI - U.S. President Joe Biden and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi recently issued a joint statement "expressing deep concern about the deteriorating situation in Myanmar" and calling for constructive dialogue to help the country transition to an inclusive federal democracy. Unfortunately, U.S.-led sanctions undermine this goal and make the situation worse.

Western sanctions, while inflicting pain on ordinary Myanmar citizens, have left the ruling military elite relatively unscathed, leaving the military junta with no incentive to loosen political control. The main beneficiary is China, which has been able to expand its foothold in a country it sees as a strategic gateway to the Indian Ocean and a vital source of natural resources.

This development has exacerbated regional security challenges. For example, Chinese military personnel are nowHelping set up a listening post on Myanmar's Great Coco Island , north of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands where the Indian military's only tri-services headquarters is located. Once operational, the new spy station is likely to assist China in its maritime surveillance of India, including monitoring the movements of nuclear submarines and tracking missile tests that often land in the Bay of Bengal.

To some extent, history is repeating itself. Starting in the late 1980s, previous U.S.-led sanctions paved the way for China to become Myanmar's main trading partner and investor. This sanctions regime lasted until 2012, when Obama announced a new US policy and became the first US president to visit Myanmar. In 2015, Myanmar elected its first civilian-led government, ending decades of military dictatorship.

However, in February 2021, the military stag ed a coup and detained civilian leaders including Aung San Suu Kyi, prompting the Biden administration to reimpose sweeping sanctions. Importantly, the reversal of Myanmar's democratic project was precipitated by earlier US targeted measures against the military leadership, including Commander-in-Chief Min Aung Hlaing, over human rights abuses against Rohingya Muslims that forced the majority Flee to Bangladesh.After President Trump's administration imposed sanctions on Min Aung Hlaing and other senior commanders in July 2019 , the generals lost momentum to maintain Myanmar's democratization. A year and a half later, they overthrew the civilian government after denouncing the results of the November 2020 national election as fraudulent.

The lesson for Western policymakers should be clear. Separate sanctions on foreign officials—an essentially symbolic gesture—could severely hamper U.S. diplomacy and have unintended consequences. (Indeed, China has resisted direct military talks proposed by the Biden administration as a means of protest against U.S. sanctions against Gen. Ri Shang-bok, who became China’s defense minister in March.

The United States’ chronic lack of contact with Myanmar’s nationalist military, the only functioning institution in a culturally and ethnically diverse society, isThe stubborn problems of its Myanmar policy . Because of this limitation, Aung San Suu Kyi achieved near-saint status in the Western imagination, and the highly regarded Nobel Peace Prize winner came after she defended Myanmar's Rohingya policy against genocide charges. The reputation of the award winner plummeted.

With junta leaders under sanctions and civilian leaders in detention, the United States has few tools to influence political developments in Myanmar. Instead, the United States and its allies have tightened sanctions and supported armed resistance to military rule. To this end, the 2023 U.S. National Defense Authorization Act added a provision for Myanmar, authorizing the provision of "non-lethal assistance" to anti-regime armed groups, including the People's Defense Forces. People's Defense Forces This is a nominal army established by the shadow government of national unity. Biden now has considerable scope to help Myanmar's anti-junta insurgency, just as Obama provided "non-lethal assistance" in the form of battlefield support equipment to Ukrainian troops and Syrian rebels .

But such an intervention could plunge Myanmar into greater chaos and poverty without advancing U.S. interests. Even if the different groups behind the armed uprising manage to overthrow the military junta, Myanmar will not become a democracy again. Instead, it will become a Libyan-style failed state and the bane of regional security. It will also continue to become a proxy battlefield between Western powers and China and Russia. A United Nations report estimates that Myanmar has imported at least $1 billion worth of weapons and dual-use items since the coup, mainly from China and Russia.

China's rapid expansion of its footprint in Myanmar is a strategic loss for the United States . It didn't have to be this way. Given Myanmar’s strategic location, the military junta’s aggressive moves could be responded to by gradually easing sanctions and integrating Myanmar into the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy.

