The Indian Weekender, 26 February 2021

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14 INDIA Friday, February 26, 2021 The Indian Weekender NEWS in BRIEF Idea of climate action should not be to move climate ambition goal post to 2050: India at UNSC India has said that the idea of climate action should not be to move the goal post to 2050 and countries must fulfil their pre-2020 commitments, calling on the global community to view climate change as a “wake-up call” to strengthen multilateralism and seek equitable solutions for a sustainable world. Minister for Environment, Forests and Climate Change Prakash Javadekar on Tuesday said the delivery on the commitment by developed countries to jointly mobilise USD 100 billion per year by 2020 in support of climate action in developing countries has been elusive. He was speaking at the UN Security Council’s open debate on ‘Maintenance of international peace and security: Addressing climaterelated risks to international peace and security'. “The idea of climate action should not be to move the climate ambition goal post to 2050. It is important for countries to fulfil their pre-2020 commitments. Climate Action needs to go hand-in-hand with the framework for financial, technical and capacity-building support to countries that need it,” he said. Indian-American Swati Mohan spearheads NASA rover landing on Red Planet As the world watched the new NASA rover touchdown on the Martian surface, it was Indian American Swati Mohan who virtually spearheaded the successful landing of Perseverance that will search for signs on life on the Red Planet. "Touchdown confirmed! Perseverance is safely on the surface of Mars, ready to begin seeking the signs of past life," cheered Mohan, wearing a mask from the NASA headquarters in the US. The Landing was perceived to be "so dangerous" it was nicknamed "7 minutes of terror". Swati Mohan, who also participated in several key NASA missions like the Cassini (a mission to Saturn) and GRAIL (a pair of spacecrafts in formation on the Moon), had immigrated to the US from India when she was just age one and was inspired by 'Star Trek' series at age 9. Mohan holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Mechanical and Aerospace Engineering from Cornell University and completed her MS and PhD from MIT in Aeronautics/Astronautics. "@NASAPersevere is still in space right now, about 9,000 miles from Mars. So far, she is healthy and on course," NASA said in a tweet. "Swati Mohan, @NASAJPL engineer on the rover's landing team, provides a status update on the #CountdownToMars", it added. 'Monetise & modernise' is our motto: PM on disinvestment Reiterating the government's commitment towards privatisation of PSUs and asset monetisation, Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Wednesday said that the motto of his government is to "monetise and modernise". Addressing a webinar on the Budget announcements for Department of Investment and Public Asset Management (DIPAM), the Prime Minister asked the private sector to come in support of the government's initiatives proposed in the Budget and help it prepare the roadmap for accelerated growth. Emphasising on the role of private sector, he said that the Budget also focused on the strong partnership between the private players and the Centre. "When the government monetises, private sector comes in, along with investment and best global practices," he said. The funds mobilised through asset monetisation and disinvestment will be used for public welfare measures, he said. He added the Budget has targeted monetising 100 government assets, which would create investment opportunities worth Rs 2.5 lakh crore. India, Mauritius sign trade agreement India and Mauritius have signed a Comprehensive Economic Cooperation and Partnership Agreement (CECPA) that provides an institutional mechanism to encourage and improve trade between the two countries. India decided to change its trading relationship with Mauritius after it found that the earlier double taxation avoidance (DTA) treaty with the island nation was being misused for routing illegal money into India. In fact, tax advantage that India gave made Mauritius the supplier of largest foreign direct investment into the country. Even since then, various loopholes in the earlier trading system have been plugged. The new CECPA was signed by Indian Commerce secretary Anup Wadhawan and Ambassador Haymandoyal Dillum, Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and International Trade, Government of Mauritius in Port Louis in the presence of Prime Minister of Mauritius and Indian External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar. JAISHANKAR AT UNHRC: Human rights agenda faces challenges due to terror India said that the human rights agenda faces severe challenges mostly due to Pakistan's crossborder terrorism. Speaking at the 46th session of the UN Human Rights Council, External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar said that the human rights agenda continues to face severe challenges, most of all from terrorism. "The perennial concerns remain equally strong, be