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Asian countries have voiced concern about the potentially devastating impact of a US-China trade war, with ministers calling for the acceleration of talks for a gigantic Beijing-backed free-trade deal that excludes the United States. 

Fear that a simmering trade spat between the world's top two economies could spiral into a full-blown trade war -- with painful consequences for China's neighbours -- was among topics dominating discussion at a regional summit in Singapore on Saturday. 

Tit-for-tat tariffs have fuelled months of tensions that were notched up Friday as Beijing threatened to impose levies on $60 billion of American goods, from beef to condoms. 

The measures, which the White House ridiculed as "weak" but China said were "fully justified", came after Washington said it would increase the rate of additional tariffs on Chinese goods worth $200 billion. 

The prospect of a trade war is a "real threat" to Asian countries, Malaysian Foreign Minister Saifuddin Abdullah told reporters Saturday on the sidelines of the summit. 

"The threat is making many countries very concerned and... is becoming more complex," he said. Other top Asian diplomats at Saturday's forum, hosted by the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), spoke out against protectionism, warning that it places the region's development in jeopardy. 

"Rising anti-globalisation and trade protectionism among major countries is fuelling tensions and threatening our aspirations for sustained economic growth," said South Korean Foreign Minister Kang Kyung-wha. 

Countries in the region must "explore creative ways to further deepen and broaden our cooperation", in the face of such challenges, she said. 

Some ministers have called for the early conclusion of talks for the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP), a 16-nation pact poised to become the world's largest free-trade agreement, covering about half the global population. 

The planned RCEP deal would group the 10 members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) plus China, India, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand. 

'Protectionism on the rise' 

But it would not include the United States, which had been leading another regional trade pact -- the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) -- until US President Donald Trump abruptly abandoned it last year. 

Even with the lure to access to the world's largest economy withdrawn, the eleven remaining TPP countries, who make up 13.5 percent of the global economy, signed a slimmed-down version of the pact in March. 

It cuts tariffs and requires members to comply with a high level of regulatory standards in areas like labour law and environmental protection. 

RCEP also aims to cut tariffs but has far less regulatory standards attached than TPP. 
Nonetheless, Washington's abandonment of TPP has given the RCEP negotiations a fresh shot in the arm. 

"Given the current global situation where protectionism is on the rise, Japan would like to achieve a swift conclusion of our RCEP negotiations," Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Kono said. 

Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has said he hoped the RCEP pact would be complete by the end of the year, while Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan urged countries facing "headwinds against free trade" to rally together. 

The US imposed 25 percent tariffs on $34 billion of Chinese goods in early July, sparking retaliatory measures from China. 

Days later, Washington unveiled a list of another $200 billion in Chinese goods from electrical machinery to seafood that would be hit with 10 percent import duties. 

Trump upped the ante this week by threatening to lift the tariff rate to 25 percent. US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo defended the US position and hit back at China. 

"President Trump inherited an unfair trade regime where American workers and American companies were not treated reciprocally by the Chinese," he said Saturday. "Efforts of the Trump administration are to right that, to correct it, to adjust that." AFP

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Non Fiction

THE CASE AGAINST SUGAR

Gary Taubes

Published: 2017Publisher: Portobello Books

Language: English

Pages: 365, paperback

Used to heaping two teaspoons of sugar in your coffee every morning? Guilty of having an entire bar of chocolate for lunch? Or are you one of those people who like a scoop of ice cream after din­ner? Then don’t read Gary Taubes’ ‘The Case Against Sugar’. You will be left questioning your life choices and fretting how much harm you have done to your body. But if you constantly wonder why you don’t lose weight despite eating clean and exercising or have a family history of diabetes and hypertension and want to lead a healthy life to prevent these conditions then Taubes’ book, a result of six years of research, could very well be an eye-opener. The Case Against Sugar starts by questioning whether sugar should be called a food or a drug. Then Taubes argues why it should be the latter. With a detailed and infor­mative history of sugar and the sugar industry, Taubes points out that our addiction to the sweet stuff leads to a lot of health problems we have come to ‘wrongly’ attri­bute to saturated fat. He talks about how sugar has “a unique physiolog­ical, metabolic and hormonal effect on our bodies” and how that has far-reaching health implications.