Sanctions naturally close the door to dialogue and influence and therefore should never be used as the first tool of foreign policy. After Thailand's army chief seized power in a 2014 coup, the United States wisely eschewed sanctions and opted for engagement, which helped protect Thailand's thriving civil society. This strategy ultimately led to the general's defeat in the recent national election .

Myanmar's return to democracy can only be achieved gradually by engaging the country's military rulers and providing them with incentives to change course. Sanctions without participation have never worked. If Biden can engage closely with China, the world's largest, most powerful, and longest-standing authoritarian state, including sending the CIA director, secretary of state, and secretary of the treasury to Beijing, he should at least open up channels with Myanmar's military junta. communication channels.

The alliance of military monarchies has long shaped Thailand's political development, with generals seizing power 12 times in the past nine decadesRegime, similarly, Myanmar’s armed forces have traditionally asserted themselves as the most powerful political actor in the country. The 2008 constitution that helped Aung San Suu Kyi come to powerretained their power, and it showed. If the United States does not shift its policy toward gradually engaging with the military junta, Myanmar will remain a playground for major powers with no hope of achieving a new democratic opening.

#peace#Burma

[mariacallous]

The specter of Donald Trump is haunting Europe. Across the continent, an air of thinly disguised panic greets the prospect of his returning as U.S. president next year. But in Asia? Not so much. From New Delhi and Singapore to Taipei and Tokyo, there is palpable sang-froid. We coped with Trump last time, this thinking goes. Those nervy Europeans might be losing their cool, but cannier heads prevail in rising Asia.

This calm in Asian capitals borders on hubris. It misjudges the impact Trump’s return could have on Asian security and misreads the scale and ambition of his plans to remodel U.S. foreign policy. It also overstates the ability of Asian governments—from core U.S. allies to the more nonaligned nations in Southeast Asia and elsewhere—to manage Trump.

To understand this surprising sense of calm, it helps to remember how Asian policymakers viewed Trump during his last term in office. As I wrote in Foreign Policy then, Asian leaders were generally quite comfortable with Trump.

This was true for U.S. allies, such as Japan, as well as close partners, such as India. Then-Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi agreed with Trump’s anti-China policies and accepted his transactional instincts. Australia’s right-wing prime minister at the time, Scott Morrison, similarly warmed to Trump. And in Taiwan, Trump was loved.

Even in largely nonaligned Southeast Asia, hardheaded analysts would note Trump’s good points. In Singapore, former ambassador Bilahari Kausikan had been critical of the Obama administration’s Asia policy, as embodied by National Security Advisor Susan Rice. “She has very little interest in Asia, no stomach for competition, and thinks of foreign policy as humanitarian intervention,” Bilahari wrote in a Facebook post in 2020, as rumors swirled of Rice possibly being picked as Joe Biden’s running mate. Trump, by contrast, was firm on China and not squeamish about U.S. power.

The view that Trump will be manageable this time around also flows from a comfortable belief in policy continuity. Few analysts lose face by predicting more continuity than change following elections. And during the shift from Trump to Biden, much indeed stayed the same, not least Trump’s approach to China.

During the Trump administration, many in the region felt they improved their ties with Washington, too. At last month’s Raisina Dialogue in New Delhi, Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar brushed off concerns that a Trump return might bring challenges. “Like any relationship, there were issues,” he said. “But overall … in those four years, did our relationship deepen? Did it grow? Absolutely.”

Finally, the United States has core interests, whoever is in power. Former White House official Michael J. Green makes this point in By More Than Providence, his masterful 2017 history of U.S. policy in Asia. Washington’s longtime strategic imperative is to ensure the Pacific Ocean remains a “conduit for American ideas and goods to flow westward, and not for threats to flow eastward toward the homeland,” he writes.

