The Evening Wrap: China protests against lockdowns spread to dozens of college campuses

Dear reader, We have now made it easier for you to manage your The Hindu newsletter subscriptions in one place! Visit The Hindu newsletters page here Click MANAGE tab and then click LOGIN / SIGN UP If you don’t have an account with The Hindu, please click SIGN UP OR If you already have an account with The Hindu with this email ID, please login using the email ID Protests in China against the government’s harsh COVID-19 lockdown measures continued to intensify over the weekend, spreading to dozens of university campuses around the country in an unprecedented challenge to the Communist Party on a scale unseen in decades. The protests against lockdowns were triggered by widespread anger at the death of at least 10 people in a fire in an apartment in the western city of Urumqi, with delays in extinguishing the blaze widely seen by the public as a result of lockdown policies. This weekend, thousands of students gathered across the country, from Sichuan University in the West to Nanjing Communications University in the east. Chinese health experts have told state media the country could not afford to open up given the vast elderly population and the stress on its medical system that could face a collapse. China could face millions of deaths with only 40% of the above-80 population having completed three doses of Chinese vaccines, needed to prevent hospitalisation and death. At the same time, millions of Chinese have struggled under the continuing weight of the zero-COVID regime. Continuing lockdowns have decimated livelihoods and the economy. University students have been particularly badly affected, spending months either in online learning or confined to their dormitories, and facing on graduation arguably the worst job prospects in China’s reform era. “Our youth has been stolen,” said one comment online. Thousands of students expressed their sentiment by carrying blank white sheets of paper as they gathered in their campuses, or posting blank images online to show solidarity with the protesters. In Nanjing, a university official with a megaphone told the protesters they “would pay one day for what they have done” and reminded them that the COVID-19 measures were “state policy”, according to a video. One of the students responded, “the state will also have to pay too”. Mann ki Baat | India’s G20 presidency opportunity to focus on global good: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, during his monthly radio broadcast “Mann Ki Baat”, said that assuming the G20 presidency was a huge opportunity for India and that the country must utilise it by focusing on global good. India will officially assume the G20 presidency from the current chair Indonesia on December 1. Modi said that India was capable of providing solutions to the varied challenges being faced globally. “Be it peace or unity, sensitivity towards environment or sustainable development, India has solution to challenges related to all such things,” Modi said. He mentioned that he received a handwoven G20 logo woven by Yeldhi Hariprasad of Sircilla district in Telangana, along with a letter stating that it was a matter of great pride for India to host the G20 Summit next year. Among other topics, Modi also spoke about the power of music, and the spread of Indian music. He made a mention of Greek musician Konstantinos Kalaitzis, and played out the singer’s version of “Vaishnava Janato”, Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite bhajan. He also said that the launch of ‘Vikram S’ rocket heralded a “new era” for the private space sector in India as he hailed the sector’s contribution in the sphere of space technology. He praised India’s space technology saying that world class standard at a low cost has now become the country’s hallmark. Mentioning the recent transportation of apples through drones in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, the PM also reflected on how technology became a solution for difficult connectivity issues faced by the snow-bound region. Gujarat polls | State’s responsibility to check anti-national forces: BJP chief Nadda BJP president J.P. Nadda on Sunday said that it was the government’s responsibility to maintain a vigil on anti-national forces and batted for an anti-radicalisation cell announced by his party in its Gujarat Assembly polls manifesto. Releasing the BJP manifesto for the polls earlier on Saturday, Nadda had announced setting up the cell to identify and eliminate potential threats and sleeper cells of terrorist organisations and anti-India forces. “Like antibodies in the human body, keep a check on bad cells. It is the state’s responsibility to keep a check on anti-national cells in the country. Then there are some cells that work underground so this anti-radicalisation cell is required to keep a check on such cells,” he said. On the Uniform Civil Code, which the BJP has promised in several Assembly polls, Nadda said it was a “national issue” for the party and was committed to it. “The country’s resources and its responsibilities are equal for all. Therefore, the UCC is a welcome step. We would like to implement the UCC in as many States as possible,” he said. When asked about the BJP not fielding