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Threat to global peace from Islamic State rising, says UN chief Guterres Secretary-General Antonio Guterres says in a new report that the threat to international peace and security from the Islamic State extremist group is rising, pointing to an “alarming” expansion of its affiliates in Africa and its focus on a comeback in its former self-declared “caliphate” in Syria and Iraq. The report to the U.N. Security Council, which was circulated Tuesday, said IS and other terrorist groups have taken advantage of “the disruption, grievances and development setbacks” caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, both on the ground and online.While lockdowns in non-conflict areas suppressed terrorist activity, in conflict areas where pandemic restrictions have less impact the threat from IS, also known by its Arabic acronym Daesh, “has already increased,” Guterres said.“As pandemic-related restrictions gradually ease, there is an elevated near-term threat of Daesh-inspired attacks outside conflict zones by lone actors or small groups that have been radicalized, incited and possibly directly remotely online,” he said.The U.N. chief said this exemplifies a wider and evolving risk from the accelerated use of digital technologies during the pandemic, and the potential for “new and emerging technologies to be used for terrorist purposes.”In assessing the Islamic State’s threat, Guterres said its leader, Amir Muhammad Sa’id Abdal-Rahman al-Mawla, “remains reluctant to communicate directly with supporters,” and “the group’s command and control over its global affiliates has loosened, even though it continues to provide guidance and some financial support.”He said the autonomy of regional affiliates has strengthened especially in West Africa and the Sahel, East and Central Africa, Afghanistan and South Asia. This evolution will be an important factor in Daesh’s future global impact, he quoted unidentified U.N. member states as saying.Member states also assess that the extremist group “will continue to prioritize regrouping and seeking resurgence” in Iraq and Syria as its core area of operations, he said.The 16-page report, prepared by the Security Council counter-terrorism committee and by experts monitoring sanctions on the Islamic State, said the group remains active in wide swaths of Syria, where it is seeking to rebuild its combat capabilities and expand its insurgency.Guterres said IS wages hit-and-run operations against checkpoints from hideouts on both sides of the Euphrates River in the eastern province of Deir el-Zour and continues operations against government forces and in the Syrian desert.In Iraq, IS remains under constant counter-terrorism pressure but continues to carry out hit-and-run operations “seeking to undermine critical infrastructure projects, inflame sectarian divisions and communal grievances and generate media coverage,” he said.As for the extremist group’s finances, the U.N. chief said estimates of financial reserves available to IS in Iraq and Syria range between $25 million and $50 million, with one unidentified U.N. member state saying most funds are in Iraq.The secretary-general said the most striking development in the first half of 2021 has been the expansion of IS in Africa, where terrorist groups have inflicted the largest number of casualties.He said some of the most effective IS affiliates are spreading their influence and activities from Mali into Burkina Faso and Niger, from Nigeria into Niger, Chad and Cameroon, and from Mozambique into Tanzania.“It highlights that the interplay between terrorism, fragility and conflict has grown stronger, and underscores the need for an urgent, global response to support African countries and regional organizations,” Guterres said.In Afghanistan, he said, the IS affiliate has expanded its presence in several provinces and in and around the capital Kabul, “despite leadership, human and financial losses during 2020.” In Kabul, most of its attacks have targeted minorities, civil society actors, government employees and security forces, he said.In the Islamic State’s efforts to regroup and rebuild in Afghanistan, Guterres said the group has prioritized the recruitment and training of new supporters and hopes to attract Taliban members and other militants who reject the U.S.-Taliban agreement as well as fighters from Iraq.Estimates of IS strength in Afghanistan range widely, from 500 to 1,500 fighters, with one unidentified U.N. member state saying its strength may rise to 10,000 in the medium term, he said.Guterres said U.N. member states have already warned “that Daesh could regain the ability to orchestrate international attacks if either its core or one of its regional affiliates became strong enough.”“This scenario has only become more plausible,” the U.N. chief warned.Also Read | Islamic State commander arrested in Jammu /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; 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Threat to global peace from Islamic State rising, says UN chief Guterres

The report to the U.N. Security Council, which was circulated Tuesday, said IS and other terrorist groups have taken advantage of “the disruption, grievances and development setbacks” caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, both on the ground and online.

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Pervez MusharrafA special court in Pakistan hearing the treason charges against former President Pervez Musharraf has scheduled the hearing of the high-profile case on August 20, according to a media report. The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against the ex-army chief General (retd) Musharraf over the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007. Related Stories Musharraf resigned under deal to give him safe passage: GilaniMusharraf indicted, pleads not guilty to all chargesMusharraf's lawyers 'threatened with beheading'Musharraf not to be tried in military courtThe bench that will hear the case will be headed by Lahore High Court (LHC) Chief Justice Muhammad Yawar Ali, Geo News reported. Musharraf, 74, who is currently residing in Dubai, has refused to return to Pakistan citing security reasons. The three-judge special court will hear the high treason case against Pakistan's president on August 20, the report said. Last month, lawyer Akram Sheikh stepped down as the head of the prosecution team tasked by the government in 2013 to prosecute Musharraf. Sheikh was appointed as the head of the prosecution in the case, by the then-PML-N led government. Musharraf, the former army chief, was indicted in the case in March 2014 after he appeared before the court and rejected all charges. On March 18, 2016, he left Pakistan for Dubai for medical treatment after his name was removed from the Exit Control List on the orders of the Supreme Court. A few months later, a special court had declared him a proclaimed offender and ordered the confiscation of his property owing to his no-show. Later, on the orders of the Supreme Court, Musharraf's passport and identity card were also cancelled since he failed to return to the country despite giving him a last chance. The legal experts believe that the treason case is a test for the upcoming government of Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), as one of the reasons of civil-military tussle was that the PML-N government had initiated the case against the former army chief. The PTI chief had vowed in November 2007 that his party would initiate proceedings against Musharraf over his unconstitutional acts but it has also been witnessed that the PTI has remained silent over the issue in the recent past. 

Pakistan court to hear high treason trial against former President Pervez Musharraf on August 20

The Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) government had filed the treason case against the ex-army chief General (retd) Musharraf over the imposition of extra-constitutional emergency in November 2007.

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In his address to the Bombay Stock Exchange, Mumbai, on July 24, 2013, during his maiden visit to India as the Vice President of the US, he went off-script to narrate his story of the 'Biden from Mumbai'.When Joe Biden was elected as one of the youngest US senators in 1972, one of the first letters that he received was from Mumbai, with the sender having the same last name as his. About five years ago, the Democratic Party's presidential nominee learned that there are five Bidens living in Mumbai, but is probably yet to make a connection with them.The 'Biden from Mumbai', then known as Bombay, had congratulated Biden on his election as the senator from Delaware and told him that they were related to each other.Biden, then 29, wanted to follow up on the letter and get in touch with the 'Biden from Mumbai'. However, his family and active life in politics meant that this wish remained a wish, something he still wants to fulfil nearly five decades later.The wish may have remained unfulfilled, but the 77-year-old Biden never misses a chance to narrate the 'Biden from Mumbai' story when he meets Indian-Americans and the Indian leaders.The former vice president assures them that he too has an India connection, however, distant it might be.In his address to the Bombay Stock Exchange, Mumbai, on July 24, 2013, during his maiden visit to India as the Vice President of the US, he went off-script to narrate his story of the 'Biden from Mumbai'."It's an honour to be back in India and to be here in Mumbai. Off script for a second here, I was reminded - I was elected to the United States Senate when I was a 29-year-old kid back in 1972, and one of the first letters I received and I regret I never followed up on it. Maybe, some genealogist in audience can follow up for me, but I received a letter from a gentleman named Biden - Biden, my name - from Mumbai, asserting that we were related,” Biden had told the audience amidst peals of laughter."Seriously. Suggesting that our mutual, great, great, great, something or other worked for the East India Trading Company back in the 1700s and came to Mumbai," Biden said.A few years later at another speech in Washington DC, Biden said that their forefathers were same, who worked for the East India Company and visited India then."He (Biden from Mumbai) went back to our mutual great, great, great grandfather, 1848, who was a British captain in the East India Tea Company. And he married I believe an Indian woman. And he settled in India," Biden said in his address to the US India Business Council on September 21, 2015."And so I was thinking about it, if that's true, I might run here in India for office. I might be qualified (to run for elected office in India). But I’ve never followed up on it (the letter from Biden from Mumbai)," Biden told the Mumbai audience in 2013, who could not stop laughing at it."But now that I'm back for the multiple times, I'm going to follow up to find out whether there is a Biden and whether we're related. I hope he's in good standing if we are," he said, evoking bouts of laughter from the audience.In the Washington DC event hosted by US Indian Business Council, Biden said that a day after his Mumbai speech, a journalist gave him a list of five Bidens living in Mumbai."The next day the press, I guess trying to prove that I was probably making this up - because I never followed up. It was right after I got elected, and then some things happened in my family, and I never followed up. One reporter stood up and gave me the names of five Bidens in Mumbai," he said."So, show me more respect," Biden has told the Washington DC audience while asserting his Indian connection"You know what I mean? I didn't realise I had so many...And I haven’t actually followed up and embarrassed the Bidens in Mumbai. But the point is, it makes it even clearer what a small, small world this is and how this global economy is suited for, quite frankly, the two largest democracies in the world," Biden said in 2015.

Joe Biden's elusive quest for 'Biden from Mumbai' continues

About five years ago, the Democratic Party's presidential nominee learned that there are five Bidens living in Mumbai, but is probably yet to make a connection with them.

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Breaking News January 12The total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 91 million, including 1,952,153 fatalities. As many as 65,274,705 patients are reported to have recovered. Follow this breaking news blog for live updates on the coronavirus pandemic as it continues to pose a challenge for health workers and scientists who are in a race against time to produce a vaccine/medicine.IndiaTvNews.com brings you the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis that has resulted in job losses in millions and changing the way we work. Stay Home, Stay Safe, and Stay Informed as our team of dedicated editors/reporters bring you the latest news on coronavirus, coronavirus vaccine trial updates, photos, video, news, views and top stories from monsoon rains, business, politics, education, science, yoga, and much more in India and worldwide.

Breaking News January 12

Get all the latest news on coronavirus cases, news on the vaccine, business, politics, science, education and much more in India and worldwide.

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Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett meets with Secretary of State Antony Blinken at the Willard Hotel in Washington, Wednesday, Aug. 25, 2021President Joe Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett have postponed their White House meeting as Biden focused his attention on dealing with the aftermath of deadly explosions near the Kabul airport that targeted U.S. troops and Afghans seeking to flee their country after the Taliban takeover.Biden and Bennett were scheduled to meet late Thursday morning for their first face-to-face conversation since Bennett became Israel’s prime minister in June. The two will instead meet on Friday.“On behalf of the people of Israel, I share our deep sadness over the loss of American lives in Kabul,” Bennett said in a statement posted on social media. “Israel stands with the United States in these difficult times, just as America has always stood with us. Our thoughts and prayers are with the people of the United States.”Before arriving in Washington, Bennett made clear the top priority of the visit was to persuade Biden not to return to the Iran nuclear deal, arguing Tehran has already advanced in its uranium enrichment, and that sanctions relief would give Iran more resources to back Israel’s enemies in the region.The Israeli leader met separately Wednesday with Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin to discuss Iran and other issues. The visit is his first to the U.S. as prime minister.Bennett told his Cabinet before the trip that he would tell the American president “that now is the time to halt the Iranians, to stop this thing” and not to reenter “a nuclear deal that has already expired and is not relevant, even to those who thought it was once relevant.”Biden has made clear his desire to find a path to salvage the 2015 landmark pact cultivated by Barack Obama’s administration but scuttled in 2018 by Donald Trump’s. But U.S. indirect talks with Iran have stalled and Washington continues to maintain crippling sanctions on the country as regional hostilities simmer.Trump’s decision to withdraw from Iran’s nuclear deal led Tehran to abandon over time every limitation the accord imposed on its nuclear enrichment. The country now enriches a small amount of uranium up to 63%, a short step from weapons-grade levels, compared with 3.67% under the deal. It also spins far more advanced centrifuges and more of them than were allowed under the accord, worrying nuclear nonproliferation experts even though Tehran insists its program is peaceful.Bennett’s Washington visit comes weeks after Ebrahim Raisi was sworn in as Iran’s new president.Raisi, 60, a conservative cleric with close ties to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, has suggested he’ll engage with the U.S. But he also has struck a hard-line stance, ruling out negotiations aimed at limiting Iranian missile development and support for regional militias — something the Biden administration wants to address in a new accord.Administration officials acknowledged that Iran’s potential “breakout” — the time needed to amass enough fissile material for a single nuclear weapon — is now down to a matter of months or less.But a senior administration official, who spoke on condition of anonymity to preview the scheduled talks, said the administration sees the maximum pressure campaign employed by the Trump administration as having emboldened Iran to push ahead with its nuclear program.Bennett is also looking to turn the page from his predecessor, Benjamin Netanyahu.Netanyahu had a close relationship with Trump after frequently clashing with Obama. Biden, who has met with every Israeli prime minister since Golda Meir, had his own tensions with Netanyahu over the years.During his latest White House campaign, Biden called Netanyahu “counterproductive” and an “extreme right” leader.Biden waited nearly a month after his election before making his first call to Netanyahu, raising concerns in Jerusalem and among some Netanyahu backers in Washington that the two would have a difficult relationship. The president called Bennett just hours after he was sworn in as prime minister in June to offer his congratulations.Jeremy Ben-Ami, president of the liberal Jewish advocacy group J Street, said Bennett is intent on building a positive working relationship with the Biden administration. But Ben-Ami, whose group supports a two-state solution to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, noted that the two leaders are out of sync on several issues in addition to Iran. Bennett opposes the creation of a Palestinian state and supports expansion of settlements in the West Bank, which Biden opposes.In an interview with The New York Times ahead of his visit, Bennett declined to comment on whether he would move to block Biden administration plans to reopen a U.S. consulate for Palestinians in Jerusalem.“The warmth that is going to be projected and the good solid working relationship cannot fully mask the fact that the agenda that Prime Minister Bennett comes to Washington with and the agenda that the Biden administration is pursuing on some of the core issues are still almost as different as they could possibly be,” Ben-Ami said. /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_9977960417 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_nl3sqz34/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_nl3sqz34_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Kabul attack: 13 dead in serial blasts outside airport, several injured", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "duration": "2242", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_9977960417 = ''; jwsetup_9977960417(); function jwsetup_9977960417() { jwvidplayer_9977960417 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_9977960417").setup(jwconfig_9977960417); jwvidplayer_9977960417.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_9977960417, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_nl3sqz34\", ns_st_pr=\"Kabul attack: 13 dead in serial blasts outside airport, several injured\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Kabul attack: 13 dead in serial blasts outside airport, several injured\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Kabul attack: 13 dead in serial blasts outside airport, several injured\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2021-08-26\", ns_st_tdt=\"2021-08-26\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_nl3sqz34/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_9977960417.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_9977960417.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_9977960417.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_9977960417.stop(); jwvidplayer_9977960417.remove(); jwvidplayer_9977960417 = ''; jwsetup_9977960417(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_9977960417.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_9977960417.stop(); jwvidplayer_9977960417.remove(); jwvidplayer_9977960417 = ''; jwsetup_9977960417(); return; }); jwvidplayer_9977960417.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9977960417.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9977960417.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9977960417.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9977960417.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9977960417.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Israeli PM, Joe Biden postpone meeting because of Afghanistan

Biden and Bennett were scheduled to meet late Thursday morning for their first face-to-face conversation since Bennett became Israel’s prime minister in June.

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UN Cash Crisis: India still awaits reimbursements for UN peacekeeping missionsIndia has voiced concern over the UN's inability to pay it and other Troop Contributing Countries reimbursements for peacekeeping operations and said that the Secretary General contributed to a "false sense" of financial soundness by using closed peacekeeping funds to pay staff salaries.The UN faces a "severe liquidity crisis", reaching its deepest deficit of the decade and will not have enough cash by next month to cover payrolls.Several emergency measures have been put in place by the world organization to tide over the financial crunch.India is among only 35 UN Member States who paid their regular budget dues in full and on time to the world organisation as at October 11, 2019. India paid USD 23.25 million in regular budget assessments by January 31, 2019, the 30-day due period specified as per UN’s Financial Regulation rules.While it paid its dues on time, India voiced concern that the UN is yet to pay it and other Troop Contributing Countries (TCCs) reimbursements for peacekeeping operations.Also Read | UN faces cash crisis, shuts down headquarters; India pays its share of $23 million"India, though a developing country, has not only settled all of its dues on time, but has also made part payment for future assessments, both for the regular and peacekeeping budgets," India’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the UN Ambassador K Nagaraj Naidu said Friday."This is not easy considering the scale of our developmental needs. It would not be remiss that our assessment rates have also been growing, an increase of 13% in the latest update,” Naidu said.He said that the liquidity crisis at the UN "has been endemic; its effects have now grown to be more pronounced. Five months ago, in May 2019, we were discussing the liquidity crisis in the peacekeeping budget, today, we are discussing liquidity crisis in regular budget mandates.”Speaking at the General Assembly Fifth Committee (administrative and budgetary matters) main session on 'Improving the Financial Situation of the United Nations’, Naidu said 27 TCCs, 17 from the Group of 77, including India, are still awaiting their legitimate reimbursements from the closed peacekeeping missions."Our expectation is that the problem be discussed and addressed comprehensively. We cannot indefinitely delay dues to the TCCs, while using the same funds to pay others,” he said.The UN owed India 38 million dollars, among the highest it has to pay to any country, for peacekeeping operations as of March 2019. Naidu pointed out that Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has again used closed peacekeeping funds meant to reimburse the troops contributing countries to pay for the salaries of staff thereby “contributing to a false sense of financial soundness."Here, we would like to remind the Secretary-General that his obligations to the TCCs are equally important as advocating to member states to meet their financial obligations," Naidu said.Only 131 members states have settled their regular budget assessments for the current year. While 63 member states owe US$894 million for the current year, a total of 41 countries are yet to settle their dues from the previous years, which cumulatively stands at US$310 million.Referring to the austerity measures announced by the Secretary General last week in the wake of the financial crisis, Naidu said the measures nudge nations to judiciously use resources but also “pose fundamental questions on the raison d'etre of the United Nations."The global community still looks at the UN for development, hope and peace. Therefore, we must all recognise the crisis and become part of the solution,” he said.Naidu noted that while reforms in the peacekeeping budget, like the cash pool and annual assessments, have mitigated to some extent the impact of the liquidity crisis, the underlying problem persists.Out of an approved budget of USD 6.5 billion, USD 3.3 billion is still outstanding and this does not include the US$400 million that remains outstanding for decades for the closed peacekeeping missions."The impact of this situation is that the TCCs are not reimbursed on time," he said.Naidu said borrowings from the Working Capital Fund, the Special Account and the closed peacekeeping accounts does not seem to have filled the liquidity gap.Since 70 per cent of the budget goes to meet the staff cost of UN officials, which are decided on the "rather overly generous Noblemaire principle”, he said there was anxiety, perhaps for the first time, of UN staff not being paid."This has caused a different kind of anxiety among the staff, different from not being able to implement the mandates. Staff paid out of regular budget perhaps are not as lucky as the staff paid out of peacekeeping budget. In similar situations, their salary could have been paid from the money of TCCs by twisting the reimbursement framework,” Naidu added.He said among the menu list of austerity measures ​that could perhaps improve the budgetary situation includes adhering to the advance air ticket purchase policy, better management of exchange rate fluctuations, energy-efficient lighting and other environment-friendly practices at the UN Headquarters and duty stations."The Gandhi Solar Park, a token gift of India to the UN, which was inaugurated last month, is part of the solution,” he said referring to the park with 193 solar panels installed on the roof of the UN building that Prime Minister Narendra Modi inaugurated last month during the high-level UN General Assembly session.India said a sustainable solution to deal with the financial crisis would emerge only when member states begin to honour their budgetary obligations in full and on time."Paying on time and in full is not just the easy solution, but the desired one," Naidu said.

