WEDNESDAY www.thestatesman.com 03 AUGUST 2022 FIND US ONLINE Scan this with your smartphone twitter.com/TheStatesmanLtd facebook.com/thestatesman1875 Pages 12 |` 5.00|LC KOLKATA | NEW DELHI | SILIGURI | BHUBANESWAR PELOSI ARRIVES IN TAIWAN, DEFYING BEIJING 'V-P POLL IS ‘REFERENDUM’ ON HOW PARL SHOULD RUN' P5 WEATHER GENERALLY CLOUDY SKY. VERY LIGHT RAIN/THUNDERSHOWERS. THE MAXIMUM AND MINIMUM TEMPERATURES WOULD BE AROUND 35 AND 26 DEGREES CELSIUS RESPECTIVELY. P9 P6 US kills top Qaida leader al-Zawahiri AGENCIES Such actions are a repetition of the failed experiences of the past 20 years and are against the interests of the USA, Afghanistan, and the region WASHINGTON, 2 AUGUST Max.95% Min. 57% Max: 35.7°C (+1) SUN RISES 05:45 hrs MOON RISES 11:32 hrs Min: 25.8°C (-1) SUN SETS 19:11 hrs MOON SETS 22:36 hrs THUMBNAILS Indian Lawn Bowls team strikes gold: The Indian Lawn Bowls team created history by winning its first-ever medal in the sport, capturing Gold by defeating South Africa in the final of the women's fours event at the ongoing Commonwe The action was back and forth between India and their opponents, who are among the best teams in the sport with 44 medals. India were represented by Rupa Rani Tirkey, Nayanmoni Saikia, Lovely Choubey and Pinki Singh in this historic match. India won the match by 17-10. India started the match with a lead before South Africa fought back to make things 2-2.India kept dominating their opponents as after End 7, the Pg12 score read 7-2 in their favour. Gas leak near Visakhapatnam, 50 ill: Vizag: At least 50 workers fell ill today after a gas leak at an apparel manufacturing unit in the Brandix Special Economic Zone in Andhra Pradesh's Anakapalle district. The workers complained of nausea and vomiting after the gas leak.The workers were administered first aid in the medical centre at the SEZ and later shifted to nearby hospitals. "The gas leak reportedly took place at the premises of Brandix. 50 people have been shifted to hospitals, and evacuation is underway at the premises," said Superintendent of Police, Anakapalle. T he US killed top Al Qaida leader Ayman alZawahiri in a drone strike in Afghanistan over the weekend, dealing the terrorist group a major blow, confirmed US President Joe Biden.Al-Zawahiri had overseen the September 11 attacks on the USA in 2001, along with Osama bin-Laden. Al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian by birth who had trained to be a medical doctor, had a US reward of $25 million for information leading to his capture. The US holds him responsible also for the bombing of its embassies in Kenya and Tanzania in 1998 and on its naval ship USS Cole in 2000.He also had a long history of baiting and threatening India. Al-Zawahiri was killed by two Hellfire missiles fired at him from a CIA-run drone while he was on the balcony of a house in Kabul where he had been staying with his family. No members of his family or other civilians were wounded or killed in the strike, according to US officials who briefed reporters. President Biden said in an address to the nation that US intelligence had tracked the Al Qaida leader to Afghanistan early in the year and he gave the go ahead to the operation to kill al-Zawahiri a week ago on 25 July. Officials said Biden reviewed a model of the house early in July to In this 1998 file photo Ayman al-Zawahri, left, listens during a news conference with Osama bin Laden in Khost, Afghanistan. AP It’s a political vendetta to purposely disturb Congress & tarnish its image... as per our constitution, it’s not right to intimidate the Opp parties, as a ruling party... Congress won’t tolerate it  Al-Zawahiri, an Egyptian  He was by birth who had killed by two trained to be a medical Hellfire misdoctor, had a US reward siles fired at of $25 mn for inforhim from a mation leading to CIA-run his capture drone make sure there were no collateral casualties. “He had moved to downtown Kabul to reunite with members of his immediate family. After carefully considering clear and convincing evidence of his location, I authorised a precision strike that would remove him from the battlefield once and for all.” Biden added: “This mission was carefully planned, rigorously minimising the risk of harm to other civilians. And one week ago, after being advised the conditions were optimal, I gave the final approval to go get him and the mission was a success.”The US studied Zawahiri’s behaviour and that of his family members for weeks ~ the women in the family took circuitous routes from and to home to avoid trackers, for instance ~ to reduce the possibility of hitting others.The strike came around a year after the US left Afghanistan, which raised questions about its abili- TALIBAN “STRONGLY CONDEMNS THIS ATTACK AND CALLS IT A CLEAR VIOLATION OF INTERNATIONAL PRINCIPLES AND THE DOHA AGREEMENT” He will never again, never again, allow Afghanistan to become a terrorist safe haven because he is gone and we’re going to make sure that nothing else happens.This terrorist leader is no more JOE BIDEN US PRESIDENT