He also provides a history of sugar usage in the tobacco industry and how that might have contributed to the rise of smoking. He goes on to narrate how sugar triggers a genetic predisposition to obesity by lead­ing to insulin resistance, a condi­tion that contributes to diabetes, gout, and irritable bowel syndrome, among others health problems, and paints a picture of how sugar ulti­mately kills far more people than cigarettes. But while Taubes excels at making his point with detailed his­torical narrative as his backup, many of his claims also seem one-sided.

For instance, Taubes recounts an old struggle between American researcher Ancel Keys (who believed saturated fat was the primary cause of coronary heart diseases) and Brit­ish researcher John Yudkin (who thought sugar was the culprit). He says Keys was funded by the sugar industry and portrays Yud­kin as a moral person who was telling the ‘truth’. A little research will tell you that Yudkin was funded by the dairy, egg, and edible oil industries, all of which wanted to pin the blame on sugar. Taubes neglects to mention this. He relies on incomplete historical narrative rather than facts and evidence to present his case and that kind of writing is something that you will find throughout the book.

But Taubes also doesn’t conclude that sugar is bad for our health based on a superficial understand­ing of the subject, though in some places it feels like he is looking at the issue through glasses heavily tinted by his own beliefs. However, he has done a lot of research and left few stones unturned. We recom­mend you read the book to allow the information to improve your eating habits, whether by removing sugar completely, reducing its consump­tion, or by making dietary modifica­tions. Because that’s definitely what you will be tempted to do.

The worst part about the parliamentary hear­ing process of the proposed Chief Justice Deepak Raj Joshee was that it was never sup­posed to come that far. If Joshee was unfit to be chief justice, he was surely unfit to be a justice of the Supreme Court as well. With his questionable aca­demic credentials and a history of troubling decisions in lower courts, how did he get through the vetting processes of first the judiciary and then the parliament when he was first nominated for the apex court?

Not just in Joshee’s case but generally too there is a lot of politicking in the appointment of senior judges in Nepal. Not that other supposedly more mature democracies are free from this malaise. The American president invariably appoints Supreme Court judges along partisan lines and the Senate hearing committee is likewise divided along party lines. But where the American and Nepali systems dif­fers the most is that a controversial figure like Joshee, who apparently failed to clear his school leaving exams, would never have been considered for such an important role to start with. (Even Donald Trump’s Supreme Court nominees have impeccable academic and intellectual credentials.)

Another big difference is that while the Nepali par­liamentary hearings are considered no more than for­malities to rubberstamp the names proposed by the executive, similar hearings in more mature democra­cies involve rigorous vetting. This is because the con­cept of separation of powers is already institutional­ized there. On the other hand, the reason there was such skepticism about Joshee’s hearing was because hearing committee members were seen as taking cues from the executive.

On the positive side, the proposal of Joshee as chief justice again highlighted the vital role that the media plays in upholding democratic principles in Nepal. Were it not for front-page exposés of Joshee’s checkered past, the parliamentary hearing committee could have easily waved through his name. (Of course, if the ruling coalition wanted Joshee as chief justice, it was in a posi­tion to successfully push his name in the committee, never mind the vetting process.)

It is thus vital that we put in place a system that keeps bad eggs from contaminating an all-important institu­tion like the Supreme Court. Pluck them out early. The appointment of the head of the supreme law interpret­ing body of the land is not something to be taken lightly.

Ratna Mandir, the Lake­side palace where mem­bers of the royal family used to stay when they vis­ited Pokhara, is yet to open for public. Two years ago, Nepal Trust had decided to transform Ratna Mandir into a museum and started prelim­inary works such as painting, cleaning up the locality and printing entry tickets. But the palace is still not ready. Nepal Trust had planned to open Ratna Mandir as a museum by June 2016. Sur­rounded by tall walls on three sides, the palace is in the middle of the Fewa Lake, which makes it a place of great curiosity for locals and for­eigners alike.

The engineer of Nepal Trust Srikant Bhattarai revealed that Ratna Mandir could not be developed as a museum as the Ministry of Finance had failed to pony up the needed amount. He said that although an estimated Rs 50 million would be required, the minis­try has not set aside any bud­get for it.

The office head of Ratna Mandir Krishna Guvaju said that the palace needs to be repaired as the stones that make up the roof of the main building has started coming off. Entrance tickets had been printed two years ago—costing Rs 1,000 for foreigners, Rs 100 for locals and Rs 50 for students.