For more than a century, the United States has aimed to block a rival power dominating either Europe or Asia. Faced with the challenge of China’s emergence as a peer competitor, even Trump will find pure isolationism difficult, given that this would mean ceding much of Asia to Beijing. The nightmare that keeps officials in Tokyo and Seoul up at night, in which Trump makes a deal with Beijing and cuts and runs, remains unlikely.

Yet this sophisticated kind of analysis also risks being too clever by half. Yes, there will be some continuity if Trump takes office in 2025. But there will be plenty of chaos and disruption, too.

At a basic level, many Asian nations are in a worse position to cope this time around. Abe and Morrison might have handled Trump well. But how about less sure-footed leaders, such as Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, let alone those from the political left, such as Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese?

Then there are three bigger problems that should alarm Asian leaders.

The first is Trump’s growing unpredictability. Here, the recent case of TikTok is instructive: Trump has totally changed his view on the Chinese-owned app of late, moving from backing a ban to opposing it. His view seems to have changed for no obvious reason beyond political expediency and lobbying by donors.

If he is willing to flip-flop here, U.S. allies and partners must be prepared for significant change in other areas. Trump says he will junk Biden’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework, which wouldn’t be the end of the world. But will he really back the Biden administration’s hugely expensive AUKUS submarine deal? Or continue to invest in alliances with South Korea and Japan—or in bodies such as the Quadrilateral Security Dialogue? What about his attitude toward Washington’s nuclear posture in the region? In truth, no one knows.

The second problem is China. Sino-U.S. ties remain far more fragile than in 2017. Even if relations between Beijing and Washington currently seem calm following intense diplomacy by Biden’s team, this state of affairs is unlikely to last. “The weather has improved. But I think the climate … is not in such a happy place,” as Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan put it last year.

The risk of a new Sino-U.S. flare-up remains strong. And with Trump in charge, the risk that any such flare-up could escalate into a genuine crisis would rise. The thought of Trump and his team handling the Israel-Hamas war should give anyone in Asia pause about how he might handle a serious standoff over Taiwan, for instance.

Yet it is the final problem of a Trump victory that is by orders of magnitude the most serious for Asia—namely, the strife another Trump term would cause in the United States itself.

For the last four years, Biden has led an energetic but sober Asia policy. His team has rebuilt—and in many cases, strengthened—U.S. alliance relationships in the region and attempted to restore deterrence against China. It is hard to predict whether a new Trump administration would keep or overturn these efforts, largely because his return would throw the U.S. political system into deep and unpredictable turmoil.

This month, I visited the conservative-leaning Hoover Institution at Stanford University. Hoover is now a genteel sanctuary for many moderate Trump-era foreign-policy officials, from former Defense Secretary James Mattis to former National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster and Deputy National Security Advisor Matt Pottinger. Yet few, if any, experienced officials in this vein would likely feature in a second Trump term. Instead, Trump’s team looks set to appoint mostly ultraloyalists, many of whom will have little deep foreign-policy experience.

Stanford is also home to the political scientist Francis Fukuyama, the author of The End of History and the Last Man, who warns that Asian leaders should in fact be deeply alarmed at Trump’s probable impact on U.S. policymaking in areas from alliance management to deterrence posture. But most alarming would be the shake-up a new Trump administration would bring to the U.S. government itself.

Fukuyama points to a new wave of so-called “Schedule F” political appointees, named after an executive order that Trump pushed through a few weeks before the 2020 election. With the goal of dismantling what his allies view as the “deep state” and asserting presidential control, they now talk of forcing as many as 50,000 career civil servants from their jobs and replacing them with political loyalists.

Lawyers are gearing up to challenge any such plans, which would likely lead to a battle in the Supreme Court. If successful, the impact of this move on the core of the U.S. foreign-policy establishment in the State Department and the Pentagon would be seismic. “If I was an Asian ally, I would be very worried indeed,” Fukuyama told me. Whatever happens, domestic infighting will prove an overwhelming distraction for U.S. policymakers. It will invite global rivals, notably China and Russia, to test U.S. alliances and commitments. “If anyone in Asia thinks the U.S. is going to be able to do more to support allies like Japan and Korea at a time like this, they are crazy,” Fukuyama said.

