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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 25 april 2023
U.N.: By month’s end, India population to be world’s largest

By KRUTIKA PATHI and JOE chases of Russian crude
McDONALD have soared. Observers
Associated Press say India’s sheer size, and
NEW DELHI (AP) — India will its young population, give
be the world’s most popu- it the potential to replicate
lous country by the end China’s economic trajec-
of this month, eclipsing an tory. Young workers who
aging China, the United flooded into China’s cities
Nations said Monday. The to take factory jobs starting
milestone raises questions in the 1990s were an essen-
about whether India can tial ingredient in the boom
repeat the economic suc- that saw China become
cess that has made China the world’s second-largest
central to the world’s econ- economy.
omy and a leading global But China’s population
power. peaked in 2022 and has
The news comes at a mo- since started to fall. By the
ment when India is promot- close of the century, its
ing itself as a rising interna- population could drop be-
tional player as the host of low 1 billion, the U.N. said.
this year’s G20 Summit. It’s The country’s elderly popu-
also becoming a more at- lation is swelling while its
tractive destination for mul- birth rate is still plunging,
tinational companies seek- Families watch from a bridge as thousands of people enter the holy River Saryu in Ayodhya, India, from 1.7 babies per woman
Thursday, March 30, 2023.
ing to reduce their reliance Associated Press in 2017 to 1.2 in 2022, ac-
on China. cording to U.N. data.
By the end of April, India’s of population data make The Indian government, cated relationship, includ- By contrast, India has the
population is expected to it impossible to calculate a which hasn’t done a cen- ing robust trade ties and world’s largest young pop-
reach 1.425 billion, which date. Another U.N. report sus since 2011, has not of- a long-running border dis- ulation, a higher fertility
means it will match and last week projected that ficially commented on the pute. The United States and rate, and has seen a con-
then surpass mainland Chi- India would have 2.9 million estimates. The timing of its allies increasingly see sistent decrease in infant
na’s, the U.N.’s Department people more than China when India surpasses China India, the world’s largest mortality. Experts caution
of Economic and Social Af- by mid-year, but that was in population will likely be democracy, as a counter- against alarm about over-
fairs said in a news release. based on snapshots of the revised once India con- weight to China. population, however, as
The forecast is based on populations at the begin- ducts its next census, John But their interests don’t al- the country’s fertility rate
their latest estimates of ning of the year and the Wilmoth, director of the ways align. India, unlike has been steadily falling,
global population. middle of the year. Mon- United Nations’ popula- much of the West, has re- from over five births per
It’s not clear exactly when day’s announcement is tion division, said at a news frained from condemn- woman in the 1960s, to two
India’s population will pass based on an analysis that conference at U.N. head- ing its Cold War ally Russia in 2022. India’s population
China’s. It may have al- tried to estimate when the quarters in New York. over its war in Ukraine, in- is expected to stop grow-
ready have done so. De- population crossover will India and China are neigh- stead adopting a neutral ing and stabilize around
mographers say the limits take place. bors and have a compli- stance even as India’s pur- 2064.q

Mob in Haiti capital burns to death 13 suspected gangsters

By EVENS SANON and searched a minibus dreds of onlookers in the “Breaking Barriers.” Authori- kidnap 17 U.S. missionaries
Associated Press for contraband, and had hilly suburb of the city, ties say the group is led by in October 2021 and also is
PORT-AU-PRINCE, Haiti (AP) confiscated weapons from many of them shielding Vitel’Homme Innocent, linked to the assassination
— A mob in the Haitian suspects before they were their noses from the fumes. who is accused of helping of Moïse.q
capital beat and burned “unfortunately lynched by Samuel said the suspects
13 suspected gang mem- members of the popula- were believed to have
bers to death with gaso- tion.” The statement did not been heading to another
line-soaked tires Monday elaborate on how mem- area to join a group of
after pulling the men from bers of the crowd were gang members who were
police custody at a traffic able to take control of the battling police. Another
stop, police and witnesses suspects. witness, Jean Josue, said
said. The horrific violence A witness who gave his there had been a lot of
underlined the increasingly name as Edner Samuel told shooting in the area since
lawless situation in Port- The Associated Press that the early morning.
au-Prince where criminal members of the crowd took The situation in the capital
gangs have taken control the suspected gangsters remained tense, and shots
over an estimated 60% of away from police, beat could be heard ringing
the city since the July 2021 them and stoned them be- out from several neighbor-
assassination of President fore putting tires on them, hoods.
Jovenel Moïse. pouring gasoline over them Witnesses at the scene
Haiti National Police said and burning them. said the suspects were be- Bystanders gather around the bodies of alleged gang members
in a brief statement that An AP reporter at the scene lieved to have been mem- that were set on fire by a mob after they were stopped by police
while traveling in a vehicle in the Canape Vert area of Port-au-
officers in the city’s Can- saw 13 bodies burning in a bers of the Kraze Barye Prince, Haiti, Monday, April 24, 2023.
ape Vert section stopped street. The fires drew hun- gang, which translates to Associated Press