ty to carry out counter-terrorism operations there. The Biden administration had sought to allay such concerns and fears, saying it will retain “overthe-horizon” capability from neighbouring countries.The house Al-Zawahri was in when he was killed was owned by a top aide to senior Taliban leader Sirajuddin Haqqani, according to a senior intelligence official. The Taliban government was given no forewarning of the operation.A statement from the Taliban government confirmed the airstrike, but did not mention al-Zawahiri or any other casualties. It said the Taliban “strongly condemns this attack and calls it a clear violation of international principles and the Doha Agreement” the 2020 U.S. pact with the Taliban that led to the withdrawal of American forces. “Such actions are a repetition of the failed experiences of the past 20 years and are against the interests of the United States of America, Afghanistan, and the region,” the statement said.Al-Zawahiri's most spectacular operations were against the US, but he had India in his crosshairs as well. In April, he came out in support of Muskan Khan, an Indian muslim student who stood up to those trying to prevent Muslim women from wearing hijab to educational institutions.“May Allah reward her for showing a moral lesson to sisters plagued by an inferiority complex via-a-vis the decadent Western world,” he said in a video released in April. A month later in May, he issued a diatribe against the Modi government’s decision to abrogate Art 370.“When the Hindu government of India took the infamous decision to annex Kashmir, it was the slap on the faces of the governments ruling over Muslim lands,” he said in a video. (See Pg10) P12 Heraldcase: ED carries out raids at 12 locations in Delhi He also had a long history of baiting and threatening India RAINFALL: nil RELATIVE HUMIDITY TEMPERATURE ‘WE ARE TRYING SOMETHING’ IRAQI IMBROGLIO MALLIKARJUN KHARGE CONGRESS LEADER Media personnel gather outside the Herald House in New Delhi on Tuesday.  SUBRATA DUTTA STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 AUGUST The Enforcement Directorate (ED) today carried out raids at 12 locations in the national capital and at other places in connection with the National Herald case in which top Congress leaders are accused of violating norms, triggering protest by the party workers outside Herald House in Delhi.The ED conducted raids at the office of Congress mouthpiece National Herald newspaper in connection with a money laundering case involving party leaders Sonia Gandhi and Rahul Gandhi. Recently, the ED had questioned Rahul Gandhi and Sonia Gandhi for several days. On Tuesday morning, a team of probe officials reached the office of National Herald and started the search operations.To protest against the raids, several Congress workers gathered in huge numbers outside at the Herald House in Delhi The Congress slammed the Centre after the ED raided the official premises of its mouthpiece “The National Herald”, in connection with a money laundering case. Reacting to the raids, Leader of Opposition in Rajya Sabha Mallikarjun Kharge said,“It’s a political vendetta to purposely disturb Congress & tarnish its image... as per our constitution, it’s not right to intimidate the opposition parties, as a ruling party... Congress won’t tolerate it”. Condemning the raids, Congress MP Jairam Ramesh in a tweet said, “ The raids on Herald House, Bahadur Shah Zafar Marg are a part of the continued attack against India’s principal opposition—Indian National Congress. We strongly condemn this vendetta politics against those who speak up against the Modi Govt. You cannot silence us!” Meanwhile, reacting to ED raids over the National Herald case, MoS Rajeev Chandrasekhar said, “I'm anticipating a crowd once again by Congress, in another attempt to intimidate ED. They've had an SoP to intimidate law enforcement officials whenever interrogated. Mamata Banerjee also invested in this strategy.” The National Herald case pertains to the alleged financial irregularities under the Prevention of Money Laundering Act (PMLA) and was registered about nine months ago after a trial court took cognisance of an Income ‘Like Quattrocchi filing case against Bofors’: Scientists have isolated monkeypox, Sarma takes dig at Cong over Jharkhand row possible to develop vax: Mandaviya AGENCIES GUWAHATI, 2 AUGUST BJP has hit back at the “baseless” allegations by Congress that Assam chief minister Himanta Biswa Sarma was attempting to topple the JMMCongress coalition government in Jharkhand. Jharkhand Congress MLA Kumar Jaimangal had written a letter alleging that three of his colleagues arrested in Bengal recently had asked him to meet Assam chief minister in Guwahati and he would be given a ministerial berth and huge cash to bring down the JMMCongress government. Sarma on Tuesday took to Twitter to share pictures posted by Assam BJP MLA Pijush Haz- arika in which Jaimangal is seen meeting union minister Pralhad Joshi in his presence. Sarma tweeted that an FIR filed by the Congress MLA was akin to the Congress asking ‘Ottavio Quattrocchi to file a case against Bofors’. “Fake FIR in #Jharkhand. The so-called FIR looks like @INCIndia asking Ottavio Quattrocchi to file a case against Bofors,” he tweeted.Sarma retweeted Pijush Hazarika post in which the BJP MLA said: “Five days before filing the fabricated FIR, Hon'ble CM Dr.