UN Cash Crisis: India still awaits reimbursements for UN peacekeeping missions

India is among only 35 UN Member States who paid their regular budget dues in full and on time to the world organisation as at October 11, 2019. India paid USD 23.25 million in regular budget assessments by January 31, 2019, the 30-day due period specified as per UN’s Financial Regulation rules.

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5 Chinese nationals arrested for stealing money from ATM in KathmanduNepal police have arrested five Chinese nationals for allegedly stealing money from an ATM in Darbarmarga here.Presenting the arrested here on Sunday, the police said they had seized Nepalese Rs 12.64 million and some foreign currencies from them.One of the accused had been nabbed on Saturday night when he was stealing money from the ATM, officials said.Based on the arrested's statement, the police arrested four others from a hotel here.ALSO READ:Azam Khan booked for stealing buffaloALSO READ: Indian-origin former Trump hotel partner arrested for stealing luggage at airportALSO READ: UP's Junior engineer arrested for stealing buffalo

5 Chinese nationals arrested for stealing money from ATM in Kathmandu

Presenting the arrested here on Sunday, the police said they had seized Nepalese Rs 12.64 million and some foreign currencies from them.

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Massive 7.5-magnitude jolts New CaledoniaA powerful magnitude 7.5 earthquake struck in the southern Pacific Ocean near New Caledonia on Wednesday, prompting authorities to warn of a tsunami threat to nearby islands. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center said tsunami waves of between 1 and 3 meters (3 and 10 feet) were possible along some coasts of New Caledonia and Vanuatu, while waves of up to 1 meter (3 feet) were possible in Fiji.The warning center said there was no threat to Hawaii.Related Stories 4.5-magnitude earthquake jolts India-Nepal border in Uttar PradeshDeadly earthquake of magnitude 5.9 strikes Haiti, at least 11 killed, confirms govt spokesmanIndonesia earthquake-tsunami: Over 5,000 people feared missing after deadly catastrophe Indonesia earthquake-tsunami: Death toll nears 2,000, more bodies recovered after deadly catastropheIndonesia: 3 killed after magnitude 6 earthquake hits Bali Magnitude 3.3 earthquake hits Kashmir Valley; no damage reported 5.3 magnitude earthquake hits Jammu and Kashmir; no damage, casualtiesEarthquake of magnitude 5.3 rattles Mizoram's Champhai, no damages reportedBig earthquake waiting to strike Delhi-NCR? Earthquake of magnitude 5.0 hits south Japan, no tsunami warningBack-to-back powerful earthquakes shatter roads and windows in Alaska3.8-magnitude earthquake hits Kullu in Himachal PradeshAfter massive earthquake, Alaska hit by over 230 aftershocksUttarakhand: Earthquake measuring 3.0 on Richter Scale hits UttarkashiDan McGarry, the media director at the Vanuatu Daily Post, said he heard only of three small wave surges hitting the southern island of Aneityum. He said the waves traveled only a couple of meters (7 feet) beyond the normal tidal waves, and that everybody was fine on the island.McGarry said he felt the quake where he is based in Vanuatu's capital, Port Vila, as a mild shaking."We get a lot of earthquakes every year," he said. "The tsunami warning was what was different this time, though."According to the U.S. Geological Survey, the quake struck about 168 kilometers (104 miles) east of Tadine in New Caledonia at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles). Earthquakes are generally more destructive when the epicenter is near the surface.At least five aftershocks also hit, ranging in magnitude from 5.6 to 6.0.New Caledonia sits on the Pacific "Ring of Fire," the arc of seismic faults around the Pacific Ocean where most of the world's earthquakes and volcanic activity occur.

Massive 7.5-magnitude earthquake triggers tsunami warning in Pacific near New Caledonia; immediate evacuation ordered

According to the US Geological Survey, the quake struck about 168 kilometers (104 miles) east of Tadine in New Caledonia at a shallow depth of 10 kilometers (6 miles).

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Former Bangladesh PM Khaleda ZiaIn a major setback to jailed former Bangladesh prime minister Khaleda Zia, a top court Tuesday ruled that a person jailed for more than two years cannot contest polls, effectively ruining her chance to participate in the December 30 polls.Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson, who is convicted in two graft cases, cannot contest the upcoming 11th general election next month. "She is disqualified from taking part in the upcoming elections," Alam told a press conference, hours after the High Court issued a rule saying persons jailed for more than two years even if their appeals are pending with the courts cannot contest the polls. The 73-year-old ex-premier is currently serving jail terms in two graft cases involving charities named after her slain husband Ziaur Rahman. She has been in custody since February 8, when Dhaka Special Court convicted her in the Zia Orphanage Trust graft case and sentenced her to five years of imprisonment for embezzling 21 million Bangladeshi Taka (USD 252,504) in foreign donations meant for the Trust. On October 30, the High Court doubled her jail term to 10 years.On October 29, a trial court convicted her in the Zia Charitable Trust graft case and sentenced her to seven years in prison and imposed a fine of Tk 1 million (USD 12,024).The High Court order came as the BNP, which boycotted the 2014 elections under Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina-led Awami League (AL) government, was set to contest the polls in alliance with the newly formed National Unity Front (NUF) led by eminent jurist Kamal Hossain.The chief state counsel said even if Zia was released from jail before November 28, the deadline of filing the nomination papers, the Constitution would not allow her to contest the polls and "she will have to wait for five more years after her acquittal to take part in the elections".As per Bangladesh's Constitution, a person sentenced to imprisonment for two years or above for a criminal offence cannot take part in an election unless five years have elapsed since his/her release. The two-judge High Court bench comprising Justice Mohammad Nazrul Islam Talukder and Justice KM Hafizul Alam passed the order, rejecting separate petitions filed by five BNP leaders, including Zia's adviser Amanullah Aman, seeking a stay on their convictions and sentences in graft cases.The Attorney General said, "If the court allows them to take part in the next general election by staying their conviction, it will go against Article 66 of the Constitution...so the court scrapped their pleas." Zia was made vice-chairperson of the BNP, the largest political opposition of the country, in March 1983 after the assassination of her husband. She became chairperson of the party on May 10, 1984, a post she is holding till now.In her 35 years of political career, Zia went to the jail several times.During the 2007-2008 tenure of the army-backed caretaker government, she was in jail for about a year on charges of corruption. 

Bangladeshi court bars former PM Khaleda Zia from contesting next month's polls

Attorney General Mahbubey Alam said the Bangladesh Nationalist Party (BNP) chairperson, who is convicted in two graft cases, cannot contest the upcoming 11th general election next month.

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Trump wants Russia to rejoin G-7 groupUS President Donald Trump Tuesday said that he would like Russia to rejoin G-7 ahead of the global group of industrialised nation's summit in France this weekend.During the previous Obama Administration, Russia was kicked out of the group which was originally G-8 countries comprising the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, United Kingdom and Russia. European Union also attends its annual leadership summits."I think it’s much more appropriate to have Russia in. It should be the G8 because a lot of the things we talk about have to do with Russia,” Trump told reporters in his Oval Office."So I could certainly see it being the G-8 again. If somebody would make that motion, I would certainly be disposed to think about it very favourably,” he said.Observing that for most of the time it was the G-8 which included Russia, Trump said his predecessor Barack Obama didn't want Russia in because he got outsmarted by Putin. In 2014, Russia was disinvited from gatherings of the former G-8 after the country’s annexation of Crimea.ALSO READ: US President Trump to discuss Kashmir with PM Modi at G7 summitALSO READ: Jammu & Kashmir: First ever Global Investors Summit to be held in OctoberALSO READ: Andhra government joins hands with MEA to host mega summit for global investors

Trump wants Russia to rejoin G-7 group

"I think it’s much more appropriate to have Russia in. It should be the G8, because a lot of the things we talk about have to do with Russia,” Trump told reporters in his Oval Office.

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Donald Trump deserves all credit, says Israeli PM Netanyahu on Soleimani killing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that US President Donald Trump "deserves all the credit for acting swiftly, forcefully and decisively" following the killing of Iran's top general earlier on Friday. Netanyahu added that Israel stands with Washington in its "just struggle for peace, security, and self-defence".Netanyahu is cutting short a visit to Greece and returning home to follow "ongoing developments" after the killing of Iran's Major General Qassem Soleimani. The Israeli army has ordered a ski resort on Mount Hermon, on the Israel-controlled Golan Heights, to close.  It took no other immediate precautions.Also Read | Baghdad airport attack: Iran's Qasem Soleimani killed on Trump's order, says PentagonAlso Read | Who was General Qasem Soleimani, Iran's Revolutionary Guards commander killed in US strike​Also Read | Top Obama aide: Soleimani death frightening moment​Also Read | "Harsh revenge awaits 'criminals' who killed Soleimani," says Iran Supreme LeaderAlso Read | Trump has put US troops life at risk, did not take Congress's authorisation: Nancy Pelosi

Netanyahu on Soleimani killing: Donald Trump deserves all credit

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Friday that US President Donald Trump "deserves all the credit for acting swiftly, forcefully and decisively" following the killing of Iran's top general earlier on Friday.

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Teen finds Rs 1 crore in cash near ATM. Here's what he does nextA teenager had gone to drop money at his bank when he found currency equivalent to over Rs 1 crore stashed in a plastic bag. Nineteen-year-old Jose Nunez Romaniz is a resident of Alburquerque, USA. What he did after finding $135,000 dollars earned him heaps of praise in the state of New Mexico. Nunez straight away called the Alburquerque police. When two officers of the local PD arrived, he handed over the cash to them "I never considered keeping the cash, but all sorts of wild thoughts raced through my mind. Was this some kind of trick? Was someone going to pull up behind me and kidnap me?" he told CNN. "I was just in shock. I was just looking at myself and thinking, what should I do?" he further added. After Nunez handed over the cash to the policemen, they counted the money amounting to $135,000. The police have said that the money was left outside the ATM by a bank subcontractor that was meant to supply the machine with cash. "This money could have made an incredible amount of difference in his life if he went down the other path, but he chose ... the integrity path and did the right thing," Drobik, a spokesman for the Albuquerque police, said."My parents always taught me to work on my own. Stolen money would never last you any time," Nuñez recalled his mother's and father's teachings when he had the decision at his hand.Nunez's integrity earned him a lot of praise from across the city. The police chief presented him with a plaque and invited him to apply for a job as a public service aide at the police department. Atleast 3 local businesses presented Nunez with $500 each. A local restaurant provided Nunez with a $100 gift card. 

Teen finds Rs 1 crore in cash near ATM. Here's what he does next

A teenager had gone to drop money at his bank when he found currency equivalent to over Rs 1 crore stashed in a plastic bag. Nineteen-year-old Jose Nunez Romaniz is a resident of Alburquerque, USA. What he did after finding $135,000 dollars earned him heaps of praise in the state of New Mexico.

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Representational imageCGTN Television, a state-owned Chinese news channel, has depicted Pakistan-occupied Kashmir as part of India for the first time, according to The Times of India. The channel used the map while showing the November 23 attack on Chinese consulate in Karachi.The CGTN has fixed templates for maps and staff cannot make changes themselves. So the decision to use a different map to report on the consulate attack must have come from higher authorities, according to the TOI report.The map assumes significance as it comes couple of weeks ahead of the joint drill to be conducted by India and China’s militaries on December 10.The move could also have implications for the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). India has protested against the project of CPEC, saying that the corridor violates India’s sovereignty.Meanwhile, there has been no major violation of airspace by China along the Line of Actual Control in recent times. “We have confidence building measures (CBM) on both sides. Our fighter aircraft don’t come less than 10 or 12 kilometres from the perceived Line of Actual Control. The CBMs are being maintained and both sides did not violate each other’s airspace,” Air Chief Marshal Dhanoa told media on Thursday.“On both sides, even during the Doklam crisis and subsequent huge exercise Gagan Shakti there was no violation of peacetime profile. Earlier, I told the Chinese counterpart that we should meet more on the ground rather than in air,” he added.

State-run Chinese news channel shows PoK as part of India

It is almost impossible to believe that a Chinese news channel would publish such a map without the government's permission.

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British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancée Carrie Symonds married Saturday in a small private ceremony in London, UK newspapers reported.British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancée Carrie Symonds married Saturday in a small private ceremony in London, UK newspapers reported.Johnson's office declined to comment on reports in the Mail on Sunday and the Sun that the couple wed at the Roman Catholic Westminster Cathedral in front of a small group of friends and family.The Sun said senior staff in Johnson's 10 Downing St office were unaware of the wedding plan. Under current coronavirus restrictions in England, weddings can be attended by a maximum of 30 people.Johnson, 56, and 33-year-old Symonds, an environmental campaigner, announced their engagement in February 2020 and have a son together, 1-year-old Wilfred.The marriage would be Symonds' first and Johnson's third. He has at least five other children from previous relationships. The last British prime minister to marry in office was Lord Liverpool in 1822.Politicians sent congratulations after the news was reported. Northern Ireland First Minister Arlene Foster tweeted: “Huge congratulations to Boris Johnson & Carrie Symonds on your wedding today.”The reported nuptials come after a tumultuous political week for Johnson, who was accused by former top aide Dominic Cummings on Wednesday of bungling the government's response to the coronavirus and being “unfit for the job.”On Friday, an ethics inquiry found the prime minister acted “unwisely” in renovating his Downing Street apartment without knowing where the money had come from, though it cleared him of misconduct.Also Read: Joe Biden’s $6T budget: Social spending, taxes on businessAlso Read: More than 200 bodies found at Indigenous school in Canada

Reports: Boris Johnson, fiancée Carrie Symonds wed in London

British Prime Minister Boris Johnson and his fiancée Carrie Symonds married Saturday in a small private ceremony in London, UK newspapers reported.

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Pakistan minister Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, the special representative of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on religious harmony.Maulana Tahir Ashrafi, the special representative of Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan on religious harmony, on Sunday criticised the appearance of women in advertisements, saying that "despite having so many good looking men in the country, advertisers still hire women to represent their brands", Geo News reported.Speaking to the media in Lahore, Ashrafi further said that women should not be "unnecessarily featured in advertisements", adding that he is against such practices, the report said.He also talked about the growing menace of sexual crimes in the country and said that the perpetrators must be sentenced to harsh punishments as these crimes cannot be ignored."The Ulema has a role to play in eradicating obscenity, terrorism and extremism from the country," Ashrafi said.Ashrafi also said that upon the instructions of Prime Minister Imran Khan, Pakistan is internationally combating the rise of Islamophobia."For this purpose, the government has started reaching out to different Islamic scholars across the globe," Ashrafi said, adding that those who have been posting blasphemous content on websites have been taken into custody, the report said.ALSO READ | India takes serious note of Maharashtra fisherman's death in firing by Pakistan maritime agencyALSO READ | "I visit temples as I'm Hindu, what is the objection?": Kejriwal on 'soft hindutva' allegation

Despite having so many good looking men, advertisers still hire women to represent brands: Pak Minister

Speaking to the media in Lahore, Pakistani minister Ashrafi further said that women should not be "unnecessarily featured in advertisements", adding that he is against such practices, the report said.