it global inequities or armed conflicts. Multilateral institutions and mechanisms need to be reformed to be able to deal with these effectively," he said. Terrorism continues to be one of the gravest threats to humankind, the minister said, adding that it is a crime against humanity and violates the most fundamental human right - namely 'the Right to Life'. "As a long-standing victim, India has been in the forefront of the global action against terrorism. This is possible only when there is a clear realisation, including in bodies dealing with human rights, that terrorism can never be justified, nor its perpetrators be ever equated with its victims," the minister argued. India, he pointed out, had presented at the UNSC last month an eight-point action plan to deal with the scourge of terrorism. He said India will continue to work together with the members of the UN Security Council and other states to ensure the implementation of the Indian government's action plan. The minister asserted that India has always played an active role in global promotion and protection of human rights. "Our strong commitment to On India-China LAC row, Army chief says 'nobody wants an unsettled border' Army Chief General Manoj Mukund Naravane on Wednesday spoke about India's position on the standoff with China in Ladakh and said that the resolve of safeguarding the country's interest was shown. The Army chief also said that India's engagements with China should continue as they have in the past and said that nobody wants an unsettled border, reported news agency ANI. "As two neighbours who would like to have peace and tranquility on their borders and who would like that all the other engagements which have been going on in the past should continue also in the future," General Naravane was quoted as saying by ANI. Nobody wants an unsettled border, the army chief further said. Talking about the efforts to normalise the situation along the Line of Actual Control (LAC) in Ladakh, he said, "Whatever we did as a government, as a nation, has shown that the resolve that we have in maintaining our interest foremost." "I think that with this 'Whole-of-Government Approach' our relations with China would develop along the path that we wish to develop," General Naravane said. The recent India-China disengagement at Pangong Tso, the army chief said, saw a good end result and termed it as a win-win situation. " India believes that violation of and gaps in implementation of human rights should be addressed in a fair and just manner, with objectivity, non-selectivity, transparency and with due respect to the principles of noninterference in internal affairs and national sovereignty the welfare of entire humanity, inspired by our civilisational ethos of 'Vasudhaiva Kutumbkam' or 'the World is one family' has provided the very foundation on which our constitutional and legal framework of human rights has been built," he said. Jaishankar argued that India's approach is based on its own experience as an inclusive and pluralistic society and a vibrant democracy. India's constitution has enshrined basic human rights as fundamental rights, guaranteeing civil and political rights, stipulating provisions for progressive realisation of economic, social and cultural rights. These continue to evolve through legislations by the Parliament, progressive interpretation of laws by the judiciary and active participation of civil society and citizens. He said India believes that equal emphasis should be placed on both promotion and protection of human rights. Both are best pursued through dialogue, consultation and cooperation among states as well as technical assistance and capacity building. India, he said, also believes that achievement of sustainable development goals will contribute to realisation and enjoyment of basic human rights. As a member of the UNHRC, India remains committed to work together with fellow members of the council to achieve consensus. "India believes that violation of and gaps in implementation of human rights should be addressed in a fair and just manner, with objectivity, non-selectivity, transparency and with due respect to the principles of non-interference in internal affairs and national sovereignty," he said. A border standoff between the Indian and Chinese militaries began in May last year, and a month later, resulted in a bloody clash in Galwan Valley in which 20 Indian soldiers and four Chinese troops were killed. After nearly nine months, the armies withdrew their artillery and camps, marking the disengagement. In a joint statement on Sunday, India and China said that the disengagement of troops in Pangong Lake area in Eastern Ladakh is a significant step forward for resolution of other remaining issues along the LAC in the western sector. The two sides also agreed to follow the important consensus of their state leaders, continue their communication and dialogue, stabilise and control the situation on the ground and push for a mutually acceptable resolution of the remaining issues in a steady and orderly manner so as to jointly maintain peace and tranquility in the border areas.