@himantabiswa sir took him to the Residence of the Hon'ble Union Coal Minister Shri @JoshiPralhad ji at 9 am of 26th July, 2022 in order to help him in his trade union related matter,” added in another tweet. Hazarika said that Kumar Jaimangal should “face the law for making a fraudulent allegation” against Himanta Biswa Sarma. "Mr. @KumarJaimangal has been regularly meeting HCM Dr.@himantabiswa sir. He should face the law for making a fraudulent allegation against Hon'ble Chief Minister of Assam and against those tribal MLAs,” tweeted the Assam MLA.Jharkhand Congress MLA from Bermo, Kumar Jaimangal alleged that BJP is trying to topple the JMMCong coalition government in Jharkhand and claimed that Assam chief minister has a major role to play in it. Jaimangal wrote a letter of complaint against Congress MLAs nab bed in Bengal’s Howrah district. His letter stated, that Assam CM is doing it with the blessings of top shots of BJP political party sitting in Delhi.The Bermo legislator said he was asked by the arrested MLAs to come to Kolkata and leave for Guwahati together. Besides Rs 10 crore for each MLA, Jamtara legislator Irfan Ansari told him that he had been promised the health minister’s post in the new government of the BJP. FACT FILE AGENCIES NEW DELHI, 2 AUGUST TOTAL CASES Health minister Mansukh Mandaviya on Tuesday informed the Upper House that scientists have isolated the monkeypox virus and a vaccine, like that for Covid-19, might be developed. While replying to a question regarding the steps taken to create awareness about monkeypox, he said: "Monkeypox has been isolated by our scientists and ICMR has also floated an 'expression ofinterest'. Like it was done during the time of Covid. On the basis of that, our scientists who come forward should be given an isolated virus so that its vaccine can be devel- 4,40,50,009 ACTIVE CASES 1,39,792 NEW CASES 13,734 17,897 NEW RECOVERIES TOTAL DEATHS 5,26,430 UNION HEALTH MINISTRY FIGURES AS OF 8.00 A.M. TUESDAY 02 AUGUST 2022 oped." Upon being asked in the Rajya Sabha about the progress of vaccines for the disease, the Health Minister said that studies are still being conducted to find proper vaccination for the disease. Only contact tracing and vaccinating people who were in close contact with a disease carrier are required and there is no need for countrywide vaccination for this disease. Scientists have isolated the monkeypox virus and will also develop a vaccine in India, he added. According to the minister, monkeypox is not a new disease in India and in the world. Since 1970, many cases have been reported from Africa. The World Health Organization (WHO) has paid special attention to this infection. India has also started monitoring the cases. India declares $140 mn credit line for infrastructure, sports facilities in Maldives STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 AUGUST India today announced a new $ 100 million Line of Credit (LoC) to finance infrastructure projects and another $ 40 million LoC for sports infrastructure development in the Maldives as Prime Minister Narendra Modi assured its President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih that New Delhi would always be the “first responder” for the Indian Ocean archipelago. “We have decided to provide an additional line of credit of $ 100 million to the Maldives so that all projects can be completed in a specific time frame,” Modi said at a joint media interaction with the visiting leader after wide-ranging talks between the two leaders on Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Maldives President Ibrahim Mohamed Solih witness the exchange of MoU, at Hyderabad House, in New Delhi on Tuesday. ANI a range of bilateral issues as well as global developments. Apart from witnessing the signing of a few agreements between their two countries, the two leaders inaugurated the $500 million Greater Male Connectivity Project, the largest infra project in the Maldives which is being funded by New Delhi. India reviewed projects for the construction of 4000 social housing units in Greater Male and will additionally provide financial support for 2000 social housing units. “We reviewed projects for the construction of 4000 social housing units in Greater Male. We will additionally provide financial support for 2000 social housing units,” Modi said. Speaking about the security needs in the Indian Ocean region, he said: “The threat of trans-national crime, terrorism, and drug trafficking is serious in the Indian Ocean region. That's why coordination between India and the Maldives in the field of defence and security is vital for the peace and stability of the entire region.” Modi said he was happy to announce that