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Patients wear personal protective equipment while maintaining social distancing as they wait in line for a COVID-19 test at Elmhurst Hospital Center, Wednesday, March 25, 2020, in New York. Gov. Andrew Cuomo sounded his most dire warning yet about the coronavirus pandemic Tuesday, saying the infection rate in New York is accelerating and the state could be as close as two weeks away from a crisis that sees 40,000 people in intensive care. Such a surge would overwhelm hospitals, which now have just 3,000 intensive care unit beds statewide.New York authorities mobilized to head off a potential public health disaster in the city Wednesday, with its emergence as the nation’s biggest coronavirus hot spot a warning flare — and perhaps a cautionary tale — for the rest of the country.A makeshift morgue was set up outside Bellevue Hospital, and the city’s police, their ranks dwindling as more fall ill, were told to patrol nearly empty streets to enforce social distancing.Public health officials hunted down beds and medical equipment and put out a call for more doctors and nurses for fear the number of sick will explode in a matter of weeks, overwhelming hospitals as has happened in Italy and Spain. Spanish lawmakers agreed to extending by two weeks a state of emergency that has allowed the government to maintain a national lockdown.In Washington, President Trump implored Congress to move on critical coronavirus aid without further delay. Senate leaders were trying to overcome late objections to a $2 trillion economic rescue package to ease the financial pain of the pandemic.Worldwide, the death toll climbed past 20,000, according to a running count kept by Johns Hopkins University. The number of dead in the U.S. topped 900, with more than 60,000 infections.New York State alone accounted for more than 30,000 cases and close to 300 deaths, most of them in New York City.Gov. Andrew Cuomo, again pleading for help in dealing with the onslaught, attributed the cluster to the city’s role as a gateway to international travelers and the sheer density of its population, with 8.6 million people sharing subways, elevators, apartment buildings and offices.“Our closeness makes us vulnerable,” he said. “But it’s true that your greatest weakness is also your greatest strength. And our closeness is what makes us who we are. That is what New York is.”Some public health experts also attributed the city’s burgeoning caseload in part to the state’s big push to test people.Troy Tassier, a Fordham University professor who studies economic epidemiology, suggested the increase shows New York would have fared better had it acted sooner to order social distancing.Nearly 7 million people in the San Francisco area were all but confined to their homes on March 17, and California put all 40 million of its residents under a near-lockdown three days later.The order to stay at home in New York State did not go into effect until Sunday evening, March 22, and New York City’s 1.1 million-student school system was not closed until March 15, well after other districts had shut down.Dr. Mark Dworkin, an epidemiology professor at University of Illinois-Chicago, said he hadn’t followed New York’s situation closely enough to say whether he would have done it differently, but he noted that moving quickly is critical -- and sometimes difficult to do at early points, when the public doesn’t sense an imminent threat.“At first, I think there’s a certain amount of disbelief that goes on,” he said. “I think that contributes, to some extent, to the lack of putting the foot on the gas pedal on some of the control measures that we know we need to do.”After New York’s first positive test came back on March 1 — in a health care worker who had traveled to Iran and secluded herself upon returning — Mayor Bill de Blasio and Cuomo initially cast the disease as a dangerous threat but one that the city’s muscular hospital system could handle.The risk to most New Yorkers, they said, was relatively low.But their message shifted, as it did with many other leaders, who found themselves acting on new information in an uncharted, fast-changing situation.Tassier said it wasn’t too late: “We can still make things better than they would be otherwise.”In a measure of how the virus is permeating life in ways big and small, the mayor said authorities would remove basketball hoops at 80 public courts where people were not respecting social-distancing instructions not to shoot around with anyone outside their households, while leaving up roughly 1,700 others where there were no problems.Dr. Deborah Birx, the coordinator of the White House’s coronavirus task force, said at a briefing that the number of new cases in New York City has been relatively constant over the last three days.But she warned hospital cases will continue to increase because they reflect people who contracted the illness before full mitigation efforts kicked in, and urged city residents to follow White House recommendations.“To every American out there, where you are protecting yourself, you are protecting others,” Birx said.In other developments around the globe:— The White House and legislative leaders hit last-minute snags after reaching agreement on a mammoth economic relief package, a $2 trillion plan to help businesses survive the crisis and give households checks of $1,200 per adult and $500 per child. Four conservative Republican senators demanded changes, saying the legislation should be altered to ensure employees don’t earn more if they’re laid off than if they’re working. Stocks rallied on Wall Street for the second day in a row.— Prince Charles, the 71-year-old heir to the British throne, tested positive for the virus but was showing only mild symptoms and was isolating himself at a royal estate in Scotland, his office said.— Spain’s death toll rose past 3,400, eclipsing China’s, after a one-day spike of 700 fatalities. It is now second only to Italy, with over 7,500 deaths. “We are collapsing. We need more workers,” said Lidia Perera, a nurse at Madrid’s 1,000-bed Hospital de la Paz. The Parliament’s vote will let the government extend strict stay-at-home rules and business closings until April 11.— China’s Hubei province, where the outbreak first emerged late last year, started lifting its lockdown. Authorities reported 67 new cases in the country, all imported in recent arrivals from abroad, and once again there were no new cases reported in Wuhan, the capital of Hubei.— Russian President Vladimir Putin postponed a nationwide vote on proposed constitutional amendments that could enable him to extend his hold on power. The decision came as Russia reported its first deaths from the virus, two elderly patients who had underlying conditions.— The French Riviera city of Cannes opened the site of its world-famous film festival to the homeless.— British Prime Minister Boris Johnson said more than 400,000 people responded within a day to the government’s call for volunteers to help the country’s most vulnerable people. They will deliver medicine, drive people home from doctor’s appointments and make phone calls to check on patients.— The Pentagon halted for 60 days the movement of U.S. troops and Defense Department civilians overseas, a measure expected to affect about 90,000 troops scheduled to deploy or return from abroad. A Marine became the first person stationed at the Pentagon to test positive for the virus.Around the U.S., other states braced for a version of New York’s nightmare, with fears over public events held in the weeks before the virus exploded.A month after Mardi Gras in and around New Orleans, Louisiana is seeing a ballooning number of cases and now has the third-highest rate per capita in the U.S., according to the governor. Sixty-five have died, and the virus has been confirmed in three-quarters of the state’s 64 parishes.Small towns and rural areas are beginning to sound the alarm as well.In Georgia, a state that has seen cases grow to more than 1,200, an Albany hospital’s three intensive care units were already full, and doctors were working to discharge people as quickly as possible to make way for new patients.“We’re quickly approaching the point of maximum capacity. We need a relief valve,” said Steven Kitchen, chief medical officer at Phoebe Putney Memorial Hospital.Colorado Gov. Jared Polis issued a statewide stay-at-home order through April 11, saying the “extreme measure” was necessary because restrictions so far haven’t done enough to reduce the virus’ spread.Ski resort operators in the state and elsewhere in the West are grappling with an economic “body blow” as they shut down at a time they normally would be welcoming hordes of spring break revelers.For most people, the coronavirus causes mild or moderate symptoms, such as fever and cough that clear up in two to three weeks. For some, especially older adults and people with existing health problems, it can cause more severe illness, including pneumonia.

New York struggles with virus, Spain extends emergency

New York authorities mobilized to head off a potential public health disaster in the city Wednesday, with its emergence as the nation’s biggest coronavirus hot spot a warning flare — and perhaps a cautionary tale — for the rest of the country.

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Opposition MPs were today manhandled and thrown out of the Parliament building in Male by the army.Pictures and video footage showed lawmakers being hauled away from the building then hoisted over the gate by army officers. Related Stories US President Donald Trump dials PM Narendra Modi: Here's what the two leaders discussedMaldives political crisis should not cause Sino-Indian tension, says China No interference in internal matters of other nations: Pak on Maldives crisis "Parliament under military siege in #Maldives parliament today members were thrown out of the parliament building compound," tweeted Maldivian Democratic Party (MDP) Thilafaiy."Security Forces literally throws an MP out of the Majlis premises! The Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed was telling the truth when he said he was forcefully dragged on the floor from his chambers," tweeted MDP Secretary General Anas Abdul Sattar.The latest crisis in Maldives erupted after the government declared an emergency for 15 days and arrested the Chief Justice and another judge of the Supreme Court. The apex court had earlier ordered a retrial of nine opposition leaders, including the exiled former President Mohamed Nasheed. The court had said that those arrested must be released. The top court had also called for the reinstatement of 12 opposition lawmakers.President Abdulla Yameen's government initially said it would abide by the order but subsequently decided to disregard the ruling and claim it had thwarted a coup attempt by former president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and Chief Justice Abdulla Saeed, both under custody at the moment.Saeed and another Supreme Court judge, Ali Hameed, were suspended from their duties by the Judicial Service Commission. After their arrest, the Supreme Court reversed the earlier order on the release and retrial of opposition leaders. Meanwhile, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has urged the Maldivian government to lift the emergency soon.

Maldives crisis: Opposition lawmakers thrown out of Parliament by military

Pictures and video footage showed lawmakers being hauled away from the building then hoisted over the gate by army officers.

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If Nawaz Sharif is disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged corruption and money laundering in the sensitive Panama Papers case then he is likely to be replaced by his younger brother and Punjab province Chief Minister Shehbaz Sharif as Pakistan PM , a leading Pakistani news channel has claimed.  Since Shehbaz is not a member of the National Assembly—the lower house of the Parliament—he cannot succeed immediately and would have to contest elections.  Therefore, Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely become the interim prime minister for 45 days till Shehbaz is elected in by-polls, Geo News reported, citing sources, that it was decided in a high-level huddle of ruling Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PML-N) yesterday.  It was also decided during the meeting that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional options available if the verdict goes against the premier.  The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Sharif, was also attended by Shehbaz along with federal ministers, advisers and the legal team representing the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case. The meeting reviewed the situation following developments in the Supreme Court. According to sources, the legal team briefed the prime minister on the Panama Papers case.  Speaking in a talk show, Asif rebuffed the media reports.  “The entire party is behind the leadership of Nawaz Sharif. There is no any prime ministerial candidate. There has been no discussion in the meeting on this issue”.  The Supreme Court yesterday concluded hearing the sensitive Panama Papers case against beleaguered Prime Minister Sharif, 67, and his family for alleged corruption and money laundering, but reserved its verdict that could jeopardise his political future. The judgement was reserved after counsels of both sides concluded their arguments before a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan. The bench did not immediately give any date to give its judgement.  A six-member JIT was set up in May by the Supreme Court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s. The JIT has recommended that the report’s Volume-X should be treated as confidential as it contains the details of correspondence with other countries.  So far Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators’ report a compilation of “allegations and assumptions”. His decision to stay in power was endorsed by the federal Cabinet last week.(With PTI inputs)

Nawaz Sharif's brother to replace him as Pakistan PM if he is convicted in Panamagate case: Report

Defence Minister Khawaja Asif will most likely become the interim prime minister for 45 days till Shehbaz is elected in by-polls.

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Bangladesh ask India to enhance security for its Guwahati mission Bangladesh on Thursday asked India to enhance security for its Guwahati mission after a mob defaced two signposts near the chancery, as protests against the citizenship bill rocked Assam plunging the state into total chaos. Two persons were killed on Thursday in police firing in Assam to quell protests against the citizenship bill with thousands descending on streets defying curfew as Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed his government was committed to safeguarding their rights.The Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Indian high commissioner Riva Ganguly Das met acting foreign secretary Kamrul Hasan at his office this evening. Ahsan "protested about the attack on the convoy of the (Bangladesh) assistant high commissioner and vandalisation of the signposts (of Bangladesh Chancery in Guwahati)"."He (Ahsan) requested for protection of personnel and property of the Mission by the host government," the statement said. Indian envoy assured that the Indian authorities were being immediately alerted for enhanced security of the Bangladesh chancery and the assistant high commissioner's residence in Guwahati, it said."The appropriate Indian authorities have already taken enhanced security measures to protect the assistant high commission premise, its personnel and members of their families," the statement quoted Das as saying. According to the statement, mobs today defaced two signposts of the mission, 30 yards away from the chancery in Guwahati, a day after agitators attacked the security vehicle escorting Bangladesh assistant high commissioner as he was heading towards to the city from the airport.Bangladesh, however, "believes that the attack on the convoy of the assistant high commissioner and vandalization of the signposts is a one-off incident and it will not affect the excellent bilateral relations that Bangladesh and India enjoy", it said. Also Read | Citizenship Bill Protests: Reports of deaths as Assam remains on boilAlso Read | Citizenship Bill passed amid Opposition uproar; PM Modi calls it 'landmark day'​

Bangladesh ask India to enhance security for its Guwahati mission

Two persons were killed on Thursday in police firing in Assam to quell protests against the citizenship bill with thousands descending on streets defying curfew as Prime Minister Narendra Modi vowed his government was committed to safeguarding their rights.

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Sri Lanka President Maithripala Sirisena

Sri Lanka: Political crisis deepens, President Sirisena suspends parliament till Nov 16

The move to suspend the parliament came in the wake of an urgent request from Wickremesinghe to convene an emergency session of the house.

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Vladimir Putin lashes out at US after 'constructive' talks with Joe Biden in Geneva. Russian President Vladimir Putin lashed out at the US on arms control, human rights, cyber-attacks, among other issues, after "constructive" talks with his American counterpart Joe Biden."As for the general assessment, I believe there was no hostility at all," Putin said during his solo press briefing, adding that the meeting, the first of its kind since Biden took office in January, was "open" and with "no pressure of the parties on each other."Putin said that the two sides "differ in many respects" but "showed willingness to understand each other and seek ways to bring the positions closer," and the pivotal face-to-face discussions, held at the 18th century Villa La Grange in Geneva, was "quite constructive", the Xinhua news agency reported.Although the two sides have agreed to allow their ambassadors to return to Moscow and Washington respectively, and to launch a strategic stability dialogue for future arms control and risk reduction measures, the Russian head of state refuted critics against Russia on such issues as policy predictability, human rights and cyber-security."The West believes that the Russian policy is unpredictable. Well, let me reciprocate. The US withdrawal from the ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) Treaty in 2002 wasn't predictable," Putin told journalists.As for human rights issues, Putin cited the Black Lives Matter movement in America, the US attacks in Afghanistan, and the existence of the Guantanamo Bay prison."One single strike can kill-(about) 120 people. All right, assuming this was a mistake that happens in a war, but shooting from a drone, (at) an unarmed crowd, clearly the civilian crowd, what is this about? How would you call that? And who's responsible for this?" said Putin."And how would you call this person? Who is the killer now?" he asked.On cyber attacks, Putin said that it is of vital importance in the world in general, "for the US in particular, and for Russia as well in the same volume."Putin noted that his country has not yet received any response from the US to Russia's dozens of requests regarding cyber attacks so far since last year.While describing the entire meetings as "good and positive", Biden somehow warned at his separate press conference that he will "take action" if the US continues to be interfered by other countries during its presidential elections."I made it clear that we will not tolerate attempts to violate our democratic sovereignty or destabilize our democratic elections, and we would respond," Biden said. "The bottom line as I told President Putin was that we need to have some basic rules...that we can all abide by."The US President added that he gave his Russian counterpart a list of 16 specific entities, ranging from the energy sector to water systems, which were defined by the US as critical infrastructures and should be off-limits to attack by cyber or any other means."The last thing he (Putin) wants now is a Cold War with the US... I don't think he's looking for a Cold War with the US," he said.However, Putin attributed the worsening of bilateral relations to the American side. "All steps in regard to the deterioration in the Russian-American relations were not initiated by us, and they were taken by the American side," he said."On the whole, we do realise what our American partners speak about, and they know well what we speak about, when it comes to the so-called 'red lines'," Putin said. "But I must sincerely say that we are still far from making emphases and starting to make divisions."Although the two sides discussed a wide range of issues from climate change, the Covid-19 pandemic, arms control, cyber attacks, to regional conflicts in Ukraine and Syria, a joint statement from both sides focused on a bilateral strategic stability dialogue for future arms control and risk reduction measures.The two nuclear powers have "demonstrated that, even in periods of tension, they are able to make progress on our shared goals of ensuring predictability in the strategic sphere, reducing the risk of armed conflicts and the threat of nuclear war," said the statement.As "a nuclear war cannot be won and must never be fought," the two sides "will embark together on an integrated bilateral Strategic Stability Dialogue in the near future," seeking to "lay the groundwork for future arms control and risk reduction measures," it said. 

Vladimir Putin lashes out at US after 'constructive' talks with Joe Biden in Geneva

"As for the general assessment, I believe there was no hostility at all," Putin said during his solo press briefing, adding that the meeting, the first of its kind since Biden took office in January, was "open" and with "no pressure of the parties on each other."

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Syed Akbaruddin Making it abundantly clear that India will not forget or forgive what Hafiz Saeed did, India’s Permanent Representative to the UN Syed Akbaruddin on Tuesday said that justice will be done to the Mumbai attack mastermind. Akbaruddin further said that everyone uses soft power in diplomacy, adding India was no exception. Related Stories Twitter account of Indian ambassador to UN Syed Akbaruddin hacked, restored laterIndia claims attacks on Afghanistan launched from safe havens in Pakistan UNSC becoming victim of 'self-inflicted wounds of diminishing relevance', warns IndiaAkbaruddin listed out India’s efforts in using soft diplomacy as a tool.“Justice will be done in the case of Hafiz Saaed and the country will not forget or forgive what he did,” he said while speaking on the sidelines of a conference on soft power.Addressing the conference, he said India’s major needs as a developing country will always be internal. “India’s major needs as a developing country will always be internal. Given that we are a country of a billion plus, every aspect of our public diplomacy would be towards improving our internal conditions,” he said. He also listed some of the biggest challenges facing the country.“The big challenges facing India are climate (change) and sanitation and there is no shame in acknowledging that we need to improve. I have not seen any diplomat before 2014 stood up to acknowledge our shortcomings,” he said. He said but today efforts are being put in to “improve ourselves that is the face of changing Indian diplomacy”.(With IANS inputs)

Jusitce will be done in Hafiz Saeed's case, country will not forget or forgive: Akbaruddin at UN

“The big challenges facing India are climate (change) and sanitation and there is no shame in acknowledging that we need to improve. I have not seen any diplomat before 2014 stood up to acknowledge our shortcomings,” he said.

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Law enforcement authorities on Monday said a hotel security guard was shot by the Las Vegas mass shooting's gunman before he opened fire on concert-goers.Clark County Sheriff Joe Lombardo had previously said the guard was shot after gunman Stephen Paddock fired at the country music festival and that the guard's arrival in the hallway of the Mandalay Bay hotel may have caused Paddock to stop firing.Related Stories Las Vegas shooting: 64-year-old attacker had interest in guns, video poker, real estateLas Vegas shooting: Gunman transferred $100K, set up cameras at hotel roomLas Vegas shooting: Gunman Stephen Paddock's girlfriend says she wasn't aware of his plansIt was not immediately clear why the timeline of the shooting changed a week later and what the impact could be on the investigation.On Monday, Lombardo said security guard Jesus Campos was in a hallway of the Mandalay Bay hotel responding to a report of an open door when he heard drilling from Stephen Craig Paddock's room.Paddock, who had installed three cameras to monitor the approach to his suite, opened fire through the door, spraying 200 shots down the hall and wounding the guard, who alerted other security officials, Lombardo said.A few minutes later, Paddock began a 10-minute killing spree that killed 58 people in the deadliest mass shooting in modern US history, Lombardo said.Authorities also said Monday that Paddock targeted aviation fuel tanks, stocked his car with explosives and had personal protection gear as part of an escape plan.Paddock had power tools and was attempting to drill a hole in an adjacent wall, perhaps to mount another camera or to point a rifle through, but he never completed the work, Lombardo said. He also drilled holes and bolted a metal bar to try to prevent the opening of an emergency exit stairwell door near the door of his room.Lombardo again expressed frustration with the pace of the investigation, but not with the investigators who have yet to pinpoint the motive behind the shooter's decision to fire from the 32nd floor of the Mandalay Bay hotel casino on a Las Vegas Strip concert crowd of 22,000 on October 1."It's because this individual purposely hid his actions leading up to this event, and it is difficult for us to find the answers to those actions," Lombardo said. "We believe he decided to take the lives he did and he had a very purposeful plan that he carried out."There is still no evidence Paddock was motivated by ideology, or that there was another shooter, he said. Investigators have found 200 incidents of Paddock moving through the city, and at no time was he with anyone else, Lombardo said.Lombardo said police and FBI agents, including behavioral profilers, still haven't found a particular event in Paddock's life that might have triggered the shooting. The sheriff added that a complete evaluation of Paddock's mental condition was not yet done. Authorities didn't find a note in his room, only a paper with numbers, he said.Investigators believe the numbers represented calculations for more precise shots, according to a law enforcement official who wasn't authorized to discuss the details of the ongoing investigation publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.The sheriff also confirmed investigators are talking with Paddock's brother Eric Paddock, who traveled to Las Vegas, and continue to speak with the shooter's girlfriend, Marilou Danley, to get insight.Lombardo declined to reveal what they've said, but he stated, "Every piece of information we get is one more piece of the puzzle."Eric Paddock said he came to Las Vegas to retrieve his brother's body in hopes of sending the cremated ashes to their 89-year-old mother in Orlando.Clark County Coroner John Fudenberg said Monday he could not discuss the results of an autopsy done on Stephen Paddock, who police said shot himself dead before officers arrived at the Las Vegas Strip hotel suite from which he rained gunfire on a concert crowd below.Eric Paddock told the Las Vegas Review-Journal that he plans to put his brother's assets in a trust that would benefit the shooting victims.Law enforcement interviews with Paddock's brother Saturday and Sunday were part of an exhaustive search through the 64-year-old's life.Meanwhile, friends and relatives of the victims and other concert-goers who survived returned Monday to reclaim baby strollers, shoes, phones, backpacks and purses left behind in the panic as they fled.The personal effects being recovered were strewn across the massive grassy concert venue where 22,000 country music fans attended the Route 91 Harvest festival have become sentimental memories of loved ones for some and haunting reminders of the night of terror for others.People left behind thousands of items, Clark County Emergency Manager John Steinbeck said.Those who were in two areas of the concert grounds were being allowed to retrieve their things in groups, with authorities expanding the offer Monday to include people who were seated west of the stage. Authorities are powering up cellphones and asking people to text their full names to the phones to ensure they are returned to the correct owners.At the assistance center set up at a convention center in Las Vegas, a steady stream of individuals walked in on Monday looking for purses, wallets, cellphones and even a wedding bracelet. Volunteers filled out intake forms with detailed descriptions of their lost items, and later, FBI victims assistance agents asked for additional questions.People received their belongings in re-sealable plastic bags and were asked to check them. After identifying their items, some smiled and others hugged the FBI agents or Red Cross volunteers who had helped them.The somber mood inside the hall was occasionally deepened by the weeping of some.