Everything is relative, of course. Asian leaders may indeed have less to worry about than their hapless European counterparts, let alone the Ukrainians heroically defending their country. Trump is unlikely to pull out of Asian alliances entirely, as he has threatened to do with NATO in Europe.

Nonetheless, the blithe approach in Asian capitals toward a very possible Trump return remains a serious misjudgment. When a storm is approaching, it is rarely wise to look on the bright side, hoping everything will be fine just because it went OK the last time the weather turned bad. In Asia, just as elsewhere, it would be smarter to batten down the hatches.

[anandkumar22]

Geeta University: Pioneering Computer Science & Engineering in Delhi NCR

Geeta University shines as a trailblazer in the field of Computer Science and Engineering, setting the bar high for educational excellence. Renowned for implementing the New Education Policy 2020 in northern India, Geeta University is not merely an academic institution but a transformative force in learning.

Admissions and Qualification Criteria

Geeta University warmly welcomes aspiring computer scientists and engineers from diverse backgrounds. The eligibility criteria typically involve achieving a minimum aggregate in the qualifying examination, with admission processes comprising an entrance examination and subsequent counseling. Detailed information can be found here.

Flexibility and Technical Excellence

Geeta University distinguishes itself with a flexible Choice-Based Credit System (CBCS), allowing students to customize their academic journey. The Geeta Technical Hub complements this flexibility by offering specialized technical upskilling across various domains. Explore further at Geeta Technical Hub.

Aptitude Training and Soft Skills

Geeta Finishing School takes education to the next level by focusing on aptitude and soft skills. In an era that emphasizes holistic development, this initiative prepares students not just for jobs but for fulfilling careers. Discover more about Geeta Finishing School here.

Placements and Beyond

Geeta University's commitment to excellence is evident in its remarkable placement records. With the highest package reaching an impressive 40 LPA, the university serves as a launchpad for students' professional journeys. Explore success stories at Placements.

Expansive Campus and Outcome-Based Education

Nestled in a sprawling 40-acre campus, Geeta University is dedicated to outcome-based education visible in every aspect. The digitally enabled campus fosters a dynamic learning environment, promoting innovation and collaboration.

Earn While You Learn and Passion Programs

Geeta University pioneers a unique culture where students can earn while they learn, fostering independence and responsibility. The institution also recognizes the importance of passion, offering dedicated programs for students to pursue their interests alongside their studies.

Interdisciplinary Research Labs and Industry Collaboration

Geeta University's inter-disciplinary research labs symbolize a commitment to cutting-edge exploration. The industry-collaborated curriculum ensures that students are not just academically sound but industry-ready.

Innovation and Entrepreneurship

The Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Cell at Geeta University serve as a launchpad for budding entrepreneurs. The university's emphasis on innovation ensures that students contribute to knowledge, not just consume it.

Scholarships and Financial Assistance

Geeta University takes pride in its commitment to making education accessible. With multiple scholarship options, the university supports students in their academic pursuits. Explore these opportunities at Scholarships.

Fee Structure and Predictors

For detailed information on fees, including predictors and scholarship-related queries, students can refer to Fee Information.

Design Your Own Degree and General Proficiency

Geeta University's innovative "Design Your Own Degree" concept empowers students to shape their educational journey. This concept, based on core courses, electives, open electives, passion programs, technical upskilling, and general proficiency, reflects the institution's commitment to personalized learning.