India would provide 24 vehicles and a naval boat to the Maldivian security forces and assist the neighbouring country to build facilities for its police in 61 islands. The Maldives is a key neighbour of India in the Indian Ocean Region and occupies a special place in the country's “Neighbourhood First Policy”. For India, the Maldives has always been a close and important maritime neighbour. Multifaceted ties between the two countries have strengthened despite the pandemic-related disruptions.The Maldivian president welcomed the operationalisation of RuPay cards in the Maldives. “MaldivesIndia relationship goes beyond diplomacy. This visit is an affirmation of the close bond between our two countries,” he noted. PM changes display picture to Tricolour STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 AUGUST Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Tuesday changed his profile picture and put 'Tricolour' on his social media pages; and also urged the people to put the flag on their accounts on social media platforms between August 2 to 15.In a tweet, the Prime Minister said, “It is a special 2nd August today! At a time when we are marking Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, our nation is all set for #HarGharTiranga. I have changed the DP on my social media pages and urge you all to do the same.” In his “Mann Ki Baat” programme, Modi called upon all citizens to turn the “Har Ghar Tiranga” campaign into a mass movement by hoisting or displaying the national flag at their homes and using the ‘Tiranga’ as a display picture on their social media accounts. “Under the Azadi Ka Amrit Mahotsav, from the 13th to the 15th of August, a special movement - “Har Ghar Tiranga” is being organized. Let us further this movement by hoisting the Nation- al Flag at our homes,” he said. Home minister Amit Shah also urged citizens to change the DP of their social media accounts to Tiranga. BJP President J P Nadda tweeted; “Our national flag is a symbol of our independence. In furtherance of the appeal by Hon. PM Shri @narendramodi we have all decided to hoist our flag in every house from Aug 13th to 15th. I urge everyone to display our Tiranga on their social media accounts.” Agusta scam: ED opposes Michel’s bail in SC NEW DELHI, 2 AUGUST The Enforcement Directorate has told the Supreme Court that Christian Michel James, an alleged middleman in the AgustaWestland chopper scam case, is a flight risk and his extradition was obtained with extreme difficulties as it opposed his bail pleas. A bench headed by Justice D.Y. Chandrachud is scheduled to hear on the day two bail pleas filed by Christian Michel James. In an affidavit, the ED said: “The present petitioner not being a citizen of India is a flight risk and his extradition has been obtained with extreme difficulties and procedural impediments. Further, the offence committee in the present case contains a complex web of transactions across jurisdictions and the investigation with respect to the same is ongoing and the presence of the petitioner is crucial at all the stages. “The ED further added that if Michel is released on bail, he might flee to avoid the investigation which shall be prejudicial against the course of the proceedings.Michel moved the top court challenging the Delhi HC order passed in March this year, dismissing his bail plea. Tax department probe carried out on the basis of a private criminal complaint filed by former BJP MP Subramanian Swamy in 2013. PM lauds 6 bn UPI transactions in July, highest ever since 2016 STATESMAN NEWS SERVICE NEW DELHI, 2 AUGUST Prime Minister Narendra Modi today lauded the outstanding accomplishment of 6 billion UPI (Unified Payments Interface) transactions in July, the highest ever since 2016.In response to a tweet by Union finance minister Nirmala Sitharaman, the PM said, “This is an outstanding accomplishment. It indicates the collective resolve of the people of India to embrace new technologies and make the economy cleaner. Digital payments were particularly helpful during the pandemic.” Sitharaman, on her Twitter account, posted an article that said India's flagship digital payments platform reported 6.28 billion transactions amounting to Rs 10.62 trillion. Month-on-month, the volume of transactions was up 7.16 per cent and value increased 4.76 per cent. Yearon-year, the volume of transactions nearly doubled while the value of transactions was up 75 per cent, said the article quoting the data released by the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI), which operates the platform. The pandemic has fueled the acceleration of the adoption of digital payments in the country in the last two years. Apart from a few hiccups during the first two waves of the pandemic, UPI transactions are increasing as the broader economy recovers, it said. In March 2022, the Ministry of Electronics and IT informed that Digital Payments transactions have been steadily increasing over the last few years, as a part of the government strategy to digitise the financial sector and economy.