a Muslim candidate in Gujarat, he said his party believes in ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’ (with all and development for all). “Late Dr. [APJ] Abdul Kalam became the President [of India] with the BJP’s support, then the [Narendra] Modi government at the Centre appointed Muslim governors as well. So, we follow the principle of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’, and tickets for elections are given purely based on winnability,” he said. About the “freebies” in the BJP manifesto he said that one should “distinguish between empowerment and allurement”. “While our programmes are welfare measures for empowering the poor and the needy. It is not like freebies, which are free for all, they are specifically meant for a segment of the population,” he said. Assam lifts travel restrictions to Meghalaya The Assam government has lifted travel restrictions to Meghalaya almost a week after six people were killed in a firing on the border between the two States. The decision to ease the curbs was taken in view of the improving law-and-order situation in Meghalaya, the Assam police said. “All vehicles are being allowed to move to Shillong and other parts of Meghalaya,” Sudhakar Singh, the Deputy Commissioner of Police for Guwahati said on Sunday. He asserted that the movement of commercial vehicles carrying essentials and other items had never been restricted after the flare-up at Mukroh, a village on the interstate boundary that Assam claims is in West Karbi Anglong district while Meghalaya insists it is in West Jaintia Hills district. Orders restricting the gathering of four or more people have remained in force along the Assam-Meghalaya border, officials said. Meghalaya’s Director-General of Police, L.R. Bishnoi said two companies each of the Central Reserve Police Force and the Border Security Force have been deployed in the State for maintaining peace. While the CRPF companies are deployed in Shillong, the BSF companies have been deployed in Ri-Bhoi and West Jaintia Hills districts. These two districts have sensitive areas along Meghalaya’s border with Assam. PT Usha set to get elected as IOA chief, first woman occupant of top job The legendary athlete PT Usha is set to become the first woman president of Indian Olympic Association (IOA) as she emerged as the lone candidate for the top post for the December 10 elections. The 58-year-old Usha, a multiple Asian Games gold medallist and a fourth-place finisher in the 1984 Olympics 400m hurdles final, filed her nomination papers for the top job on Sunday along with her team for the various posts. Usha has also been elected as one of the eight Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit by the Athletes Commission of the IOA, making her an electoral college member. She will also become the first Olympian and first international medallist to head the IOA in its 95-year-old history. The IOA polls will be held to elect one president, one senior vice-president, two vice-presidents (one male and one female), one treasurer, two joint secretaries (one male and one female), six other Executive Council members, out of which two (one male and one female) shall be from the elected SOMs. Ajay Patel of National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is set to be the senior vice-president as he is also the lone candidate for the post. Olympic medallist shooter Gagan Narang is also the only candidate for the post of one male vice president. Two candidates — Rajlaxmi Singh Deo, Alaknanda Ashok — have, however, filed nominations for the lone post of woman vice-president. Indian Weightlifting Federation president Sahdev Yadav will be elected unopposed as the treasurer. All India Football Federation president Kalyan Chaubey will be the male joint secretary while there were three candidates — Alaknanda Ashok, Shalini Thakur Chawla and Suman Kaushik — for the lone female joint secretary’s post. Olympic medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and archer Dola Banerjee will be the male and female representatives of the eight SOMs in the executive council. In Brief: Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sisi will be the chief guest at the Republic Day in January 2023, the Ministry of External Affairs said. He will be the first such guest since 2020, as plans for guests in 2021 and 2022 were cancelled due to COVID-19. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent a formal invitation to al-Sisi which was handed over to the Egyptian president by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on October 16. Both countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year. Egypt has also been invited as a ‘Guest Country’ during India’s Presidency of G20 in 2022-23, the statement said. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. [logo] The Evening Wrap 27 NOVEMBER 2022 [The Hindu logo] Welcome to the Evening Wrap newsletter, your guide to the day’s biggest stories with concise analysis from The Hindu. [[Arrow]Open in browser]( [[Mail icon]More newsletters]( China protests spread to dozens of college campuses, calls grow for end to lockdowns Dear reader, We have now made it easier for you to manage your The Hindu newsletter subscriptions in one place! Visit The Hindu newsletters page here Click MANAGE tab and then click LOGIN / SIGN UP If you don’t have an account with The Hindu, please click SIGN UP OR If you already have an account with The Hindu with this email ID, please login using the email ID Protests in China against the government’s harsh COVID-19 lockdown measures continued to intensify over the weekend, [spreading to dozens of university campuses around the country]( in an unprecedented challenge to the Communist Party on a scale unseen in decades. The protests against lockdowns were triggered by widespread anger at the death of at least 10 people in a fire in an apartment in the western city of Urumqi, with delays in extinguishing the blaze widely seen by the public as a result of lockdown policies. This weekend, thousands of students gathered across the country, from Sichuan University in the West to Nanjing Communications University in the east. Chinese health experts have told state media the country could not afford to open up given the vast elderly population and the stress on its medical system that could face a collapse. China could face millions of deaths with only 40% of the above-80 population having completed three doses of Chinese vaccines, needed to prevent hospitalisation and death. At the same time, millions of Chinese have struggled under the continuing weight of the zero-COVID regime. Continuing lockdowns have decimated livelihoods and the economy. University students have been particularly badly affected, spending months either in online learning or confined to their dormitories, and facing on graduation arguably the worst job prospects in China’s reform era . “Our youth has been stolen,” said one comment online. Thousands of students expressed their sentiment by carrying blank white sheets of paper as they gathered in their campuses, or posting blank images online to show solidarity with the protesters. In Nanjing, a university official with a megaphone told the protesters they “would pay one day for what they have done” and reminded them that the COVID-19 measures were “state policy”, according to a video. One of the students responded, “the state will also have to pay too”. Mann ki Baat | India’s G20 presidency opportunity to focus on global good: PM Modi Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Sunday, during his monthly radio broadcast “Mann Ki Baat”, said that [assuming the G20 presidency was a huge opportunity for India]( and that the country must utilise it by focusing on global good. India will officially assume the G20 presidency from the current chair Indonesia on December 1. Modi said that India was capable of providing solutions to the varied challenges being faced globally. “Be it peace or unity, sensitivity towards environment or sustainable development, India has solution to challenges related to all such things,” Modi said. He mentioned that he received a handwoven G20 logo woven by Yeldhi Hariprasad of Sircilla district in Telangana, along with a letter stating that it was a matter of great pride for India to host the G20 Summit next year. Among other topics, Modi also spoke about the power of music, and the spread of Indian music. He made a mention of Greek musician Konstantinos Kalaitzis, and played out the singer’s version of “Vaishnava Janato”, Mahatma Gandhi’s favourite bhajan. He also said that the launch of ‘Vikram S’ rocket heralded a “new era” for the private space sector in India as he hailed the sector’s contribution in the sphere of space technology. He praised India’s space technology saying that world class standard at a low cost has now become the country’s hallmark. Mentioning the recent transportation of apples through drones in Kinnaur, Himachal Pradesh, the PM also reflected on how technology became a solution for difficult connectivity issues faced by the snow-bound region. Gujarat polls | State’s responsibility to check anti-national forces: BJP chief Nadda BJP president J.P. Nadda on Sunday said that it was the [government’s responsibility to maintain a vigil on anti-national forces]( and batted for an anti-radicalisation cell announced by his party in its Gujarat Assembly polls manifesto. Releasing the BJP manifesto for the polls earlier on Saturday, Nadda had announced setting up the cell to identify and eliminate potential threats and sleeper cells of terrorist organisations and anti-India forces. “Like antibodies in the human body, keep a check on bad cells. It is the state’s responsibility to keep a check on anti-national cells in the country. Then there are some cells that work underground so this anti-radicalisation cell is required to keep a check on such cells,” he said. On the Uniform Civil Code, which the BJP has promised in several Assembly polls, Nadda said it was a “national issue” for the party and was committed to it. “The country’s resources and its responsibilities are equal for all. Therefore, the UCC is a welcome step. We would like to implement the UCC in as many States as possible,” he said. When asked about the BJP not fielding a Muslim candidate in Gujarat, he said his party believes in ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’ (with all and development for all). “Late Dr. [APJ] Abdul Kalam became the President [of India] with the BJP’s support, then the [Narendra] Modi government