Las Vegas gunman Stephen Paddock shot security guard before he killed concert-goers

Paddock, who had installed cameras to monitor the approach to his suite, opened fire through the door, spraying 200 shots down the hall and wounding the guard.

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Dismissing the Chinese criticism of the US making statements on internal affairs of ChinaDescribing the deteriorating human rights situation in parts of China as appalling wherein over a million religious minorities have reportedly been detained, the United States said it is considering taking targeted measures against those responsible for this."We are committed to promoting accountability for those who are committing these violations and considering targeted measures as well," State Department deputy spokesperson Robert Palladino told reporters at his biweekly news conference.Dismissing the Chinese criticism of the US making statements on internal affairs of China, Palladino asserted that the United States will continue to raise the issue."This is something that we're going to continue to speak out about. This really is an appalling situation that's ongoing and we're alarmed, frankly, that there's over a million people at least being detained: Uighurs, ethnic Kazakhs, other members of Muslim-minority groups in these internment camps," he said.According to multiple media accounts, China is holding more than a million Uighurs, a Turkic-speaking ethnic minority, and other Muslims in "re-education camps" in Xinjiang. It has turned the far-western region bordering Central Asia into one the most policed areas of the country."We will continue to call on China to end these policies and to free these people that have been arbitrarily detained," Palladino said.A day earlier US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo said China is in a "league of its own" when it comes to human rights violations.In its annual report, the State Department alleged that in 2018, the Chinese government significantly intensified its campaign of mass detention of members of Muslim minority groups in the Xinjiang Uighur Autonomous Region."In just 2018, China intensified its campaign of detaining Muslim minority groups at record levels," Pompeo said as he released the annual Congressional-mandated country reports on human rights on Wednesday.China, however, says the camps are vocational training centres. It described the charges as baseless."China's human rights cause has made great progress," Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Lu Kang told reporters in Beijing."We hope the US will remove the coloured lenses and discard the Cold War mentality ... and view China's human rights progress in an objective and just way and stop interfering in China's internal affairs with human rights as a pretext," he added.Palladino said the US would continue to speak about human rights violations in China. "Secretary Pompeo was certainly clear yesterday, and he was certainly clear on this issue when his Chinese counterpart visited Washington for the Diplomatic and Security Dialogue that we held a few months ago. We will echo the Government of Turkey's recent statement on this matter in which they called this a great shame for humanity. That's well said," he said.

US considering targeted measures against human rights violations in China

Dismissing the Chinese criticism of the US making statements on internal affairs of China, Palladino asserted that the United States will continue to raise the issue.

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In yet another threat to New Delhi over the month-long military standoff in Doklam, Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said that India should not “harbour any unrealistic illusions” about China’s abilities to defend its territory. Qian revealed that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) had undertaken an “emergency response” measure in response to the incident and would “further step up deployments” in the area, adding that it would “safeguard China’s sovereignty whatever the cost”.At a special briefing ahead of the PLA's 90th anniversary which falls on August 1, Qian in a message to India said, “Shaking a mountain is easy but shaking the People's Liberation Army is hard”.“The history of the PLA over the past 90 years has proven our resolve to safeguard sovereignty and territorial integrity, and are capability and resolve are indomitable,” he added. He reiterated that withdrawal of Indian troops from the region as a precondition to hold talks between the neighbouring countries. “We strongly urge the Indian side to withdraw its troops back from the border line of the two countries. This is the basis for settling the issue,” said Qian“We strongly urge India to take practical steps to correct its mistake, cease provocations, and meet China halfway in jointly safeguarding the border region’s peace and tranquillity,” he added.On the other hand, India’s External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj, last week, said that if China unilaterally changes status-quo of the tri-junction point between China, India and Bhutan, then it will pose as a challenge to India’s security. Even as China has kept up its strong rhetoric on the matter and has insisted on withdrawal of Indian troops, National Security Advisor Ajit Doval will be in Beijing this week for a BRICS NSA’s meet that will take place on July 28. Chinese and Indian soldiers have been locked in a face-off in Doklam area in the southernmost part of Tibet, in an area also claimed by Bhutan, for over a month after Indian troops stopped the Chinese army from building a road in the disputed area. Both Doval and Yang are also the Special Representatives for India-China boundary talks. The two sides have held 19 rounds of boundary talks to resolve their differences.

Sikkim standoff: Easier to shake a mountain than PLA, says China; warns India against ‘unrealistic illusions’

In yet another threat to New Delhi over the month-long military standoff in Doklam, Chinese defence ministry spokesperson Wu Qian said that India should not “harbour any unrealistic illusions” about China’s abilities to defend its territory

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With over 520 deaths recorded Tuesday, the French leader said the measure that will come into effect Friday would be the only possible way to successfully fight coronavirus.French President Emmanuel Macron ordered his country into a new month-long, nationwide lockdown Wednesday aimed at stopping a fast-rising tide of virus patients filling French hospitals, but said schools and some workplaces will stay open. Not only, France, but several other countries in Europe are witnessing the second of coronavirus with daily cases rising much faster compared to past few weeks.Many French doctors urged strict confinement, noting that 58 per cent of the country's intensive care units are now occupied by COVID patients and medical staff are under increasing strain.Dr. Karim Debbat, head of intensive care at the Joseph Imbert Hospital in the southern city of Arles told The Associated Press on Wednesday that his service has no more space because of a rise in COVID patients.While he said his staff now have more knowledge of the virus than during the spring, half of the hospital's non-urgent surgeries have been canceled and there's not enough personnel to deal with a real crisis."I’m like a coach with no substitutes," he said. "We’re walking a tightrope, and unfortunately I don’t think we’ll be getting outside help since all of the regions are affected and each hospital is going to hold (onto) its staff because we’re all affected.”France has 7th highest coronavirus deaths in world France's confirmed virus-related death toll so far is 35,785, the world's seventh-highest. France has for weeks been reporting tens of thousands of new infections per day and is now recording more than 380 new cases each week per 100,000 people.France saw a rise in infections over the summer but virus hospitalizations and deaths stayed low, so the government encouraged people to return to school and work. As hospitals came under new strain, the government imposed modest measures such as closing bars and curfews over the past several weeks but Macron said they weren't working."We need each other" to make the new lockdown work, Macron said, appealing for unity amid a tense and fractious year. "We'll make it, all of us together."(With inputs from AP)

France imposes month-long national lockdown as covid cases surge: What changes in new shutdown

French President Emmanuel Macron ordered his country into a new month-long, nationwide lockdown Wednesday aimed at stopping a fast-rising tide of virus patients filling French hospitals, but said schools and some workplaces will stay open. Not only, France, but several other countries in Europe are witnessing the second of coronavirus with daily cases rising much faster compared to past few weeks.

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In this photo released by Saudi Energy Ministry, Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman Al-Saud, Minister of Energy of Saudi Arabia, third right, chairs a virtual summit of the Group of 20 energy ministers at his office in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, April 10, 2020, to coordinate a response to plummeting oil prices due to an oversupply in the market and a downturn in global demand due to the pandemic.OPEC, Russia and other oil-producing nations on Sunday finalized an unprecedented production cut of nearly 10 million barrels, or a tenth of global supply, in hopes of boosting crashing prices amid the coronavirus pandemic and a price war, officials said.“This could be the largest reduction in production from OPEC for perhaps a decade, maybe longer,” said U.S. Energy Secretary Dan Brouillette, who credited President Donald Trump’s personal involvement in getting dueling parties to the table and helping to end a price war between Saudi Arabia and Russia.Oil prices have collapsed as the coronavirus and the COVID-19 illness it causes have largely halted global travel and slowed down other energy-chugging sectors such as manufacturing. It has devastated the oil industry in the U.S., which now pumps more crude than any other country.But some producers have been reluctant to ease supply. The cartel and other nations on Sunday agreed to allow Mexico to cut only 100,000 barrels a month, a sticking point for an accord initially reached Friday after a marathon video conference between 23 nations. The nations together agreed to cut 9.7 million barrels a day throughout May and June.The group reached the deal just hours before Asian markets reopened Monday and as international benchmark Brent crude traded at just over $31 a barrel and American shale producers struggle.Video aired by the Saudi-owned satellite channel Al-Arabiya showed the moment that Saudi Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, a son of King Salman, assented to the deal.“I go with the consent, so I agree,” the prince said, chuckling, drawing a round of applause from those on the video call.But it had not been smiles and laughs for weeks after the so-called OPEC+ group of OPEC members and other nations failed in March to reach an agreement on production cuts, sending prices tumbling. Saudi Arabia sharply criticized Russia days earlier over what it described as comments critical of the kingdom, which finds itself trying to appease Trump, a longtime OPEC critic.Even U.S. senators had warned Saudi Arabia to find a way to boost prices as American shale firms face far-higher production costs. American troops had been deployed to the kingdom for the first time since the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks over concerns of Iranian retaliation amid regional tensions.“They’ve spent over the last month waging war on American oil producers while we are defending theirs. This is not how friends treat friends,” said Sen. Kevin Cramer, a Republican from North Dakota, before the OPEC+ deal.U.S. producers have already been reducing output. The American Petroleum Institute lauded Sunday’s global pact, saying it will help get other nations’ state-owned oil production to follow the lead of U.S. producers that are trying to adjust to plunging demand.Brouillette said the U.S. did not make commitments of its own production cuts, but was able to show the obvious — that plunging demand because of the pandemic is expected to slash U.S. oil production.Iranian Oil Minister Bijan Zanganeh also told state television that Kuwait, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates would cut another 2 million barrels of oil a day between them atop the OPEC+ deal. The three countries did not immediately acknowledge the cut themselves, though Zanganeh attended the video conference.Officials said other planned cuts would stand in the deal, meaning an 8 million barrel per day cut from July through the end of the year and a 6 million barrel cut for 16 months beginning in 2021.“This will enable the rebalancing of the oil markets and the expected rebound of prices by $15 per barrel in the short term,” said a statement from Nigeria’s oil ministry.Mexico had initially blocked the deal but its president, Andrés Manuel López Obrador, had said Friday that he had agreed with Trump that the U.S. will compensate what Mexico cannot add to the proposed cuts.“The big Oil Deal with OPEC Plus is done. This will save hundreds of thousands of energy jobs in the United States,” Trump said in a tweet. “I would like to thank and congratulate President Putin of Russia and King Salman of Saudi Arabia.”The Kremlin said President Vladimir Putin held a joint call with Trump and Saudi King Salman to express support of the deal. It also said Putin spoke separately with Trump about the oil market and other issues.Analysts offered cautious praise.“The pure size of the cut is unprecedented, but, then again, so is the impact the coronavirus is having on demand,” said Mohammed Ghulam, an energy analyst at Raymond James.But Ghulam and others worried it may not be enough.“This is at least a temporary relief for the energy industry and for the global economy. This industry is too big to be let to fail and the alliance showed responsibility with this agreement,” said Per Magnus Nysveen, the head of analysis at Rystad Energy. “Even though the production cuts are smaller than what the market needed and only postpone the stock building constraints problem, the worst is for now avoided.”

OPEC, oil nations agree to nearly 10M barrel cut amid coronavirus

OPEC, Russia and other oil-producing nations on Sunday finalized an unprecedented production cut of nearly 10 million barrels, or a tenth of global supply, in hopes of boosting crashing prices amid the coronavirus pandemic and a price war, officials said

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Representtaive imageWith one-in-five deaths associated with poor-quality diets, the UN food agency has said that regularly eating poor-quality food has become a greater public health threat than malaria, tuberculosis or measles.The United Nations Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) co-authored the report titled 'Preventing nutrient loss and waste across the food system: Policy actions for high-quality diets'.Related Stories Poverty in India dropped by half between 2005-16: UN ReportUN report on global warming carries life-or-death warningUN report: India lost Rs 6 lakh crore to natural disasters in 20 yearsIt urged policymakers to reduce food loss and waste to improve access to nutritious and healthy food as it concluded that regularly eating poor-quality food has become a greater public health threat than malaria, tuberculosis or measles.Approximately one-third of food produced for human consumption never reaches the consumer's plate or bowl. Nutrient-rich foods, such as fruits, vegetables, seafood and meats are highly perishable, rendering them susceptible to losses throughout increasingly complex food production systems.According the report, each year more than half of all globally-produced fruits and vegetables are lost or wasted. Moreover, around 25 per cent of all meat produced, equivalent to 75 million cows, goes uneaten."To tackle all forms of malnutrition and promote healthy diets, we need to put in place food systems that increase the availability, affordability and consumption of fresh, nutrient-rich food for everyone," FAO Director-General Jose Graziano da Silva said.Reducing food loss and waste, particularly high-nutrient foods, not only has nutritional benefits, but also contributes to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), and should be a new priority for improving nutrition."Taking specific actions to reduce the losses and waste of fresh and nutritious food is a fundamental part of this effort," said da Silva, who is also a member of the Global Panel on Agriculture and Food Systems for Nutrition, joint report author.The report proposes a series of policy actions across the entire food system, including educating all concerned; focusing on perishable foods; improving public and private infrastructure; and closing data gaps on food losses and waste.FAO data indicates that in low-income countries, food is mostly lost during harvesting, storage, processing and transportation; while in high-income nations the problem lies in retail and consumer level waste. Together, they directly impact the number of calories and nutrients actually available for consumption.Given the direct impact on wellbeing, learning capacity and productivity, the loss and waste of micronutrients is of particular concern.Globally, agriculture produces 22 per cent more vitamin A than we require. However, after loss and waste, the amount available for human consumption is 11 per cent less than required. Reducing the loss and waste of nutritious foods could therefore yield substantial health benefits.With the value of global food lost or wasted annually, estimated to be around $1 trillion, cutting down on waste would also yield major economic benefits. Additionally, eating more of the food already produced, would avoid wasting the water, land and energy that went into its production, said FAO. 

Malnutrition threatens health more than malaria, tuberculosis, measles: UN report

UN urged policymakers to reduce food loss and waste to improve access to nutritious and healthy food as it concluded that regularly eating poor-quality food has become a greater public health threat than malaria, tuberculosis or measles.

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Another elected Prime Minister has been "sent home", Nawaz Sharif's daughter Maryam said today but asserted that her father's disqualification by the Supreme Court would not deter him from staging a comeback. In her first reaction to the verdict in the Panama Papers scandal, she tweeted: "Today will pave the way for Nawaz Sharif's resounding victory in 2018. He will be unstoppable. Insha'Allah. Rok sakte ho to rok lo (Stop him, if you can)!" Maryam, 43, is seen by many as a political heir to the veteran politician and three-time premier of Pakistan. She has vigorously defended Sharif during the probe. The Panam papers scandal is about alleged money laundering by Sharif in the 1990s, when he twice served as Prime Minister, to purchase assets in London. The assets surfaced when Panama Papers leak last year revealed that they were managed through offshore companies owned by Sharif's two sons and daughter, Maryam. "Another elected prime minister sent home, but only to see him return with greater force and support and soonest Insha'Allah," she said in another tweet. The apex court verdict in the Panama Papers scandal came as a setback for Sharif and his Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), threatening a revolt within the ruling party. But Maryam said: "PML-N stands united, more resolute and unfazed. That's also unprecedented." When a follower tweeted her that the supporters of Sharif were disappointed, Maryam wrote back: "Kion ghum main hain (Why are they sad)? Not the first time your leader had to face ouster and trial. Every such act has made him stronger. History bears witness." 

Another elected PM 'sent home' in Pakistan: Maryam Nawaz

Maryam, 43, is seen by many as a political heir to the veteran politician and three-time premier of Pakistan. She has vigorously defended Sharif during the probe.