Travel agents in Pokhara say Ratna Mandir will be a big tourist draw. Barahi Mandir, which is in the middle of Fewa Lake, attracts over a 1,000 visitors every day.

On April 20, 2016 the com­mittee meeting of the Nepal Trust had decided to develop a ‘garden of dreams’ along with the museum. Mainte­nance works started right after that. Yet they have been pain­fully slow. Before turning the palace into a museum, a ticket house, a garden, and a resting area have to be built. Along with that, drinking water and toilets are also needed.

King Mahendra had built the palace for Queen Ratna in 1956. Late King Mahendra, and then King Birendra and King Gyanendra used to stay there whenever they visited Pokhara. The palace is spread over 56,468 square meters and the 11-room main bungalow is its centerpiece. Along with that, there is a boat house, an ACD office and a garden.

Civil society coordinator of Pokhara Ram Bahadur Pau­del said that Ratna Mandir should be open to public as a museum at the earliest. But he cautioned that the museum should be built in a way that does not in any way take away from the natural beauty of Fewa Lake.

Nepal Trust has 89,026 square meters of land in Pokhara, which includes Ratna Mandir, Hima Griha, a football ground, and a piece of land at Ratna Chowk.

The decision to allow Chinese NGOs to operate in Nepal, at a time the government has otherwise adopted a hard line against INGOs, is yet another indication that the ruling left coalition wants to minimize the role of the West and maximize the role of two big neighbors. It increasingly appears that Prime Minister KP Oli has decided that both his interest and that of his country lies in enhancing neighborly ties and developing Nepal as a ‘vibrant economic bridge’ between India and China. Since PM Oli has taken both India and China into confidence, the ‘scheming Westerners’ are needed no more. Neither India nor China wants to see the Americans and Europeans meddle in their backyard. It is no secret that over the years the two neighbors have repeatedly asked the government of Nepal to tighten the noose around Western countries and agencies. It was under their pressure that the government first bid farewell to the UNMIN in 2011 (which was set up in 2007 to supervise Maoist arms and army) and then to its successor, the Department of Political Affairs, this year.

Then came the National Integrity Policy, whose main aim was to circumscribe the role of INGOs and make things difficult for undocumented foreigners (read: Westerners) in Nepal. This was not just to keep India and China happy. Successive Nepali governments have been uncomfortable with the role of many INGOs they suspected of being active in proselytization and of thereby trying to fundamentally change the Nepali society. Repeated news stories that spoke of up to 90 percent funds of these INGOs being repatriated to the countries of their origin only added to public skepticism.

PM Oli has clearly tried to cash in on the recent thaw between India and China, and perhaps really does believe that they can now together contribute to Nepal’s growth and development. And if western NGOs can work in Nepal, why can’t Chinese or Indian NGOs? But whatever his broader goal, the strategy of admitting Chinese NGOs into ‘soft areas’ like livelihood and community development while also simultaneously pushing out their western counter­parts from these areas is not without its risks. The Chinese NGOs are virtual appendages of the Chinese government, much more so than the Western NGOs work for the interests of their countries of origin.

Thus, in a way, the government is making the country ripe for active Chinese interference that Nepal has been lucky to escape thus far. Should India-China relations sour again, or should there be another blockade, Nepal will also have fewer friends abroad speaking on its behalf.

When it comes to com­mercial pickups, there are a number of options to choose from, and Mahindra and Tata are leading the pack in terms of sheer number of offerings. But there is a new player in town: Force Motors. While most auto enthusi­asts will relate the brand with the popular Gurkha, the commercial segment is where they excel. You will have noticed their Trav­eller model, which is a passenger carrier often used as school busses or as public transport.

But what we have with us is the Kargo King single cabin pick up, their goods carrier. We bring you the experience from behind the wheels.

Exterior

The masculine, boxy design of the Force Kargo King is an aesthetic advan­tage. A macho radiator grille with metal bumpers is flanked by clear lens headlamps. There isn’t a lot of fuss with the bonnets, but it accentuates the overall hand­some appeal.

Because it is a single cabin pickup the elongated side pro­file is evidently visible. The overall length is a massive 5,060 mm, with the cargo hold 2,442 mm long and 1,610 mm wide. With a clearance of 210 mm, it is a fair distance off the ground to ensure no road poses a problem.

Interiors

Ingress and egress from the Kargo King is as easy as you’d expect them to be. There is only a single cabin capable of seating two adults, plus with the driver. Hand brakes have been shifted to the right to ensure there is enough legroom for all three occupants.