The Indian Weekender Friday, February 26, 2021 WORLD 15 Johnson and Johnson vaccine: FDA finds the single-shot jab safe A review by US regulators of the single-shot Johnson & Johnson coronavirus vaccine has found it is safe and effective. It paves the way for it to become the third Covid-19 vaccine to be authorised in the US, possibly within days. The vaccine would be a costeffective alternative to the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines, and can be stored in a refrigerator instead of a freezer. The Belgian company Janssen, which is owned by the pharmaceutical giant, said its data showed the product was highly effective against severe disease. It comes as Ghana became the first country to receive coronavirus vaccines through the Covax vaccine-sharing initiative. The briefing document published by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) gives more detail on the data submitted by Janssen to the regulator. The FDA concludes that the Johnson & Johnson vaccine has "known benefits" in reducing both symptomatic and severe illness. A solar panel in space is collecting energy that could one day be beamed to anywhere on Earth Scientists working for the Pentagon have successfully tested a solar panel the size of a pizza box in space, designed as a prototype for a future system to send electricity from space back to any point on Earth. The panel -- known as a Photovoltaic Radiofrequency Antenna Module (PRAM) -- was first launched in May 2020, attached to the Pentagon's X-37B unmanned drone, to harness light from the sun to convert to electricity. The drone is looping Earth every 90 minutes. The Photovoltaic Direct Current to Radio Frequency Antenna Module (PRAM) sits inside thermal vacuum chamber during testing at the US Naval Research Laboratory in Washington, DC. The panel is designed to make best use of the light in space, which doesn't pass through the atmosphere, and so retains the energy of blue waves, making it more powerful than the sunlight that reaches Earth. Blue light diffuses on entry into the atmosphere, which is why the sky appears blue. "We're getting a ton of extra sunlight in space just because of that," said Paul Jaffe, a co-developer of the project. The latest experiments show that the 12x12- inch panel is capable of producing about 10 watts of energy for transmission, Jaffe told the media "The unique advantage the solar power satellites have over any other source of power is this global transmissibility" Results from vaccine trials conducted in the US, South Africa and Brazil found its efficacy against the worst outcomes of the virus was "similarly high" but overall protection was lower in South Africa and Brazil, where virus variants have become dominant. Data showed it was more than 85% effective at preventing serious illness, but only 66% effective overall, when moderate cases were included, when considering cases at least 28 days after vaccination. Notably, there were no deaths among participants who had received the vaccine that's about enough to power a tablet computer. But the project envisages an array of dozens of panels and, if scaled up, its success could revolutionize both how power is generated and distributed to remote corners of the globe. It could contribute to the Earth's largest grid networks, Jaffe said. "Some visions have space solar matching or exceeding the largest power plants today -- multiple gigawatts -- so enough for a city," he said. The unit has yet to actually send power directly back to Earth, but that technology has already been proven. If the project develops into huge kilometers-wide space solar antennae, it could beam microwaves that would then be converted into fuel-free electricity to any part of the planet at a moment's notice. "The unique advantage the solar power satellites have over any other source of power is this global transmissibility," Jaffe said. "You can send power to Chicago and a fraction of a second later, if you needed, send it instead to London or Brasilia." and no hospital admissions after 28 days post-vaccine. An external committee of experts will meet on Friday to recommend whether the FDA should authorise the vaccine, possibly adding to a coming surge in vaccine availability in the US. A White House official said the administration anticipated distributing at least three million doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine next week, should it receive emergency authorisation from the FDA. The company says it plans to deliver 20 million doses in total by late March, in line with an agreement to supply the US with 100m doses by the end of June. Rare bird: 'Half-male, half-female' cardinal snapped in Pennsylvania A bird that appears to be half-female and halfmale has been photographed in Pennsylvania by a birder who rushed out with his camera when he heard a friend had spotted the northern cardinal. Though not unheard of, mixed sex birds are rare. Male cardinals are bright red but females are pale brown, suggesting this specimen may be a mix of the two sexes. Retired ornithologist Jamie Hill, 69, told the media it was a "once-in-a-lifetime, onein-a-million encounter". A friend of Mr Hill told him that she had seen an "unusual