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A view of US Embassy in Kyiv, Ukraine on Feb 12, 2022.Poland has agreed to help US citizens leave Ukraine by simplifying the entry procedures, the US Embassy in Ukraine informs. "Poland has indicated to the US government that U.S. citizens may now enter Poland through the land border with Ukraine. No advanced approval is required. We encourage those traveling into Poland by land from Ukraine to cross at the Korczowa-Krakovets or Medyka-Shehyni border crossings," the US embassy said in a statement on Saturday (February 12). According to the release, US citizens will need to present a valid US passport and proof of COVID-19 vaccination at the Polish border. ALSO READ: Ukraine crisis: Joe Biden orders 3,000 more troops to Poland "US citizens in Ukraine should be aware that the U.S. government will not be able to evacuate US citizens in the event of Russian military action anywhere in Ukraine," the embassy emphasized, urging US citizens in Ukraine to "depart immediately using commercial or other privately available transportation options." Earlier on Saturday, the US State Department said that the US was relocating some of its diplomatic personnel from the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, to the city of Lviv amid security concerns. Both Canada and Australia said they were suspending embassy operations in Kiev and opening temporary offices in Lviv amid the escalation of the Ukraine crisis. The German Federal Foreign Office updated its travel advice on Ukraine, calling on German citizens to terminate any non-essential stay as soon as possible. Similar advisories were issued by other countries, including New Zealand, Belgium and Finland.In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of a troop build-up near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for an "invasion."  Moscow has denied these accusations, repeatedly stating that it is not threatening anyone and at the same time expressing strong concerns over NATO's military activity near the Russian borders, which it deems a threat to its national security. Moscow has also said Russia has the right to move troops within its national territory. (With ANI inputs) ALSO READ: Russia may invade Ukraine any day, US asks its citizens to leavePoland has agreed to help US citizens leave Ukraine by simplifying the entry procedures, the US Embassy in Ukraine informs."Poland has indicated to the US government that U.S. citizens may now enter Poland through the land border with Ukraine. No advanced approval is required. We encourage those traveling into Poland by land from Ukraine to cross at the Korczowa-Krakovets or Medyka-Shehyni border crossings," the US embassy said in a statement on Saturday (February 12).According to the release, US citizens will need to present a valid US passport and proof of COVID-19 vaccination at the Polish border.ALSO READ: Ukraine crisis: Joe Biden orders 3,000 more troops to Poland"US citizens in Ukraine should be aware that the U.S. government will not be able to evacuate US citizens in the event of Russian military action anywhere in Ukraine," the embassy emphasized, urging US citizens in Ukraine to "depart immediately using commercial or other privately available transportation options."Earlier on Saturday, the US State Department said that the US was relocating some of its diplomatic personnel from the Ukrainian capital, Kiev, to the city of Lviv amid security concerns. Both Canada and Australia said they were suspending embassy operations in Kiev and opening temporary offices in Lviv amid the escalation of the Ukraine crisis.The German Federal Foreign Office updated its travel advice on Ukraine, calling on German citizens to terminate any non-essential stay as soon as possible. Similar advisories were issued by other countries, including New Zealand, Belgium and Finland.In the past few months, the West and Ukraine have accused Russia of a troop build-up near the Ukrainian border in alleged preparation for an "invasion." Moscow has denied these accusations, repeatedly stating that it is not threatening anyone and at the same time expressing strong concerns over NATO's military activity near the Russian borders, which it deems a threat to its national security. Moscow has also said Russia has the right to move troops within its national territory.(With ANI inputs) 

Poland facilitating departure of US citizens from Ukraine: US Embassy

According to the release, US citizens will need to present a valid US passport and proof of COVID vaccination at the Polish border.

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Russian minister with Libyan  rebel commander Khalifa HaftarAttempts to broker ceasefire between Libyan Government and rebels have not yielded results as rebel commander Khalifa Haftar left Moscow without signing the deal. Russia and Turkey were mediating between Libyan Government and rebels for a deal to establish a ceasefire. Iran's Press TV reported that General Khalifa Haftar left Moscow earlier on Tuesday.Libyan PM Fayez al-Sarraj and General Khalifa Haftar spoke for 8 hours but impasse over ceasefire could not be breached. On Monday, Haftar had on Monday evening asked for until Tuesday morning to look over the agreement. The ceasefire agreement had already been signed by Libyan PM Sarraj.  However, Haftar Khalifa left Moscow without signing the deal“They have a positive view of the document and asked for extra time until the next morning to decide,” Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said on Monday.The civil war had been on the brink of a major escalation. Various foreign players back Libya's rival governments, and they have recently been stepping up their involvement in the oil-rich nation's conflict.Libya plunged into turmoil after the 2011 civil war that ousted and killed long-time dictator Moammar Gadhafi.The eastern government is supported by France, Russia and key Arab countries, including Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia.Turkey, Italy and Qatar support the Tripoli government, which has faced an offensive by Hifter's forces, which closed in on the capital.Russia has maintained contacts with both conflicting parties in Libya, but the government in Tripoli has recently charged that Russian military contractors were fighting alongside Hifter.(With AP inputs)Also Read | Iran announces arrests over downing of Ukrainian plane that killed 176 passengersWatch | US House passes resolution limiting Donald Trump's power to carry out military action against Iran /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; 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Libya Conflict: Ceasefire talks fail as rebel commander Khalifa Haftar leaves Moscow without signing deal

Attempts to broker ceasefire between Libyan Government and rebels have not yielded results as rebel commander Khalifa Haftar left Moscow without signing the deal. Russia and Turkey were mediating between Libyan Government and rebels for a deal to establish a ceasefire. Iran's Press TV reported that General Khalifa Haftar left Moscow earlier on Tuesday.

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In this photo released by the Taiwan Presidential Office, a military jet taxis along a highway in Jiadong, Taiwan, Wednesday, Sept. 15, 2021Between Friday and Monday, a total of 145 Chinese air force planes flew into Taiwan's air defence identification zone (ADIZ) in a flagrant violation of its sovereignty.China has been regularly, and increasingly, trespassing into Taiwan's marine and air spaces over the last two years. It has been intimidating its eastern democratic neighbour in the hope of annexing it into the mainland one day. But the 145 aircraft over four days was setting a new record of intimidation.In response, Taiwan's Ministry of National Defence (MND) scrambled combat patrol aircraft and issued radio warnings to the Chinese aircraft. It also alerted its air defence missile systems to monitor Chinese fighters.October 1 is Chinese national day while October 10 is Taiwanese National Day--anathema to Beijing as it cuts at the heart of its One China Policy (OCP).The Chinese air force, known as the PLA Air Force (PLAAF) flew 38 planes on Friday--the Chinese National Day, followed by 39 on Saturday, 16 on Sunday and 52 on Monday into Taiwan's ADIZ.China is not only testing the waters by flexing its muscles, it is also trying to demoralise Taiwan.According to China experts, Beijing is reacting to the increased, and successful, mobilisation by the US, Japan, Taiwan, Australia in the Indo-Pacific in response to China's aggression against its neighbours and also the South China Sea (SCS).The recent AUKUS (Australia, the UK and the US) military pact on equipping Australia with nuclear-power submarines to take on China has also rattled the latter.The Australian Broadcasting Corporation (ABC) quotes Wen-Ti Sung, an expert on China's foreign policy at the Australian National University, as saying that Beijing's show of force against Taiwan was for international and domestic audiences. Sung said: "It (AUKUS) is a big deal that signals Australia's greater willingness to be engaged with security [issues] in Taiwan Strait and the South China Sea. It will be increasing deterrence against China, and China does not look upon [that] very favourably."China has publicly said that it plans to merge Taiwan to the mainland even if it has to annex it militarily. On the 100th anniversary of the Communist Party of China (CPC) on July 1, 2021, President Xi Jinping had said: "No one should underestimate the resolve, the will and ability of the Chinese people to defend their national sovereignty and territorial integrity," in reference to Taiwan.The US took note of the air space harassment. In a statement Washington said: "The United States is very concerned by the People's Republic of China's provocative military activity near Taiwan, which is destabilizing, risks miscalculations, and undermines regional peace and stability. We urge Beijing to cease its military, diplomatic, and economic pressure and coercion against Taiwan."The US, which is a strong ally to a democratic Taiwan, reinforced that it will "continue to assist Taiwan in maintaining a sufficient self-defense capability". Washington added that American commitment to Taiwan is "rock solid and contributes to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait and within the region".

Why did 145 Chinese air force planes violate Taiwan airspace in 4 days? Explained

China has publicly said that it plans to merge Taiwan to the mainland even if it has to annex it militarily.

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Pfizer asks FDA to allow extra-low doses of COVID vaccine for kids under 5Pfizer on Tuesday asked the U.S. to authorize extra-low doses of its COVID-19 vaccine for children under 5, potentially opening the way for the very youngest Americans to start receiving shots as early as March.In an extraordinary move, the Food and Drug Administration had urged Pfizer and its partner BioNTech to apply earlier than the companies had planned — and before it’s settled if the youngsters will need two shots or three.The nation’s 19 million children under 5 are the only group not yet eligible for vaccination against the coronavirus. Many parents have been pushing for an expansion of shots to toddlers and preschoolers, especially as the omicron variant sent record numbers of youngsters to the hospital.“I would say the parents in my office are desperate” to get young kids vaccinated, said Dr. Dyan Hes, who runs a pediatrics practice in New York City, where vaccination rates are high. For many, “that’s the first thing they ask when they walk through the door: ‘When do you think the shot is going to come out?’”Pfizer aims to give children as young as 6 months shots that contain one-tenth of the dose given to adults. The company said it had started submitting its data to the FDA and expects to complete the process in a few days.An open question is how many shots those children will need. Two of the extra-low doses turned out to be strong enough for babies but not for preschoolers in early testing. Pfizer now is testing a third shot, data that’s expected in late March.That means the FDA may consider whether to authorize two shots for now, with potentially a third shot being cleared later if the study supports it.Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement that company scientists believe this age group ultimately will need three of the extra low-dose shots but that FDA action now could let parents begin the vaccination process while awaiting a final decision.The FDA said it will convene a panel of independent researchers and physicians in mid-February to help review the Pfizer data. The agency isn’t required to follow their advice, but the input is a key step in publicly vetting vaccine safety and effectiveness.The question of how long to wait for new vaccine data — and how much to require — is a concern for FDA regulators, who face pressure to be more proactive against a virus that has repeatedly confounded health experts.The FDA asked Pfizer to begin submitting its application now due to omicron’s “greater toll on children,” an agency spokeswoman said, citing a peak in cases among children under 5.“In light of these new data and the rise in illnesses and hospitalization in this youngest age group, FDA believed that it was prudent to request that Pfizer submit the data it had available,” agency spokeswoman Stephanie Caccomo said in an emailed statement.The FDA’s ultimate decision could come within the month, but that isn’t the only hurdle. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention also has to sign off.The Biden administration has been trying to speed the authorization of COVID-19 shots for children, contending vaccinations are critical for opening schools and daycare centers and keeping them open, and for freeing up parents from child care duties so they can go back to work.Yet vaccination rates have been lower among children than in other age groups. As of last week, just 20% of kids ages 5 to 11 and just over half of 12- to 17-year-olds were fully vaccinated, according to the American Academy of Pediatrics. Nearly three-quarters of adults are fully vaccinated.Young children are far less likely than adults to get severely ill from the coronavirus, but it can happen, and pediatric COVID-19 infections are higher than at any other point in the pandemic.“What we’re seeing right now is still a lot of hospitalizations and unfortunately some deaths in this age group,” said Dr. Sean O’Leary of the University of Colorado, who is on the AAP’s infectious disease committee. If the FDA clears vaccinations for these youngsters, “that’s going to be really important because all of those hospitalizations and deaths essentially are preventable.”For kids under 5, Pfizer’s study is giving participants two shots three weeks apart, followed by a third dose at least two months later. The company is testing whether the youngsters produce antibody levels similar to those known to protect teens and young adults.In December, Pfizer announced that children under 2 looked to be protected but that the antibody response was too low in 2- to 4-year-olds. It’s not clear why, but one possibility is that the extra-low dose was a little too low for the preschoolers.Since the preliminary results showed the shots were safe, Pfizer added a third dose to the testing in hopes of improving protection.A Kaiser Family Foundation poll found just 3 in 10 parents of children under 5 would get their youngster vaccinated as soon as shots were authorized, while about a quarter said they definitely would not. Results of the survey of 1,536 adults, conducted in mid-January, were released Tuesday.Chicago health officials have been trying to prepare parents for months for the day the shots are available, said Dr. Nimmi Rajagopal, a family medicine physician for Cook County Health, which oversees the public hospital system. Some parents wonder how rigorously the shots will be evaluated or have other questions that she said are critical to addressing.Rajagopal is excited about getting her own 2-year-old son vaccinated if FDA clears the way, so it will be safer for him to play with other children.“I have been waiting and waiting and waiting,” she said.(Except for the headline, Indiatvnews.com has not edited the copy)Also Read | Pfizer, BioNTech begin study tweaking original vaccine to match Omicron variant /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_7526125459 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/06/0_fvpunthn/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_fvpunthn_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "UK Approves Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine For Children Between 12 To 15-Year-Olds", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "duration": "209", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_7526125459 = ''; jwsetup_7526125459(); function jwsetup_7526125459() { jwvidplayer_7526125459 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_7526125459").setup(jwconfig_7526125459); jwvidplayer_7526125459.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_7526125459, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_fvpunthn\", ns_st_pr=\"UK Approves Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine For Children Between 12 To 15-Year-Olds\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"UK Approves Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine For Children Between 12 To 15-Year-Olds\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"UK Approves Pfizer-BioNTech Covid-19 Vaccine For Children Between 12 To 15-Year-Olds\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2021-06-05\", ns_st_tdt=\"2021-06-05\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/06/0_fvpunthn/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_7526125459.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_7526125459.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_7526125459.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_7526125459.stop(); jwvidplayer_7526125459.remove(); jwvidplayer_7526125459 = ''; jwsetup_7526125459(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_7526125459.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_7526125459.stop(); jwvidplayer_7526125459.remove(); jwvidplayer_7526125459 = ''; jwsetup_7526125459(); return; }); jwvidplayer_7526125459.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_7526125459.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_7526125459.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_7526125459.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_7526125459.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_7526125459.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Pfizer asks FDA to allow extra-low doses of COVID vaccine for kids under 5

Pfizer CEO Albert Bourla said in a statement that company scientists believe this age group ultimately will need three of the extra low-dose shots but that FDA action now could let parents begin the vaccination process while awaiting a final decision.

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If elected, will stand with India in confronting threats it faces from region: BidenDemocratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has asserted that if elected, his administration will stand with India against the threats New Delhi faces from its own region and along its borders and vowed to continue to rely on the Indian-American diaspora, that keeps the two nations together.Last week, Biden scripted history by selecting Indian origin Senator Harris, 55, as his running mate in the US presidential election. Harris, whose father is an African from Jamaica and mother an Indian, is the first-ever Black vice-presidential nominee.Presidential elections in the US will be held on November 3 and the 77-year-old is challenging incumbent Republican President Donald Trump in the polls."Fifteen years ago, I was leading the efforts to approve the historic civil nuclear deal with India. I said that if the US and India became closer friends and partners, then the world will be a safer place," Biden, who was vice-president in the Obama administration, said while addressing the Indian-American community on India's Independence Day.If elected president, Biden said, he will continue to believe this and also continue to stand with India against the threats it faces from its own region and along its borders.Biden said that he will work on expanding two-way trade between the US and India, and take on big global challenges like climate change and global health security.If elected, the Democratic candidate said, he will work to strengthen the democracies where diversity is the mutual strength.On this day, let us "continue to deepen the bond that endures between our nation's and our people,” Biden said.He said that "as President, I'll also continue to rely on the Indian-American diaspora, that keeps our two nations together, as I have throughout my career"."My constituents in Delaware, my staff in the Senate, the Obama administration that had more Indian-Americans than any other administration in the history of this country, and this campaign with Indian Americans at senior levels, which of course includes the top of the heap, our dear friend (Kamala Harris) who will be the first Indian American vice president in the history of the United States of America,” Biden said."We all know she's smart, she's tested, she's prepared. But another thing that makes Kamala so inspiring is her mother's immigrant story to the US that started in India, with pure courage that brought her daughters to this moment. I know the pride you feel. It's your story too," Biden said."For your sacrifices, and your family's courage, you became pillars of our community and our country. You're patriots and the frontlines of this pandemic. In this reckoning of systemic racism, you're making real real promise that America is a place where people of all races and religions can live together in peace," he said."But I know it's hard. My heart goes out to all those of you who have been the targets in a rise in hate crimes, and the crackdown of legal immigration, including a sudden and harmful actions on H-1B visas. That for decades have made America stronger and brought our nation's closer," Biden said.The H1B visa is a non-immigrant visa that allows US companies to employ foreign workers in speciality occupations that require theoretical or technical expertise."While it's sometimes may not feel like the US of your dreams, we will overcome and build back better than ever. Like (former President) Barack Obama had asked to me, I'm asking Kamala Harris, to be the last person in the room to ask the tough questions of me, provide counsel, most of all to always represent the belief in possibilities," the former US vice president said.Around 1.3 million Indian-Americans are expected to vote in this year's election, with nearly 200,000 in battleground states like Pennsylvania and 125,000 in Michigan, according to the research firm CRW Strategy.In the 2016 presidential election, 77 per cent of Indian Americans voted for Democrat candidate Hillary Clinton.President Donald Trump has been seeking to win over Indian voters, praising Indian-Americans as business and technology leaders.

If elected, will stand with India in confronting threats it faces from region: Biden

Democratic presidential nominee Joe Biden has asserted that if elected, his administration will stand with India against the threats New Delhi faces from its own region and along its borders and vowed to continue to rely on the Indian-American diaspora, that keeps the two nations together.

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Coronavirus global death toll crosses 6,000; Europe emerges as new hotspotThe global death toll for COVID-19 has surpassed the 6,000 mark while 162,651 people have been infected by the virus. Coronavirus, which originated in the wet markets of Wuhan has now spread out to the lengths and breaths of the world. While China might have seen a relative slowdown in the number of cases, other parts of the world are witnessing a major uprise.Europe has emerged as one of the main hotspots for coronavirus. From the United Kingdom to Germany, governments have initiated large scale restrictions as a measure to contain the spread. But the countries in Europe which have been most affected by the virus are Italy and Spain. Italy, which is being tipped as the coronavirus epicenter outside China has seen 21,157 coronavirus cases out of which 1,441 have died. The Italian government has restricted movement from one province to another. One of the worst affected cities in Italy has been Milan, which is on the northern end of the country. Meanwhile, Spain is having to deal with a major spike in the number of coronavirus cases. In the last 24 hours, cases in Spain have increased to a third. Over 2,000 coronavirus cases have been reported in Spain over the last one day taking its total to 7,753. More than 290 people have died in Spain because of the sickness. Top 10 worst affected countries by coronavirusTop 10 worst affected countries by coronavirusUnited States, which has 3,083 cases thus far has put a travel ban on all of the European countries. US President Donald Trump on Saturday declared coronavirus as a 'national emergency'. Trump also got himself tested for coronavirus on Sunday because he came in contact with the Brazilian government official who recently tested positive for coronavirus. In Canada, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's wife has tested positive for the coronavirus. She has been put into isolation and Trudeau himself is being tested for any symptoms. In the middle east, Iran is by far the worst affected country with 13,938 cases. Iran has seen over 700 deaths due to COVID-19, including a high ranking government official. India has had a relatively lesser number of coronavirus cases compared to these countries. However, on Saturday India's overall count crossed the 100 mark. With 107 infected and 2 deaths, several Indian states have put restrictions on public gatherings and other places like schools, colleges, cinema halls. Stock markets worldwide saw a major crash throughout the ongoing week and all of the major world indices ended in red. Also Read | India offers $10 million to SAARC for fighting Coronavirus /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_6444463229 = { "file": "https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8", "image": "https://static.indiatvnews.com/ins-web/images/lazy-big.jpg", "title": "India TV Video", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_6444463229 = ''; jwsetup_6444463229(); function jwsetup_6444463229() { jwvidplayer_6444463229 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_6444463229").setup(jwconfig_6444463229); jwvidplayer_6444463229.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_6444463229, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"\", ns_st_pr=\"India TV Video\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"India TV Video\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"India TV Video\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"1970-01-01\", ns_st_tdt=\"1970-01-01\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://indiatv-vh.akamaihd.net/i/vod/_,20,21,22,.mp4.csmil/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_6444463229.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_6444463229.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_6444463229.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_6444463229.stop(); jwvidplayer_6444463229.remove(); jwvidplayer_6444463229 = ''; jwsetup_6444463229(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_6444463229.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_6444463229.stop(); jwvidplayer_6444463229.remove(); jwvidplayer_6444463229 = ''; jwsetup_6444463229(); return; }); jwvidplayer_6444463229.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_6444463229.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_6444463229.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_6444463229.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_6444463229.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_6444463229.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Coronavirus global death toll crosses 6,000; Europe emerges as new hotspot

The global death toll for COVID-19 has surpassed the 6,000 mark while 162,651 people have been infected by the virus. Coronavirus, which originated in the wet markets of Wuhan has now spread out to the lengths and breaths of the world. While China might have seen a relative slowdown in the number of cases, other parts of the world are witnessing a major uprise.