Facilities at Geeta University: A SnapshotFacilityDescription Cutting-edge Labs Interdisciplinary labs equipped for advanced research Digital Learning Infrastructure State-of-the-art infrastructure for a seamless digital education Campus-wide Wi-Fi Connectivity Uninterrupted connectivity for an enhanced learning experience Extensive Library Resources A vast collection supporting diverse academic pursuits Sports and Recreation Facilities Amenities promoting physical well-being and holistic development Secure Hostel Accommodation Comfortable living spaces ensuring safety and well-being

In conclusion, Geeta University not only stands as the best Computer Science and Engineering college in Delhi NCR but also as a hub of holistic education, where innovation, practicality, and individuality converge to shape the leaders of tomorrow. Consider Geeta University as your educational destination, where success is not just a destination but a way of learning and living.

[feliskatus]

Delhi University scrapped the Political Economy Elective in 3rd yr (allegedly stating it causes students to become naxalites)

Political Economy is the only elective that exposes Economics Honours students to alternative economic structures , we don't even call capitalism 'capitalism' in any other class, it's just stated as the 'economy'

This class will not be available to students studying under the NEP 2020 education system.

[blogynewsz]

"Unveiling the Mystery: Unprecedented Security Measures Implemented for the Highly Anticipated Delhi University Students' Union Elections"

Around 500 security personnel will be deployed at Delhi University’s North Campus as the Delhi University Students Union (DUSU) elections take place on Friday, according to officials. Adequate arrangements have also been made in the South Campus for the election. This election is being held after a gap of four years, as it could not take place in 2020 and 2021 due to Covid-19, and disruptions to…

[newstfionline]

Wednesday, August 16, 2023

Canada Tests the Limits of Its Immigration Strategy (WSJ) High levels of immigration made Canada the second-fastest growing developed-world economy in recent years, trailing only the U.S., as it competed to attract high-skilled workers from around the world. Now, the newcomers are starting to strain the country’s ability to absorb them—adding fuel to an overheated housing market, stressing the healthcare system and clogging up roads in cities unaccustomed to traffic jams. It is also prompting immigrants to think twice about choosing Canada. Karanvir Singh, 27, originally from New Delhi and a trained accountant, arrived in the Toronto area last November on a work permit, after four years in Dublin. He said he is having second thoughts, based on housing prices, the cost of food and lackluster public transit. The country of 40 million people last year welcomed more than one million permanent and temporary immigrants, Statistics Canada said. That influx generated a population growth of 2.7%; the increase of 1.05 million people was nearly equivalent to last year’s increase in the U.S., a country with more than eight times Canada’s population.

Trump Indictment, Part IV (NYT) Another grand jury, another indictment. For the fourth time in as many months, former President Donald J. Trump was charged on Monday with serious crimes and what was once unprecedented has now become surreally routine. The novelty of a former leader of the United States being called a felon has somehow worn off. Not that the sweeping 98-page indictment handed up in Georgia accusing him of corruptly trying to reverse the state’s 2020 election results was any less momentous. Multiple prosecutors have now cumulatively laid out an alleged presidential crime spree of epic proportions, complete with tangled intrigues, mysterious co-conspirators and intersecting subplots. The Georgia indictment went further than previous ones by charging 18 others with joining a criminal enterprise with the former president, including associates like Rudolph W. Giuliani, Mark Meadows, Sidney Powell, Jeffrey Clark and John Eastman. Yet most Americans made up their minds about Mr. Trump long before prosecutors like Fani T. Willis or Jack Smith weighed in, polls have shown. He is, depending on the perspective, a serial lawbreaker finally being brought to justice or a victim of persecution by partisans intent on keeping him out of office. “The accumulated indictments are kind of a white noise for voters,” said Sarah Longwell, a Republican political consultant who has organized opposition to Mr. Trump and conducts weekly focus groups with voters. “They can’t tell the difference between Georgia and Jack Smith because it all blurs together in one long news cycle of Trump’s-in-trouble.”

Number of dead from Maui wildfires reaches 106, as governor warns there could be scores more (AP) The number of deaths caused by the Maui wildfires stood at 106 Tuesday, a figure that is likely to increase as search crews comb neighborhoods where flames moved as fast as a mile a minute. The blazes that consumed most of the historic town of Lahaina are already the deadliest in the U.S. in more than a century. In an interview with CBS, Gov. Josh Green estimated searchers will find the remains of 10 to 20 people per day until they finish their work. “And it’s probably going to take 10 days. It’s impossible to guess, really,” he said.