bird" coming to her bird feeders in Warren County in the state of Pennsylvania. At first Mr Hill wondered if the bird was leucistic - a term that means the specimen would have a loss of pigmentation in its feathers, but would not be half-female, half-male. But after seeing mobile phone pictures, he suspected it had what is called bilateral gynandromorphism, which is when a bird would have both a functioning ovary and a functioning single testis. He visited the home where the cardinal had been spotted. Over the course of an hour he was able to photograph the unusual bird. "After I captured the images, my heart was pounding for the next five hours until I could get home and process the digital images to see what I actually had," Mr Hill explained. "I have been searching for the long-thought-extinct ivory-billed woodpecker for almost two decades, and photographing this rare version of one of our most common backyard birds, this gynandromorph northern cardinal, was almost as exciting as I think I would get if I actually found the woodpecker," he said. NEWS in BRIEF Australian PM is vaccinated as rollout begins Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison has received the coronavirus vaccine as the country prepares to start vaccinations this week. His jab was televised today in order to help boost confidence in the vaccine rollout across Australia. Vaccinations officially begin tomorrow and at least 60,000 doses are expected to be administered next week. Small crowds of anti-vaccination demonstrators gathered to protest against the launch. The first vaccinations in Australia will be the Pfizer vaccine which has been approved for use. Australia's medical regulator earlier this week also granted provisional approval for the vaccine developed by AstraZeneca and Oxford University, which is expected to be rolled out next month. US records half million deaths due to COVID-19 500,000 people have died because of COVID-19 in the United States so far which is higher than in any other country in the world. This means that more Americans have died from COVID-19 than they did on the battlefields of World War I, World War II and the Vietnam War combined. More than 28.1 million Americans have been infected which is also a global record. President Joe Biden has labelled this a grim milestone. Biden has ordered all flags on federal properties to be lowered to half mast for the next five days. According to the Johns Hopkins University, 2.4 million people have died because of COVID-19 worldwide. There have been 112 million cases. 63 million people have recovered from the virus. Russia foils 72 terror crimes in 2020: Putin Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that law enforcement forces have prevented 72 terrorist crimes in the country in 2020, up from 57 a year earlier. Despite the fact that many of the attempts were thwarted at an early stage, terrorism remains a serious threat with terrorists using more diverse tactics, Putin said at a meeting of the Federal Security Service (FSB) Board. It is necessary to better protect places of mass gathering, critical facilities and social institutions, and more effectively coordinate the work of the FSB and other security agencies, he said. Putin ordered law enforcers to pay special attention to detecting the contacts between terrorist groups and foreign special services, the Xinhua news agency reported. He praised the work of counterintelligence bodies, which have thwarted the activities of 72 employees and 423 agents of foreign special services last year. 2.8m doses of AstraZeneca vaccine to reach Pakistan on March 2 As 2.8 million doses of Oxford AstraZeneca Covid-19 vaccine will be received on March 2, the government has decided to start vaccination of people over 65 years of age in the first week of next month. Registration and inoculation of healthcare workers (HCWs), other than frontline workers, will start from February 22, the Dawn reported. As Covid-19 cases seem to be under control even 18 days after the opening of educational institutions, the health authorities expect that the situation will further improve with the increase in temperature. However, some experts believe that the trend seems to be on natural decline. Donald Trump Jr. deposed by DC attorney general as part of inaugural funds lawsuit Donald Trump Jr. was deposed as part of the Washington, DC, attorney general's lawsuit alleging the misuse of Trump inaugural funds, according to a new court filing. In a court document dated Tuesday, DC Attorney General Karl Racine's office revealed the former President's son was deposed on February 11. The filing states that Trump's deposition "raised further questions about the nature" of a hotel invoice Racine's office has been investigating. The attorney general's office alleges that the Trump Organization signed a contract with the Loews Madison hotel for $49,358.92 for a block of rooms during the 2017 inauguration, and that the invoice was later forwarded to the Presidential Inaugural Committee, which then paid the bill, according to the filing.
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The Indian Weekender, 26 February 2021

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