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Representational Image.A 57-year-old Indian-origin Singaporean woman was on Friday jailed up to three years for her role in the largest and most extensive bribery and fraud conspiracy in the history of the United States Navy, according to media reports.Gursharan Kaur Sharon Rachael, a former lead contract specialist with the US Navy and based in Singapore, had the responsibility of managing ship husbanding contracts worth millions of dollar, with duties such as drafting contract requirements, including negotiating and evaluating bids.Gursharan, had received more than SGD130, 000 in bribes from Leonard Glenn Francis, the Malaysian CEO of maritime services company Glenn Defense Marine (Asia) (GDMA), in exchange for sensitive US Navy information, Channel News Asia reported.Sentencing her to a jail term of two years and nine months for three charges of corruption and one for dealing with benefits of criminal conduct, District Judge Shaiffudin Saruwan said that there was “flagrant abuse of trust and authority” by Gursharan.He further said that there was also “a high level of premeditation”, with steps taken to avoid detection, a sustained period of offending of seven years and a “high amount of gratification” by the accused.The Judge also ordered that the SGD130,278.34 be surrendered by Gursharan to Singapore’s Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau (CPIB).Between 2006 and 2013, Gursharan disclosed non-public information from the US Navy to Francis, which helped GDMA clinch 11 contracts worth a total of about USD 48 million, out of 14 contracts that the company bid for, according to the investigations by the CPIB.Gursharan provided sensitive information pertaining to pricing strategies, price information of GDMA’s competitors and questions that the contracts review board had posed to GDMA’s competitors.The fraud was uncovered after GDMA became the focus of investigations in the US in 2012. Gursharan was charged more than two years ago for the corruption cases.The bribe she received from Francis included SGD100,000 in cash for a condominium apartment down payment and a prudential policy apart from more than SGD30,000 worth of stays in luxury hotels like Ritz-Carlton in Bali and Dubai, as well as the Shangri-La Hotel in Jakarta.The scandal has also resulted in the arrest and conviction of several Navy officials in the US.Gursharan’s lawyer Suresh Damodara pleaded for minimal punishment of her client, citing her illness. However, the Judge pointed out that Gursharan was not terminally ill currently and would be provided medical care while incarcerated.Francis, the CEO of GDMA also nicknamed Fat Leonard, is in custody in the US and faces a maximum custodial term of 25 years for defrauding the navy of more than USD 35 million.Twelve US Navy officials pleaded guilty in the US, while the highest-ranking official involved, Rear Admiral Robert Gilbeau, was sentenced to 18 months’ jail for making false statements to investigators.(With PTI inputs)

Singapore: Indian-origin woman jailed up to three years for her role in US Navy corruption case

Gursharan, had received more than SGD130, 000 in bribes from Leonard Glenn Francis, the Malaysian CEO of maritime services company Glenn Defense Marine (Asia) (GDMA), in exchange for sensitive US Navy information.

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Will never forget what China did to US: TrumpPresident Donald Trump has said that the US will never forget what China did to it by failing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic which he said has devastated America's economy. Addressing election rallies on Sunday, Trump said America was on track of its economic revival and was doing well, but it was hit by a virus that came from China.“We had the greatest economy in the history of our country. And then we got hit by the China plague, which we're not going to forget,” he said.“So we closed it up. We closed it up and then we opened it up and we saved. I'll tell you we saved 2 million lives. But what happened with that shouldn't have been... we can never forget what China did to us, we can never forget,” Trump said.Trump has repeatedly blamed China for the coronavirus pandemic which originated in the central Chinese city of Wuhan in December last year and accused Beijing of suppressing the details of the contagion.The US is the worst-affected country from the virus with over 2,31,000 deaths and over 9 million infections.The pandemic devastated the country's economy, resulting in the loss of millions of jobs.Throughout the day, Trump accused his Democratic challenger Joe Biden of being soft on China and alleged that Beijing wants Biden to win the November 3 presidential election.The president slammed his 77-year-old Democratic opponent calling him as one with low energy or "sleepy".“They dream about 'sleepy' Joe Biden. They own 'sleepy' Joe. You know that,” the 74-year-old Trump told a cheering crowd in Georgia.“China goes to bed every night and they say, please let it be sleepy, Joe. They would own the United States,” Trump said at another election rally in North Carolina.In Georgia, he urged his supporters to think about what China has done to the US. “We had the greatest economy seven months ago and then we had the plague. That's not good. Think of what China has done to the world. Think of it now,” he said.He rued that people have been forced to wear masks due to this pandemic. “Just think, you know, I see people that come in, they're wrapped up in masks. Think of what China has done to the world,” he said."While they managed the pandemic inside their country, they let it out whole over the world. You can never forget it, We can never forget it,” said the president.Relations between Washington and Beijing have spiralled downward since the outbreak of the novel coronavirus.The two countries have also sparred over trade issues, a new national security law in Hong Kong, restrictions on American journalists, treatment of Uyghurs Muslims and security measures in Tibet.During each of his rallies, Trump gave a contrast between him and Biden.“Biden is the candidate of rioters, looters, arsonists, gun-grabbers, flag-burners, Marxists, lobbyists and special interests. I am the candidate of farmers, factory workers, police officers, and hard-working, law-abiding patriots of every race, religion and creed!” said the president.“Biden will terminate school choice, eliminate charter schools, defund religious schools, ban prayer in public schools, indoctrinate your children with Anti-American lies, and force you to subsidize extreme late-term abortion. We believe that every child is a Sacred Gift from God!” he said.Trump alleged that for decades, "Biden let other countries rip them off and cheat America blind."“The only people who’ve benefited from his policies are himself and his family. He shows up every 4 years, and then goes back to DC and caters to his special interests. My only special interest is YOU,” he asserted.On Sunday, Trump addressed five rallies in the battleground states of Wisconsin, Iowa, North Carolina, Georgia and Florida.He is scheduled to address five more rallies on Monday, the last day of his campaigning. Voting is scheduled for Tuesday.

Will never forget what China did to US: Trump

President Donald Trump has said that the US will never forget what China did to it by failing to prevent the spread of the coronavirus pandemic which he said has devastated America's economy.

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Nawaz Sharif's party PML-N has demanded a probe into the allegations of poll rigging in the recent elections.Former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif's Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N) on Monday demanded an official probe into allegations of rigging in last week's elections."We demand a judicial commission to probe incidents that took place on July 25," PML-N leader Khawaja Asif told reporters after a meeting of the party's Central Executive Committee in Lahore.Related Stories PPP's Mahesh Malani becomes 1st Hindu to win NA seat from Tharparkar in SindhSteps taken by Pakistan were at odds with its stated goal of free, fair and transparent elections: USImran Khan to be sworn in as Pakistan Prime Minister on August 11Asif said he would publish a white paper with proofs of alleged fraud committed during the elections, Efe news reported.Former cricketer Imran Khan's Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI emerged as the biggest party but short of simple majority in the National Assembly elections. It is yet to seek formal support from smaller parties or independents to form the next government.The PML-N and Pakistan People's Party, headed by Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, were second and third respectively.The election result was delayed by more than two days and several parties alleged that their representatives were thrown out of the polling stations during the counting of votes.The European Union election observation mission said the election process saw "a notable lack of equal opportunities".Several religious parties have also demanded a re-election and threatened to boycott Parliament.The elections were the second in Pakistan's history in which a government was able to complete its term and make way for another elected government after being ruled by military dictators for around half of its 71-year-long-history.

Pakistan General Elections 2018: PML-N demands probe over 'poll rigging'

"We demand a judicial commission to probe incidents that took place on July 25," PML-N leader Khawaja Asif told reporters after a meeting of the party's Central Executive Committee in Lahore.

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Iranian Foreign Minister Javed Zarif today blasted Trump administration for its travel ban against six Muslim-majority countries and said that the US move was "truly shameful"."The US now bans Iranian grandmothers from seeing their grandchildren, in a truly shameful exhibition of blind hostility to all Iranians," Zarif said in a Twitter post.He said earlier that Washington's move to exert bans on Muslims and prevent them from entering the US will not help that country to overcome its problems or become a safer place, IRNA news agency reported."A bigoted ban on Muslims will not keep the US safer. Instead of policies empowering extremists, the US should join the real fight against them," Zarif said.President Donald Trump's revised travel ban came into force late on Thursday.The new rules tighten visa policies affecting citizens from six Muslim-majority nations: Sudan, Syria, Iran, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen. People from those countries who need new visas will now have to prove a close family relationship or an existing relationship with an entity like a school or business in the US.Citizens of those countries who already have visas will be allowed into the US as usual.Trump said the 90-day ban on visitors from the six Muslim-majority countries -- and a 120-day ban for refugees from any country -- is necessary to block terrorists from entering the US.(With IANS inputs)

US travel ban 'truly shameful', says Iranian Foreign Minister

"The US now bans Iranian grandmothers from seeing their grandchildren, in a truly shameful exhibition of blind hostility to all Iranians," the Iranian Foreign Minister said.

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17 people killed after consuming poisonous liquor in NepalAt least 17 people have died after consuming toxic homemade liquor in southern Nepal, police said. The victims consumed the toxic homemade liquor during the Holi celebrations on March 10 in Dhanusha of southern Nepal. Twenty-eight other drinkers have fallen sick, the police said, adding that they are currently undergoing treatment.According to the Dhanusha district police office, 13 people died in Chhireshwornath Municipality and the rest in Musahari of Janakpurdham Municipality-7.Earlier on Saturday, police said that three died on Friday night, while one died in the course of treatment on Saturday. However, 13 others died on Sunday while undergoing treatment.The deceased consumed excessive amount of homemade alcohol at a local bar named Ramdaiya Bhawani at Dhanusadham Municipality-5 in Dhanusha district. The drinkers consumed methyl alcohol, which is poisonous, according to doctors.Meanwhile, seven persons have been arrested by the police for selling homemade poisonous liquor.

17 people killed after consuming poisonous liquor in Nepal

At least 17 people have died after consuming toxic homemade liquor in southern Nepal, police said. The victims consumed the toxic homemade liquor during the Holi celebrations on March 10 in Dhanusha of southern Nepal.

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Millions of South Koreans headed to polls today to elect a new president, a culmination of a two-month race a trailing conservative equated to an ideological war as his liberal rival appeared poised to overturn a decade of conservative rule after a massive scandal toppled the previous leader. Conservatives worry that a victory by Moon Jae-in might benefit North Korea and estrange South Korea and its most important ally, the United States. Moon was the clear favourite as conservative forces struggled to regroup after the huge corruption scandal ended Park Geun-hye's presidency. "I gave all my body and soul (to the election) to the very end. My party and I invested all our efforts with a sense of desperation, but we also felt a great desire by people to build a country we can be proud of again," Moon, 64, told reporters after casting his ballot. The final opinion surveys released last week showed Moon, the Democratic Party candidate, had about a 20 percentage-point lead over his two main rivals a centrist and a conservative. His victory would end a near-decade of conservative leadership by Park and Lee Myung-bak. Moon was chief of staff for the last liberal President Roh Moo-hyun, who sought closer ties with North Korea by setting up large-scale aid shipments to the North and by working on now-stalled joint economic projects. Outspoken conservative Hong Joon-pyo, the candidate from Park's Liberty Korea Party, described the election as a war between ideologies and accused Moon of being aligned with North Korea. After voting, Hong said the election was a "war of regime choices between people, whether they decide to accept a North Korea-sympathising leftist government or a government that can protect the liberty of the Republic of Korea," South Korea's formal name. Hong has pitched himself as a "strongman" who can hold his own against other "nationalist" leaders in Washington, Tokyo and Beijing. He also calls for the United States to bring back tactical nuclear weapons to South Korea after withdrawing them in the 1990s. The polls have shown Hong and centrist Ahn Cheol-soo running even. Voting stations are set to close at 8 pm and South Korean TV stations plan to release the results of their joint exit polls soon after the vote ends and are expected to predict a winner before midnight. The National Election Commission said more than 55 percent of the country's 42.4 million eligible voters cast their ballots as of 1 pm, a measurement that included the 11 million people who participated in early voting last week. The winner will be sworn in after the National Election Commission ends the vote count and confirms the result tomorrow. Because the vote is a special election, the new president will forgo the usual two-month transition and will serve one full, five-year term rather than only completing Park's original term, which was to have ended in February 2018. Some voters were eager to end the long conservative rule, which they think failed the economy and undermined democracy before the corruption scandal toppled Park. "Moon wasn't my favourite candidate in terms of policies, but I voted for him because he represented the best chance to switch government power and that's the most important thing over anything else," said Lee Ah-ram, a 39-year-old Seoul resident. "We need a leader who could restore the people's trust in government that had been damaged by Park's scandal," the resident added.Others were more concerned about the growing threats posed by North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles and fears over Seoul losing its voice in international efforts to deal with its belligerent rival. "We need a leader who could protect national interests and hold his ground against the surrounding global powers of the United States, China and Japan," said Kim Hyeong-seok, a 67-year-old who said he voted for Hong. "This is not the time to keep our eyes just on domestic issues we need to think about the nation's long-term future and peace." 

South Koreans vote for new President to succeed ousted Park

The final opinion surveys released last week showed Moon, the Democratic Party candidate, had about a 20 percentage-point lead over his two main rivals a centrist and a conservative.

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Conveying a stern message to Pakistan, External Affairs Minister Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that the man from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) who needs to travel to New Delhi for treatment will be issued medical emergency visa without the need of a letter from Pakistan Prime Minister’s Advisor on Foreign Affairs Sartaj Aziz.New Indian rules stipulate that Pakistanis applying for a medical visa to India must get a letter from their foreign affairs chief Sartaj Aziz. Swaraj, in her tweet, said that these rules do not apply for PoK residents, as it is an “integral part of India” and “Pakistan has illegally occupied it”. “POK is an integral part of India. Pakistan has illegally occupied it. We are giving him visa. No letter required,” she tweeted. Diagnosed with a tumour in the liver, 24-year-old Osama Ali had requested the Pakistan Foreign Affairs Ministry for a letter from Aziz to the Indian High Commission, which was rejected. His family then appealed to Swaraj to revoke the requirement of the letter for a medical emergency visa.Ali, 24, needs a liver transplant and is likely to be admitted to a hospital in Saket, Delhi. On July 10, Swaraj had made such a letter conditional for these visas. She had also slammed Aziz for “not showing the courtesy even to acknowledge” her letter on a visa for the mother of Kulbhushan Jadhav, the Indian sentenced to death by a Pakistan military court on the charge of spying.

‘Integral part of India’: Snub for Pakistan as Sushma allows medical visa for ailing PoK man without letter from Sartaj Aziz

Sushma Swaraj on Tuesday said that the man from Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) who needs to travel to New Delhi for treatment will be issued medical emergency visa without the need of a letter from Sartaj Aziz

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UK's Queen Elizabeth IIThe UK's Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, the Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement.The vaccinations were administered on Saturday by a household doctor at the Windsor Castle where the royal couple have been staying since early last year, Xinhua news agency quoted British media reports as saying citing a source.The source added the Queen decided to let it be known she had the vaccination to prevent further speculation.The Queen, 94, and Prince Philip, 99, are among around 1.5 million people in the UK to have had at least one dose of the Covid-19 vaccine so far.People aged over 80 in the country are among the high-priority groups who are being given the vaccine first.It has not been disclosed which of the vaccines the royal couple received.On Friday, a third coronavirus vaccine was approved for use in the country, as the UK recorded the highest number of coronavirus deaths, as well as the highest daily increase of cases.As of Sunday morning, the overall Covid-19 cases and deaths in the UK stood at 3,026,313 and 81,000, respectively.ALSO READ | UK's Queen Elizabeth II 'to wait in line' for Covid vaccine

UK Queen, Duke of Edinburgh receive Covid-19 vaccines

The UK's Queen Elizabeth II and her husband Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh, have been vaccinated against the novel coronavirus, the Buckingham Palace confirmed in a statement.

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Breaking news The total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 6.3 million, including more than 377,000 fatalities. More than 2,903,000 patients are reported to have recovered. Follow this breaking news blog for live updates on coronavirus pandemic as it continues to pose a challenge for health workers and scientists who are in a race against time to produce a vaccine/medicine. IndiaTvNews.com brings you the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis that has resulted in job losses in millions and changing the way we work. Stay Home, Stay Safe and Stay Informed as our team of dedicated editors/reporters bring you the latest news on coronavirus:

Coronavirus Updates: June 2, 2020 | As it happened

The total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 6.3 million, including more than 377,000 fatalities. More than 2,903,000 patients are reported to have recovered. Follow this LIVE blog for latest on coronavirus and its global economic fallout.

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File/APForty four students of the University of Texas in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 after they returned from a spring break trip to Mexico, avoiding social-distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic.The university, which is in Austin, had previously confirmed only 28 coronavirus cases.About 70 students flew on a chartered plane two weeks ago amid the coronavirus pandemic to Cabo San Lucas in Mexico for spring break.Forty four of them have tested positive for the virus and are self-isolating, university officials said on Wednesday.Since most of the students have returned home after the classes were shifted online, some could have contracted the virus without reporting it to the varsity officials, University Spokesman J B Bird said.Health officials, however, said that some members of the spring break party returned to Austin on separate commercial flights, widening the potential spread of infection.The Austin outbreak is the latest to result from a group of college students who ignored social-distancing guidelines, went on traditional spring break trips and have now tested positive for the coronavirus.Many of them appeared to be under the mistaken impression that young people are not as likely to get the coronavirus as older people are.Students at the University of Tampa, the University of Wisconsin-Madison and other colleges have tested positive after returning from spring break trips to Florida, Alabama, Tennessee and elsewhere.