Currency chaos (Foreign Policy) Following a dramatic drop in the ruble on Monday, Russia’s Central Bank hiked interest rates by 350 basis points, to 12 percent, at an emergency meeting on Tuesday. Economists hope the controversial decision will tighten Moscow’s monetary situation and counter fears of skyrocketing inflation. However, experts worry that the weakening ruble, which hit a 16-month low this week, could still further hurt the nation’s already isolated economy. The Kremlin isn’t the only one spinning its financial wheels in the hopes of finding traction. The shock primary election victory of populist Javier Milei in Argentina on Sunday tanked the nation’s peso by as much as 18 percent on Monday. The Latin American country’s central bank raised interest rates to 118 percent that day to better protect the currency.

Life for Convicts in Russia’s Army (NYT) In a month spent at the front line, Aleksandr, an ex-convict serving in the Russian Army, hadn’t seen a single Ukrainian soldier and had barely fired a shot. The threat of death came from a distance. Sent to guard against a potential river crossing in southern Ukraine, his hastily formed unit, made up almost entirely of inmates, endured weeks of relentless bombardment, sniper attacks and ambushes. The marshy, flat terrain offered no cover beyond the burned-out hulks of cottages. Aleksandr claims that out of the 120 men in his unit, only about 40 remain alive. These survivors are being heavily pressured by the Russian military to remain on the battlefield at the end of their six-month contracts, according to Aleksandr and accounts provided to The New York Times from two other Russian inmates fighting on the front line. “We are being sent to a slaughter,” Aleksandr said in a series of audio messages from the Kherson region, referring to his commanders. “We are not human to them, because we are criminals.” His account provides a rare window into the fighting in Ukraine from a Russian inmate’s perspective. Units made up of convicts have become one of the cornerstones of Russian military strategy as the prolonged fighting has decimated the country’s regular forces. Aleksandr’s descriptions could not be independently confirmed, but they aligned with accounts from Ukrainian soldiers and Russian prisoners of war who said that Moscow used inmates essentially as cannon fodder.

Massive explosion at gas station in Russia’s Dagestan kills 35, injures scores more (AP) A massive explosion at a gas station in Russia’s southern republic of Dagestan killed 35 people and injured scores more, Russian officials said Tuesday. Russia’s Emergency Ministry reported Tuesday that a total of 105 people were injured, and 35 of them died. The explosion took place Monday night on the outskirts of Makhachkala, the region’s capital. A fire started at a car repair shop and spread to a nearby gas station, prompting a blast, Russia’s state news agency RIA Novosti reported.

As the Black Sea becomes a battleground, one Ukrainian farmer doesn’t know how he’ll sell his grain (AP) Victor Tsvyk harvested 4,800 tons of wheat this month, but after Russia exited a wartime deal that allowed Ukraine to ship grain to the world, he has no idea where his produce will go. Or how his beloved farm will survive. Tsvyk, who normally exported up to 90% of his harvest from the southern port of Odesa, faces a crisis: His yield is 20% higher compared with last year, which would have been a boon in times of peace, but in war, exorbitant logistics costs and Russia’s blockage of the ports has made shipping grain too expensive for him. Tsvyk is one of thousands of Ukrainian farmers facing a similar dilemma. Tsvyk doesn’t know what he will do with his harvest or how he will keep paying his 77 workers. “It’s too painful to talk about,” the 67-year-old said when asked how he envisions the future.