In order to provide a clear vantage point, the driving position is high and upright, with the driver seat getting adjustment options. Analog dials and a clean dash is pretty much all that you get, so don’t bother asking about added interior equipment.

Cargo hold

The overall dimensions of the cabin are 2,242 mm in length, and 1,610 mm in breadth and the gate measures 546 mm. Loading and unloading does not pose any particular diffi­culty, and the vehicle comes with with a maximum payload capacity of 1,250 kg.

Performance

We had a lot of fun driving the Force Kargo King. The van­tage point is terrific and you can see everything that is hap­pening ahead and around the bumper. It might not be too peppy off the line but there is undeniable power under the bonnet. There is a 2.0 liter engine with a trusted Mercedes derived driveline sending 67bhp and 175Nm of torque to the rear wheels.

It is surprisingly slick through the gears. Leaf spring suspensions with hydrau­lic telescopic shock absorb­ers at both ends take care of suspension duties, providing decent ride quality. Discs at the front and drums at the rear take up braking duties.

You do get power steering as an option, which we had in the one that we were test-driving. This came handy while making tight turns and U turns with the 7.0 meter turning radius.

Verdict

The Force Motors Kargo King is a great commercial vehicle for carrying goods. The single cabin pickup can be put to good use in the commercial sector and the masculine good looks are added bonus. Drivability is great and reliability wise you get a three-year war­ranty or a 300,000 kilometer warranty. They also claim to have phenomenal mileage and minimal maintenance cost. This makes the Kargo King a profitable option for commercial use o

An Aeromexico flight crashed on takeoff during a heavy hail storm in northern Mexico, engulfing the plane in flames and injuring 97 people, officials said Tuesday. 

The Embraer 190 aircraft, which was operating between Durango and Mexico City and crashed around 3:00 pm local time (20:00 GMT), was carrying "88 adults, nine minors, two infants, two pilots and two flight attendants," the airline's director general Andres Conesa told a news conference. 

"It is confirmed that there have been no deaths from the flight #AM2431 accident," tweeted Jose Rosas, the governor of Durango state where the crash occurred. 

The accident did cause two series injuries: a pilot had to undergo a spinal operation, and a young girl suffered burns on 25 percent of her body, the governor said. 

A total of 97 people were admitted for treatment following the crash, most of them for "very light" injuries, according to Durango civil defense spokesman Alejandro Cardoza. 

Cardoza said the plane was caught in a heavy hailstorm and the pilots tried to make an emergency landing, after which the fire broke out. 

Conesa thanked the crew "for their professionalism" and said that the aircraft "was perfectly maintained," but did not provide details on the circumstances of the accident. 

Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer announced the dispatch of a team to investigate the crash. Dozens of lightly injured passengers were seen leaving the plane, which was engulfed in gray smoke in a field. AFP

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India captain Virat Kohli says he does not feel he has to prove himself in his side's five-Test series against England.The tourists are the top-ranked Test side going into the series, which starts at Edgbaston on Wednesday.Kohli, second in the Test batsmen rankings, averaged just 13.40 on India's last tour of England in 2014."I want to score runs for the team and take Indian cricket forward, and that's my only motive," the 29-year-old said.

"I'm not in a frame of mind to prove myself in any country, I want to perform for the team."

India have not won a Test series in England since 2007.

They were beaten 3-1 in the five-match series in 2014, and lost their final two matches by an innings.

Kohli was among the batsmen who struggled - he scored 134 runs in 10 innings and was dismissed four times by pace bowler James Anderson.

However, since becoming captain at the end of 2014, he has taken India from seventh to first in the world rankings and has scored 14 Test hundreds.

"If you're an underdog it's not a given that the pressure will only be on the opposition," he said.

"If you're favourites it's not certain that the underdogs will just come out and be fearless the whole time.

"I think it's a balance that is required and we've played enough cricket at this level to understand that."

India will not name their XI for the match until Wednesday morning, although they are likely to select two spinners.

Regular spinners Ravindra Jadeja and Ravichandran Ashwin bowled a combined seven overs during India's warm-up match against Essex, while left-arm spinner Kuldeep Yadav was hit for 24 runs from four overs.

"There's total honesty and total ownership all around the squad," Kohli added.

"We are very comfortable with where we stand as a team."

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