COVID-19: 44 Texas University students test positive after spring break trip

​Forty four students of the University of Texas in the US have tested positive for COVID-19 after they returned from a spring break trip to Mexico, avoiding social-distancing guidelines amid the coronavirus pandemic.

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5 US sailors test COVID-19 positive againThe US Navy announced that five sailors who had returned to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt after a coronavirus quarantine, have tested positive for the virus again. "This week, five USS Theodore Roosevelt sailors who previously tested COVID-19 positive and met rigorous recovery criteria, exceeding CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention) guidelines, have re-tested positive," the US Navy said in a statement on Friday.The sailors, the statement said, developed flu-like symptoms and "did the right thing reporting to medical for evaluation", reports Xinhua news agency "The sailors were immediately removed from the ship and placed back in isolation, their close contacts were mapped, and they are receiving the required medical care," it added."A small number of other sailors who came in close contact with these individuals were also removed from the ship and tested. They will remain in quarantine pending retest results."In a Pentagon briefing on Friday, chief spokesman Jonathan Hoffman called the outbreak on USS Theodore Roosevelt a "learning process"."It's a stubborn disease. We're learning a lot. We're taking every step possible to get the ship fully clean and fully ready," he said.The outbreak on the aircraft carrier, in which more than 1,000 sailors were reported to have infected with the coronavirus, came under spotlight after Brett Crozier, then commander of the ship, wrote a letter in March pleading for help evacuating the ship, when dozens on board had tested positive for the virus.In doing so, Crozier was relieved of his command by then-acting Secretary of the US Navy Thomas Modly, who himself resigned later after his remarks lashing out at the captain backfired.More than 4,000 sailors from USS Theodore Roosevelt's nearly 5,000-person crew were taken off the ship to quarantine after arriving in Guam on March 27, according to the US Navy.In late April, the US Navy began returning sailors to the aircraft carrier. Returning to the ship required testing negative two consecutive times. The US Navy has been conducting an investigation into the situation on USS Theodore Roosevelt. A Pentagon official has also announced that it would also investigate the Navy's response to the pandemic on its ships.

5 US sailors test COVID-19 positive again

The US Navy announced that five sailors who had returned to the nuclear-powered aircraft carrier USS Theodore Roosevelt after a coronavirus quarantine, have tested positive for the virus again.

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President Donald Trump speaks with reporters about the coronavirus in the James Brady Briefing Room of the White House, Friday, May 22, 2020, in Washington. (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)President Donald Trump on Friday labeled churches and other houses of worship as “essential” and called on governors nationwide to let them reopen this weekend even though some areas remain under coronavirus lockdown. The president threatened to “override” governors who defy him, but it was unclear what authority he has to do so.“Governors need to do the right thing and allow these very important essential places of faith to open right now — for this weekend,” Trump said at a hastily arranged press conference at the White House. Asked what authority Trump might have to supersede governors, White House press secretary Kayleigh McEnany said she wouldn’t answer a theoretical question.Trump has been pushing for the country to reopen as he tries to reverse an economic free fall playing out months before he faces reelection. White evangelical Christians have been among the president’s most loyal supporters, and the White House has been careful to attend to their concerns throughout the crisis.Following Trump’s announcement, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention released new guidelines for communities of faith on how to safely reopen, including recommendations to limit the size of gatherings and consider holding services outdoors or in large, well-ventilated areas.Public health agencies have generally advised people to avoid gatherings of more than 10 people and encouraged Americans to remain 6 feet (1.8 meters) away from others when possible. Some parts of the country remain under some version of remain-at-home orders.In-person religious services have been vectors for transmission of the virus. A person who attended a Mother’s Day service at a church in Northern California that defied the governor’s closure orders later tested positive, exposing more than 180 churchgoers. And a choir practice at a church in Washington state was labeled by the CDC as an early “superspreading” event.But Trump on Friday stressed the importance of churches in many communities and said he was “identifying houses of worship — churches, synagogues and mosques — as essential places that provide essential services.”“Some governors have deemed liquor stores and abortion clinics as essential” but not churches, he said. “It’s not right. So I’m correcting this injustice and calling houses of worship essential.”“These are places that hold our society together and keep our people united,” he added.Dr. Deborah Birx, coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force, said faith leaders should be in touch with local health departments and can take steps to mitigate risks, including making sure those who are at high risk of severe complications remain protected.“There’s a way for us to work together to have social distancing and safety for people so we decrease the amount of exposure that anyone would have to an asymptomatic,” she said.A person familiar with the White House’s thinking who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations said Trump had called the news conference, which had not been on his public schedule, because he wanted to be the face of church reopenings, knowing how well it would play with his political base.Churches around the country have filed legal challenges opposing virus closures. In Minnesota, after Democratic Gov. Tim Walz this week declined to lift restrictions on churches, Roman Catholic and some Lutheran leaders said they would defy his ban and resume worship services. They called the restrictions unconstitutional and unfair since restaurants, malls and bars were allowed limited reopening.Some hailed the president’s move, including Kelly Shackelford, president of the conservative First Liberty Institute.“The discrimination that has been occurring against churches and houses of worship has been shocking,” he said in a statement. “Americans are going to malls and restaurants. They need to be able to go to their houses of worship.”But Rabbi Jack Moline, president of Interfaith Alliance, said it was “completely irresponsible” for Trump to call for a mass reopening of houses of worship.“Faith is essential and community is necessary; however, neither requires endangering the people who seek to participate in them,” he said. “The virus does not discriminate between types of gatherings, and neither should the president.”Rhode Island Gov. Gina Raimondo, a Democrat, made clear that churches and other houses of worship will not resume in-person services in her state until at least next weekend and said she was skeptical Trump had the authority to impose such a requirement.“It’s reckless to force them to reopen this weekend. They’re not ready,” she said. “We’ve got a good plan. I’m going to stick with it.”New Hampshire Gov. Chris Sununu, a Republican, said he would review the federal guidance, while maintaining a decision rests with him.“Obviously we’d love to get to the point where we can get those open, but we’ll look at the guidance documents and try to make some decisions rather quickly, depending on what it might say,” he said. “It’s the governor’s decision, of course.”The CDC more than a month ago sent the Trump administration documents the agency had drafted outlining specific steps various kinds of organizations, including houses of worship, could follow as they worked to reopen safely. But the White House dragged its feet, concerned that the recommendations were too specific and could give the impression the administration was interfering in church operations.The guidance posted Friday contains most of the same advice as the draft guidance. It calls for the use of face coverings and recommends keeping worshippers 6 feet from one another and cutting down on singing, which can spread aerosolized drops that carry the virus. But there are some differences.The draft guidance discussed reopening in steps. A first phase would have limited gatherings to video streaming and drive-in services. Later phases allow in-person gatherings of limited size and only when social distancing precautions could be followed. The new guidance has no discussion of such phases.Another difference: The draft guidance said everyone who attends a service should wear a face covering, while the new guidance says masks should be used when social distancing cannot be maintained.

Trump declares churches ‘essential,’ calls on them to reopen

President Donald Trump on Friday labeled churches and other houses of worship as “essential” and called on governors nationwide to let them reopen this weekend even though some areas remain under coronavirus lockdown.

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Former President George W. Bush said on Thursday that “there’s pretty clear evidence that the Russians meddled” in the 2016 American presidential election.While never mentioning President Donald Trump by name, Bush appeared to be pushing back on Trump’s decisions on immigration, as well as trying to have warmed relations with Russia.Related Stories 'George Bush Gave Orders To Shoot Down Planes On 9/11'Censors Demand Removal Of George Bush Mask From Allah Ke Banday'He grabbed my butt': Fourth woman accuses ex-US President George Bush of sexual misconduct“There’s pretty clear evidence that the Russians meddled,” Bush said at a talk in Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates. “Whether they affected the outcome is another question.”Bush also said that “it’s problematic that a foreign nation is involved in our election system. Our democracy is only as good as people trust the results.”U.S. intelligence agencies have concluded Russia meddled in the 2016 election to help Trump win. Numerous investigations are under way to determine whether Trump’s campaign aided the Kremlin in its efforts.Trump has repeatedly denied any “collusion” with Russia.Speaking of Russian President Vladimir Putin, Bush called him “zero-sum.”“He’s got a chip on his shoulder,” Bush said of Putin. “The reason he does is because of the demise of the Soviet Union troubles him. Therefore, much of his moves (are) to regain Soviet hegemony.”Bush also stressed the need to back NATO and other alliances the U.S. has with the world.Putin “is pushing, constantly pushing, probing weaknesses,” the former president said. “That’s why NATO is very important.”Bush also said that the United States needs to reform its immigration law.Bush in 2008 became the first sitting U.S. president to visit the UAE. He spoke Thursday at a summit in Abu Dhabi put on by the Milken Institute, an economic think tank based in California.He made his comments while in a conversation with Michael Milken, known as the king of high-risk “junk” bonds in the 1980s, pleaded guilty to securities-law violations in 1990 and served 22 months in prison. He agreed in a settlement with the SEC to a lifetime ban from the securities industry and paid a $200 million fine.Milken, who is a prostate cancer survivor, and his family have given hundreds of millions of dollars away in recent decades. Forbes magazine estimates Milken, 71, is now worth some $3.6 billion.

Russia meddled in 2016 US election, says former President George Bush

While never mentioning President Donald Trump by name, Bush appeared to be pushing back on Trump’s decisions on immigration, as well as trying to have warmed relations with Russia.

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FILE - In this Dec. 26, 2019 file photo, Libyan Interior Minister Fathi Bashagha speaks during a news conference in Tunis, Tunisia. The motorcade of the interior minister of Libya’s U.N.-backed government came under attack on Sunday, Feb. 21, 2021, in the capital, Tripoli, a government spokesman said. Bashagha survived the attack.The motorcade of the interior minister of Libya’s U.N.-backed government came under attack on Sunday in the capital, Tripoli, officials said. Armed men opened fire at Fathi Bashagha’s motorcade on a highway in Tripoli, wounding at least one of his guards, said Amin al-Hashmi, a spokesman for the Tripoli-based Health Ministry.He said the minister survived the attack and his guards chased the assailants, killing one and detaining two others.The Interior Ministry said in a statement that Bashagha was returning to his residence in the Janzour neighborhood when armed men in an armored vehicle opened fire on his convoy.The statement called the attack an “attempted assassination” of the minister.Earlier Sunday, Bashagha met with Mustafa Sanalla, head of Libya’s National Oil Corporation to discuss the security of oil facilities and how to strengthen the corporation’s independence to “ensure a fair distribution of wealth among all Libyans.” He posted a photo for both of them on his Twitter account, calling their meeting “fruitful.”No group claimed responsibility for the attack, which underscores the insecurity in the North African county.The U.S. Ambassador in Libya Richard Norland condemned the attack and called for an investigation to hold those responsible accountable.“Minister Bashaga’s focus on ending the influence of rogue militias has our full support,” Norland said.Oil-rich Libya was plunged into chaos after a 2011 NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi. The country has been divided between two governments, one in the east and another in the west, each backed by a vast array of militias as well as foreign powers.Earlier this month, an UN-picked body comprised of Libyans from both sides appointed an interim government — a three-member Presidential Council and a prime minister — to lead the country through elections, scheduled for Dec. 24.Bashagha was a contender for the post of prime minister, in the end Abdul Hamid Mohammed Dbeibah was chosen to lead the transitional Cabinet.The forum also picked Mohammad Younes Menfi, a Libyan diplomat from the country’s east, to lead the Presidential Council.

Libyan interior minister Fathi Bashagha's motorcade attacked

The motorcade of the interior minister of Libya’s U.N.-backed government came under attack on Sunday in the capital, Tripoli, officials said. Armed men opened fire at Fathi Bashagha’s motorcade on a highway in Tripoli, wounding at least one of his guards, said Amin al-Hashmi, a spokesman for the Tripoli-based Health Ministry.

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Ukrainian refugees walk along vehicles lining-up to cross the border from Ukraine into Moldova, at Mayaky-Udobne crossing border point near UdobneThe United States, European Union and the United Kingdom agreed to put in place crippling sanctions on the Russian financial sector, including a block on its access to the global financial system and, for the first time, restrictions on its central bank in retaliation for its invasion of Ukraine. The measures were announced jointly on Saturday as part of a new round of financial sanctions meant to "hold Russia to account and collectively ensure that this war is a strategic failure for (Russian President Vladimir) Putin." The central bank restrictions target the more than USD 600 billion in reserves that the Kremlin has at its disposal, meant to limit Russia's ability to support the ruble amid tightening Western sanctions.Cumulatively the steps announced by the West since Russia began the invasion would potentially amount to some of the toughest sanctions on any country in modern times, and if fully carried out as planned, would severely damage the Russian economy and markedly constrain its ability to import and export goods.US officials said Saturday's steps were framed to send the ruble into "free fall" and promote soaring inflation in the Russian economy. They noted that previously announced sanctions have already had an impact on Russia, bringing its currency to its lowest level against the dollar in history and giving its stock market the worst week on record.Saturday's move includes cutting key Russian banks out of the SWIFT financial messaging system, which daily moves countless billions of dollars around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions around the world.The fine print of the sanctions was still being ironed out over the weekend, officials said, as they work to limit the impact of the restrictions on other economies and European purchases of Russian energy.Allies on both sides of the Atlantic also considered the SWIFT option in 2014, when Russia invaded and annexed Ukraine's Crimea and backed separatist forces in eastern Ukraine. Russia declared then that kicking it out of SWIFT would be equivalent to a declaration of war. The allies — criticised ever after for responding too weakly to Russia's 2014 aggression — shelved the idea. Russia since then has tried to develop its own financial transfer system, with limited success.The US has succeeded before in persuading the Belgium-based SWIFT system to kick out a country — Iran, over its nuclear program. But kicking Russia out of SWIFT could also hurt other economies, including those of the US and key ally Germany.The disconnection from SWIFT announced by the West on Saturday is partial, leaving Europe and the United States room to escalate penalties further later.Announcing the measures in Brussels, EU Commission President Ursula von der Leyen said would push the bloc also to "paralyse the assets of Russia's Central bank" so that its transactions would be frozen. Cutting several commercial banks from SWIFT "will ensure that these banks are disconnected from the international financial system and harm their ability to operate globally," she added."Cutting banks off will stop them from conducting most of their financial transactions worldwide and effectively block Russian exports and imports," she added. "Putin embarked on a path aiming to destroy Ukraine, but what he is also doing, in fact, is destroying the future of his own country."Getting the EU on board for sanctioning Russia through SWIFT had been a tough process since EU trade with Russia amounted to 80 billion euros, about 10 times as much as the United States, which had been an early proponent of such measures.Germany specifically had balked at the measure since it could hit them hard. But Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock said in a statement that "after Russia's shameless attack... we are working hard on limiting the collateral damage of decoupling (Russia) from SWIFT so that it hits the right people. What we need is a targeted, functional restrictions of SWIFT."As another measure, the allies announced a commitment "to taking measures to limit the sale of citizenship — so-called golden passports — that let wealthy Russians connected to the Russian government become citizens of our countries and gain access to our financial systems."The group also announced the formation this week of a transatlantic task force to ensure that these and other sanctions on Russia are implemented effectively through information sharing and asset freezes."These new sanctions, which include removing several Russian banks from SWIFT and sanctioning Russia's central bank, are likely to cause serious damage to the Russian economy and its banking system," said Clay Lowery, executive vice president of the Institute of International Finance. "While details on how the new sanctions affect energy are still emerging, we do know that sanctions on its central bank will make it more difficult for Russia to export energy and other commodities."Rachel Ziemba, an adjunct senior fellow at the Centre for a New American Security said despite a complete SWIFT ban, "these measures will still be painful to Russia's economy. They reinforce the measures already taken earlier this week by making transactions more complicated and difficult."Ziemba says how much pain the sanctions render on the Russian economy will depend on which banks have been restricted and which measures are taken to restrict the ability of the Central Bank to operate.(With inputs from AP)Also Read | Attempting to stop invasion by Russian tanks, Ukrainian soldier blows himself up

Russia-Ukraine war: US, EU, UK to sanction Russian central bank, block SWIFT

Saturday's move includes cutting key Russian banks out of the SWIFT financial messaging system, which daily moves countless billions of dollars around more than 11,000 banks and other financial institutions around the world.

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Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe announced Monday he will call an early election for parliament's more powerful lower house for next month.Abe said at a news conference that he will dissolve the 475-seat chamber on Thursday when it convenes after a three-month summer recess. The election is to be held Oct. 22.Support ratings for Abe's government have started to rebound after attacks on him over cronyism scandals faded during the recess. Also, opposition parties are regrouping and unprepared for an election. Opposition lawmakers have said there is no need to hold an election now.Abe said he was seeking a mandate for his plans to use new tax revenues for education and elderly care, and for his defense policy toward North Korea's escalating missile and nuclear threat, saying the situation is tantamount to a national crisis."I will tackle the national crisis with my strong leadership," Abe said."I expect opposition criticism is going to focus on (the scandals), and it's going to be a very difficult election," Abe said. He said he will step down as prime minister if his Liberal Democratic Party fails to win a majority, or at least 233 seats, to stay in power.Analysts believe his ruling Liberal Democratic Party will retain a majority, but could lose the two-thirds majority it currently holds with its coalition partner, the Komei party. Still, a big enough victory could help Abe extend his hold on power. His three-year term as party leader ends next September, and he will have to fend off any challengers from within the LDP to remain prime minister."For Mr. Abe, now is the time. He is taking advantage of unprepared opposition parties as he seeks to prolong his leadership," said Yu Uchiyama, a University of Tokyo politics professor.Support ratings for his government plunged to below 30 percent in July following repeated parliamentary questions about allegations that Abe helped his friend obtain approval for a veterinary college.Recent media polls show the support ratings recovering to around 50 percent, helped by parliament's recess and a Cabinet reshuffle in August that removed the defense minister and several other unpopular ministers. A Nikkei newspaper survey published Monday showed that 44 percent of respondents said they would vote for Abe's party in the election, followed by just 8 percent for two opposition parties.It's a significant turnaround from June, when the Liberal Democratic Party suffered a devastating loss in a Tokyo city assembly election to maverick Tokyo Gov. Yuriko Koike's new regional party.Opposition lawmakers are scrambling to regroup.Earlier Monday, Koike announced the launch of a new national party that she will head, though she will remain as governor to focus on hosting the Tokyo 2020 Olympic Games and other issues.She said her Hope Party will be conservative and push for transparency in government, women's advancement, elimination of nuclear energy and other reforms. Several parliamentarians, including defectors from the main opposition Democratic Party, have announced their intention to join her party."This is going to be a new force formed by members aiming to achieve reforms and conservativism," Koike said. "We are going to create a Japan where there is hope for everyone that tomorrow will certainly be better than today."The Democrats, which held power in 2009-2012, have lost ground largely due to internal disagreements.