Modi says India’s economy will be among the top three in the world within five years (AP) Prime Minister Narendra Modi said India’s economy will be among the top three in the world within five years, as he marked 76 years of independence from British rule on Tuesday. “When poverty decreases in a country, the power of the middle class increases considerably,” he said. “In the next five years, I promise India will be among the top three economies in the world.” His statement comes after reports last year from S&P Global and Morgan Stanley forecast that India’s economy would overtake Japan and Germany’s to become the world’s third largest by 2030. They said India’s economic boom will be driven by offshoring, investment in manufacturing, growing digital infrastructure and energy transition. India’s $3.5 trillion economy surpassed the United Kingdom’s last year to become the fifth largest. Modi said he was confident that when India marks 100 years of independence in 2047, it will do so as a developed nation.

Taliban Fighters, Unsettled by Peace, Seek New Battles Abroad (NYT) As a child studying in a madrasa in Afghanistan, Mohammad Khalid Tahir dreamed of waging jihad. By the time he was a teenager, he had joined the Taliban and celebrated when they seized power from the U.S.-backed government two years ago. But the high from that victory did not last. Reassigned as a soldier in the capital, he frequently complained that he was bored and longed to return to his life’s purpose, according to his family. So this spring, he did—but across the border in Pakistan. “Our only expectation is to be martyred,” Mr. Tahir says in a video of him en route to Pakistan that was viewed by The New York Times. About a month later, he was killed by Pakistani security forces, his relatives said. As a generation of fighters raised in war now finds itself stuck in a country at peace, hundreds of young Taliban soldiers have crossed illegally into Pakistan to battle alongside an insurgent group, according to Taliban members, local leaders and security analysts. Like Mr. Tahir, many say they are determined to continue waging jihad—wherever in the world it takes them. The exodus has renewed longstanding fears about violent extremism spilling out of Afghanistan under the Taliban and destabilizing neighboring countries or one day reaching Western targets. Countries from Russia and China to the United States and Iran have all raised alarms about the possible resurgence in Afghanistan of terrorist groups, like Al Qaeda and the Islamic State, with more global ambitions.

China suspends youth jobless data after record high readings (Reuters) China suspended publication of its youth jobless data on Tuesday, saying it needed to review the methodology behind the closely watched benchmark, which has hit record highs in one of many warning signs for the world’s second-largest economy. The decision announced shortly after the release of weaker-than-expected factory and retail sales data sparked rare backlash on social media amid growing frustration about employment prospects in the country. It also marks the latest move by Chinese authorities to restrict access to key data and information, a trend that is unnerving overseas investors. The most recent NBS data on youth unemployment, published last month, showed the jobless rate jumping to a record high of 21.3% in June. “If you close your eyes then it doesn’t exist,” one user wrote on microblogging site Weibo, where a hashtag related to the decision received over 10 million views. “There is a saying called ‘burying your head in the sand’,” wrote another user.

The Deluge Facing Africa’s Leaders Is Going to Get Worse (NYT/Opinion) An uninterrupted swath of African countries from the Atlantic Ocean to the Red Sea is now under military rule. Mali, Guinea, Chad, Sudan, Burkina Faso and, most recently, Niger. Some of the putschists deposed elected leaders, like Niger’s president, Mohamed Bazoum. Others forestalled elections or even overthrew the leaders they had installed. Up to now, officials in Washington, Brussels, London and Addis Ababa, where the African Union is headquartered, have responded to each successive military takeover as its own crisis. Some observers see conspiracies in Moscow or terrorist networks at work, but in truth Russia’s Wagner Group and local jihadis are just opportunists. In each country recently taken over by generals, corruption had hollowed out civil administration and undermined politicians’ credibility, while soldiers have been empowered by foreign patrons wanting military bases, cooperation against terrorism and control of migration. Democracy can’t survive if it can’t deliver results. Like the rest of the world, Africans want jobs, affordable food and housing, quality education and health care. They want peace and security and the chance to set the course of their own nations’ future without being told what they can and cannot do by foreign powers. Throughout much of Africa, citizens also overwhelmingly want democracy, but they get frustrated when elected leaders don’t deliver. When people do welcome a coup, it’s often because they see it as the path to a better elected government.