at the Centre appointed Muslim governors as well. So, we follow the principle of ‘Sabka Sath, Sabka Vikas’, and tickets for elections are given purely based on winnability,” he said. About the “freebies” in the BJP manifesto he said that one should “distinguish between empowerment and allurement”. “While our programmes are welfare measures for empowering the poor and the needy. It is not like freebies, which are free for all, they are specifically meant for a segment of the population,” he said. Assam lifts travel restrictions to Meghalaya The Assam government has [lifted travel restrictions to Meghalaya]( almost a week after six people were killed in a firing on the border between the two States. The decision to ease the curbs was taken in view of the improving law-and-order situation in Meghalaya, the Assam police said. “All vehicles are being allowed to move to Shillong and other parts of Meghalaya,” Sudhakar Singh, the Deputy Commissioner of Police for Guwahati said on Sunday. He asserted that the movement of commercial vehicles carrying essentials and other items had never been restricted after the flare-up at Mukroh, a village on the interstate boundary that Assam claims is in West Karbi Anglong district while Meghalaya insists it is in West Jaintia Hills district. Orders restricting the gathering of four or more people have remained in force along the Assam-Meghalaya border, officials said. Meghalaya’s Director-General of Police, L.R. Bishnoi said two companies each of the Central Reserve Police Force and the Border Security Force have been deployed in the State for maintaining peace. While the CRPF companies are deployed in Shillong, the BSF companies have been deployed in Ri-Bhoi and West Jaintia Hills districts. These two districts have sensitive areas along Meghalaya’s border with Assam. PT Usha set to get elected as IOA chief, first woman occupant of top job The legendary athlete PT Usha is set to become [the first woman president of Indian Olympic Association]( (IOA) as she emerged as the lone candidate for the top post for the December 10 elections. The 58-year-old Usha, a multiple Asian Games gold medallist and a fourth-place finisher in the 1984 Olympics 400m hurdles final, filed her nomination papers for the top job on Sunday along with her team for the various posts. Usha has also been elected as one of the eight Sportspersons of Outstanding Merit by the Athletes Commission of the IOA, making her an electoral college member. She will also become the first Olympian and first international medallist to head the IOA in its 95-year-old history. The IOA polls will be held to elect one president, one senior vice-president, two vice-presidents (one male and one female), one treasurer, two joint secretaries (one male and one female), six other Executive Council members, out of which two (one male and one female) shall be from the elected SOMs. Ajay Patel of National Rifle Association of India (NRAI) is set to be the senior vice-president as he is also the lone candidate for the post. Olympic medallist shooter Gagan Narang is also the only candidate for the post of one male vice president. Two candidates — Rajlaxmi Singh Deo, Alaknanda Ashok — have, however, filed nominations for the lone post of woman vice-president. Indian Weightlifting Federation president Sahdev Yadav will be elected unopposed as the treasurer. All India Football Federation president Kalyan Chaubey will be the male joint secretary while there were three candidates — Alaknanda Ashok, Shalini Thakur Chawla and Suman Kaushik — for the lone female joint secretary’s post. Olympic medallist wrestler Yogeshwar Dutt and archer Dola Banerjee will be the male and female representatives of the eight SOMs in the executive council. In Brief: Egyptian President [Abdel Fattah Al Sisi will be the chief guest at the Republic Day in January 2023]( the Ministry of External Affairs said. He will be the first such guest since 2020, as plans for guests in 2021 and 2022 were cancelled due to COVID-19. Prime Minister Narendra Modi had sent a formal invitation to al-Sisi which was handed over to the Egyptian president by External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on October 16. Both countries are celebrating the 75th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations this year. Egypt has also been invited as a ‘Guest Country’ during India’s Presidency of G20 in 2022-23, the statement said. Evening Wrap will return tomorrow. Today’s Top Picks [[Invitation from India as G20 guest shows growing importance of Bangladesh economy: Deputy Foreign Minister Shahriar Alam] Invitation from India as G20 guest shows growing importance of Bangladesh economy: Deputy Foreign Minister Shahriar Alam]( [[Dealing with China will be a 'challenge' during India's G20 presidency: ex-Dy NSA Saran] Dealing with China will be a 'challenge' during India's G20 presidency: ex-Dy NSA Saran]( [[Italy rescuers search for a dozen missing after landslide] Italy rescuers search for a dozen missing after landslide]( [[Neymar working ‘24 hours a day’ to return to World Cup action, says Marquinhos] Neymar working ‘24 hours a day’ to return to World Cup action, says Marquinhos]( Copyright @ 2022, THG PUBLISHING PVT LTD. 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