Will dissolve Lower House of Parliament and call elections in Oct: Japanese PM Abe

Abe said the election in the country would be an appraisal of his handling of the economy and to get support for his hard line against North Korea’s nuclear programmes

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An image showing an identity card of Pakistan of a Chinese national has sparked a controversy in the Islamist nation, with some drawing connections of the development to a potential Chinese invasion while others linked it to the ambitious China Pakistan Economic Corridor.The issue of the identity card, otherwise limited to Pakistani nationals, to a Chinese national, has kicked up quite a discussion on social media with Pakistanis questioning the move morally as well. Some said that Pakistan being a Muslim nation was yet to issue identity cards to Afghan refugees and doing so for a Chinese national made their intentions suspect and morally wrong.The reactions seen on social media by Pakistanis in many ways image the apprehensions many in the country hold over the $60 billion CPEC, a part of Chinese President Xi Jinping’s pet Belt and Road initiative.The CPEC, connecting Pakistan's deep-water port Gwadar and China's Xinjiang, has been presented as a lifeline for Pakistan’s ailing economy, with the 3,000-km project promising to create jobs and vital infrastructure as well as boost local industry.Still, Pakistanis are divided over its benefits to the country, with several economists pointing out to the fact that it was China that stood to benefit instead. Most of the inputs required for construction are sourced from China and there is little Pakistani industry has gained from this massive infrastructure push, they said, adding that the repayment of the huge debt that Pakistan will owe to China makes things even more worrisome.Meanwhile, with reactions continuing to pour in on social media, the government was forced to stand up and take note.In a statement issued on Twitter, Pakistan’s Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal justified the issue of the national identity card to the Chinese national, clarifying that both parents of Feng Lin Cui, the Chinese man, had naturalised as Pakistani citizens way back in 1989. The act of gaining Pakistani nationality occurred decades before the CPEC and its inception, he said.“His parents were naturalised as Pakistani citizens in 1989, decades before CPEC was born,” the minister said on Twitter.Some sections of the Pakistani media, however, questioned the minister’s explanation, pointing out that the ID card of 45-year-old Cui was issued on April 24, 2017. Moreover, the column of country of stay on his ID card clearly says ‘China, Mainland’.

After effects of CPEC? Pakistan issues national identity card to Chinese national, sparks row

While some Pakistanis have drawn connections to the ambitious CPEC project, others saw it as a sign of a potential Chinese invasion.

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In this March 1, 2006 file photo, U.S. President George W. Bush, left and Afghan President Hamid Karzai get ready to cut a ribbon to officially open the U.S. Embassy in Kabul, Afghanistan.Former President George W. Bush criticized the Western withdrawal from Afghanistan in an interview with a German broadcaster released Wednesday, saying he fears that Afghan women and girls will “suffer unspeakable harm.”Asked in an interview with German international broadcaster Deutsche Welle whether the withdrawal is a mistake, Bush replied: “You know, I think it is, yeah, because I think the consequences are going to be unbelievably bad.”The war in Afghanistan began under Bush after the Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States. Washington gave Taliban leader Mullah Omar an ultimatum: hand over al-Qaida leader Osama bin Laden and dismantle militant training camps or prepare to be attacked. Omar refused, and a U.S.-led coalition launched an invasion in October.ALSO READ: India evacuates staff from Afghanistan's Kandahar consulate due to deteriorating security situationThe withdrawal of U.S. and NATO troops set in motion earlier this year by current President Joe Biden is now nearing completion. Taliban fighters have been surging through district after district, taking control of large swaths of the country.In the DW interview, which marked outgoing German Chancellor Angela Merkel's final official visit to the U.S., Bush said Merkel had supported the deployment in Afghanistan in part “because she saw the progress that could be made for young girls and women in Afghanistan.”“It's unbelievable how that society changed from the brutality of the Taliban, and all of a sudden — sadly — I'm afraid Afghan women and girls are going to suffer unspeakable harm,” Bush said.ALSO READ: 15 Pakistani soldiers killed in Taliban attack: ReportsDuring the Taliban’s rule in the late 1990s, women were largely confined to their homes, and girls had no access to education. Despite protestations from the U.S. and Europe, the Taliban enforced its extreme version of Islamic Shariah law. However, there was no mass violence against girls and women.“I'm sad,” Bush said. “Laura (Bush) and I spent a lot of time with Afghan women, and they're scared. And I think about all the interpreters and people that helped not only U.S. troops but NATO troops, and it seems like they're just going to be left behind to be slaughtered by these very brutal people. And it breaks my heart."

'Consequences to be unbelievably bad': Former US President George Bush criticizes Afghanistan withdrawal

It seems like they're just going to be left behind to be slaughtered by these very brutal people. And it breaks my heart, George Bush said in an interview.

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The international community including the United Nations, Russia, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have urged Israel and Iran to avoid any further escalation.A day after Israel carried out air strikes on the Iranian targets in Syria, the international community including the United Nations, Russia, France, Germany and the United Kingdom have urged Israel and Iran to avoid any further escalation.UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres appealed for an 'immediate halt to all hostile acts'.He urged the UN Security Council to remain actively aware of the situation and shoulder its responsibilities under the UN Charter.The European Union on Thursday called on all regional actors to show restraint to avoid any escalation.Meanwhile, Russia has called for dialogue between Israel and Iran following the strikes. Addressing the media, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said, "This is a very disturbing trend. We proceed from the fact that all issues should be solved through dialogue".Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday said that Iran had crossed a 'red line' by firing rockets at Israeli forces from Syria, leading to major Israeli air strikes on Thursday.In a video posted on the social media, Netanyahu said, "Iran has crossed a red line. Our reaction was a consequence."Iran, however, said that it does not want new tensions in the Middle East. In a telephonic call, Iranian President Hassan Rouhani told German Chancellor Angela Merkel, "Iran has always sought to reduce tensions in the region, trying to strengthen security and stability".The United States also condemned Iran's provocative attack. In a statement, White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said that the deployment of Iran's offensive rocket and missile systems aimed at Israel is totally 'unacceptable' and highly dangerous for the entire Middle East.Germany and Britain joined the United States in denouncing the rocket fire attack, they believed came from Iran, while France reiterated its unwavering support for Israel's security.French President Emmanuel Macron and German Chancellor Angela Merkel have called for a de-escalation in the region following a meeting in the Aachen city of Germany on Thursday.British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson said that Iran must refrain from further actions that will only lead to further instability in the region. He urged the Russian government to press the Bashar-al-Assad led Syrian government to work for a broader political statement.Meanwhile, in a rare move for an Arab country, Bahrain backed Israel's right to defend itself after the air strikes. Taking to Twitter, he wrote that so long as Iran uses its forces and missiles to try and destabilise the region, "it is the right of any country in the region, including Israel, to defend itself by destroying the sources of danger".The reaction of Bahrain comes as a surprise as it is a close ally of Saudi Arabia and the two countries view Iran as the chief threat to the region.Earlier on Thursday, in one the largest Israeli military operations in recent years, Israel's military said that it had carried out widespread raids against Iranian targets in Syria after Iran fired more than 20 rockets at its forces in the occupied region of Golan Heights.The incident came after weeks of rising tensions between the two arch-nemesis and followed US President Donald Trump's decision to withdraw from a key 2015 Iran nuclear deal on Tuesday, a move Israel had long advocated.

International community calls for restraint after Israeli strikes in Syria

In one of the largest Israeli military operations in recent years, Israel's military said that it had carried out widespread raids against Iranian targets in Syria after Iran fired more than 20 rockets at its forces in the occupied region of Golan Heights.

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Despite the ripple effect of the United States shut down across the world, no flights from India to America had been cancelled, according to sources.Though travellers were not impacted immediately, industry players said that if the government shutdown was prolonged, it would have an effect in the near future."The US government shutdown will have no impact on those travelling from India. Airlines are functioning as per their schedules, the air traffic control, immigration and customs services which are deemed as essential services are not covered by the shutdown," said Karan Anand, Head of Relationships at Cox & Kings."The government shutdown could impact travellers planning a trip to the US in the foreseeable future," said Sharat Dhall, COO(B2C) at  Yatra.com, adding that "while there will be a miniscule impact on air traffic controllers, visa processing will certainly face some delay. Also, passport processing for the US citizens visiting India or other foreign nations might also get delayed."The US government began shutting down on Saturday, putting thousands of workers on unpaid leave after the Senate failed to pass a stopgap budget. Air India has not cancelled or postponed any flights to the US, a source familiar with the matter said. Air India flies to four US cities daily -- San Francisco, Chicago, Washington and New York, In New York, it flies to two airports Newark and John F. Kennedy.The shutdown marked the first anniversary of President Donald Trump's inauguration.It is the first shutdown in US history to happen while the same ruling party controlled both House of Congress and the Senate.Despite last-minute bipartisan meetings, the bill to fund the government until February 16, did not receive the required number of 60 votes in the senate.The budget proposal presented by the Republicans on Friday night got more votes in favour (50) than against (48), but they were insufficient to approve funds. Four Republicans voted against the bill while five Democrats broke rank to support it.

American shutdown: Flights from India to US not affected

Though travellers were not impacted immediately, industry players said that if the government shutdown was prolonged, it would have an effect in the near future.

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Canada has ended evacuations from Kabul's airport, a Canadian general said Thursday, as the clock ticks down on dramatic Western efforts to help people flee the Taliban takeover ahead of a full American withdrawal.General Wayne Eyre, the country's acting chief of Defense Staff, said all the other countries have to leave the airport before the Americans can wrap up their mission. Canadian military flights evacuated about 3,700 people.“We stayed in Afghanistan for as long as we could. We were amongst the last to cease evacuation operations. We wish we could have stayed longer and rescued everyone who was so desperate to leave. That we could not is truly heartbreaking, but the circumstances on the ground rapidly deteriorated,” Eyre said.U.S. President Joe Biden has said he is sticking to his Aug. 31 deadline for completing the U.S. pullout as the Taliban insisted he must, ramping up pressure on the already risky airlift from Kabul to get out as many people as possible in the coming days.Canada and European allies pressed for more time but lost the argument, and as a practical matter, they may be forced to end their evacuations a couple of days before the last American troops leave. Several countries haven’t said yet when they plan to end their operations, perhaps hoping to avoid yet another fatal crash at an airport that’s one of the last ways out of the country.The Taliban wrestled back control of Afghanistan nearly 20 years after they were ousted in a U.S.-led invasion following the 9/11 attacks. Their return to power has pushed many Afghans to flee, fearing reprisals from the fighters or a return to the brutal rule they imposed when they last ran the country.Canada was one of many countries taking part in the evacuation of people facing Taliban reprisals from Kabul’s airport. Over 1,000 refugees are in Canada now. Canada has plans to resettle 20,000 Afghan refugees. /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_9917151086 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_nl3sqz34/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_nl3sqz34_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Kabul attack: 13 dead in serial blasts outside airport, several injured", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "duration": "2242", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_9917151086 = ''; jwsetup_9917151086(); function jwsetup_9917151086() { jwvidplayer_9917151086 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_9917151086").setup(jwconfig_9917151086); jwvidplayer_9917151086.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_9917151086, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_nl3sqz34\", ns_st_pr=\"Kabul attack: 13 dead in serial blasts outside airport, several injured\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Kabul attack: 13 dead in serial blasts outside airport, several injured\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Kabul attack: 13 dead in serial blasts outside airport, several injured\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2021-08-26\", ns_st_tdt=\"2021-08-26\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_nl3sqz34/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_9917151086.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_9917151086.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_9917151086.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_9917151086.stop(); jwvidplayer_9917151086.remove(); jwvidplayer_9917151086 = ''; jwsetup_9917151086(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_9917151086.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_9917151086.stop(); jwvidplayer_9917151086.remove(); jwvidplayer_9917151086 = ''; jwsetup_9917151086(); return; }); jwvidplayer_9917151086.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9917151086.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9917151086.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9917151086.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9917151086.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_9917151086.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Afghanistan crisis: Canada halts evacuations as deadline looms

Canada and European allies pressed for more time but lost the argument, and as a practical matter, they may be forced to end their evacuations a couple of days before the last American troops leave. Several countries haven’t said yet when they plan to end their operations, perhaps hoping to avoid yet another fatal crash at an airport that’s one of the last ways out of the country.

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Countering China’s rapidly expanding military and an increasingly aggressive Russia are now the U.S. military’s top national security priorities, outpacing the threat of terrorism, the Pentagon said Friday.A new national defense strategy says that competition with China and Russia has threatened America’s military advantage around the world. And it will require increased investment to make U.S. forces more lethal, agile and ready for war.“We will continue to prosecute the campaign against terrorists, but great power competition -- not terrorism -- is now the primary focus of U.S. national security,” Defense Secretary Jim Mattis said in prepared remarks at the Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies in Washington.He declared the defeat of the Islamic State group’s “physical caliphate” in Iraq and Syria, but warned that IS, al-Qaida and other extremists continue as threats across the globe.The document reflects persistent U.S. worries about China’s military build-up in the South China Sea, its moves to expand its political and economic influence around the globe, and what has long been described as Beijing’s systematic campaign of cyberattacks and data theft from government agencies and private U.S. corporations.And it underscores American concerns about Russia’s aggressive military moves, including the invasion of Ukraine and involvement in the Syria war, as well as its meddling in the 2016 election.Pentagon officials released an 11-page unclassified version of the strategy on Friday, saying it mapped out a “fundamental shift” in focus for the military.“We’ve been doing a lot of things in the last 25 years, and we’ve been focused on really other problems and this strategy really represents a fundamental shift to say, look, we have to get back, in a sense, to basics of the potential for war,” said Elbridge Colby, the deputy assistant defense secretary for strategy. “This strategy says the focus will be on prioritizing preparedness for war and particularly major power war.”Previous defense chiefs have long warned about a rising China -- triggering the Obama administration’s move to put a greater focus on the Asia Pacific region, including added ships and troops. And the new strategy’s call for strengthening alliances sounds more like previous administrations, rather than the “America First” message of President Donald Trump’s national security strategy that was released in December.The Pentagon document says that allies and partners are crucial and can provide additional capabilities and access to other regions.“This is not 1999, when some would say the U.S. can do everything by itself,” said Colby. “There is a practical reality that we need to be able to do things together, to be more interoperable, to be able to divide up missions in a constructive way.”Asked if terrorism is no longer a top priority, Colby said it remains a “serious, pressing threat”, and that Iran and North Korea are “urgent problems.” But, he said that the central challenge for the U.S. military is “the erosion of U.S. military advantage vis-a-vis China and Russia, which unaddressed could ultimately undermine our ability to deter aggression and coercion.”Colby, however, added that the U.S. continues to seek areas of cooperation with Russia and China, saying that “this is not a strategy of confrontation.′The U.S. has been urging China to take a more active role in convincing North Korea to set aside its nuclear ambitions, and the U.S. has held talks with Russia to ensure there are no conflicts or accidents in the skies over Syria, where both nations are flying in the war against the Islamic State group.In the strategy’s conclusion, Mattis makes clear that his goal is to “pursue change at significant scale” with sustained investment and creative approaches. That plan, however, will face grim budget hurdles.Congress has been deadlocked and unable to pass a spending bill, bringing the federal government once again to the brink of a shutdown at midnight Friday. And lawmakers are still constrained by the Budget Control Act of 2011, which put mandatory spending caps in place.The Pentagon strategy acknowledges the budget limits, and calls for greater spending discipline and management, as well as a commitment to again seek more base closings to save money. Congress has repeatedly rejected additional base closings.The new plan cannot survive, Mattis said, without needed and stable funding.

China, Russia outpace terrorism threat: Pentagon

A new national defense strategy says that competition with China and Russia has threatened America’s military advantage around the world. And it will require increased investment to make U.S. forces more lethal, agile and ready for war.

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India's weapons procurement from US jumps to USD 3.4 billion in 2020India's weapons procurement from the United States jumped from meagre USD 6.2 million to a whopping USD 3.4-billion in the final year of the Donald Trump administration, according to official data. The jump in the sale of American weapons to India comes at a time when the sale of weapons from the US to other countries has dipped to USD 50.8 billion in 2020 from USD 55.7 billion in 2019.In 2019, the sale of US weapons to foreign countries was USD 55.7 billion, according to data from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). In 2017, the sale of US weapons to other countries was USD 41.9 billion.According to the statistics released by the DSCA, major buyers of American weapons in 2020 were India (USD 3.4 billion up from USD 6.2 million in fiscal year 2019), Morocco (USD 4.5 billion up from USD 12.4 million), Poland (USD 4.7 billion up from USD 673 million), Singapore (USD 1.3 billion up from USD 137 million), Taiwan (USD 11.8 billion up from USD 876 million), and the United Arab Emirates (USD 3.6 billion up from USD 1.1 billion).Several countries reported a drop in the purchase of weapons from the US.Prominent among them were Saudi Arabia which came down from USD 14.9 billion in 2019 to USD 1.2 billion in 2020, Afghanistan (USD 1.1 billion down from USD 1.6 billion), Belgium (USD 41.8 million down from USD 5.5 billion), Iraq (USD 368 million down from USD 1.4 billion), and South Korea (USD 2.1 billion down from USD 2.7 billion).According to the 2020 edition of the Historical Sales Book, India purchased weapons worth USD 754.4 million in 2017 and USD 282 million in 2018. Between 1950 and 2020, the US sale of weapons to India under the Foreign Military Sales (FMS) category was USD 12.8 billion.For Pakistan, the official figures reflected that the sale of weapons under FMS did happen, even though there was a freeze in any military and security assistance to Islamabad from the Trump Administration.In 2020, the US sale of weapons to Pakistan was USD 146 million, in 2018 it was USD 65 million and in 2017 it was USD 22 million.In 2019, there was no sale of US military weapons to Pakistan. In fact, the US refunded USD 10.8 million to Pakistan, taken for the purchase of weapons.Between 1950 and 2020, Pakistan purchased weapons worth USD 10 billion from the US under FMS.However, the total supply of American military weapons to Pakistan is much more, as a major chunk of weapons to Pakistan has gone from the United States as military and security assistance.According to the Assistant Secretary of State for Political Military Affairs Clarke Cooper, fiscal 2020 saw a total of USD 175.8 billion in US government-authorized arms exports. This is overall a 2.8 per cent increase since the fiscal year 2019.The overall value of State Department-authorised government-to-government FMS cases implemented by the Defense Security Cooperation Agency decreased 8.3 per cent from USD55.39 billion in Fiscal Year 2019 to USD50.78 billion in the Fiscal Year 2020.“The dollar value of potential FMS sales formally notified to Congress, also rose by more than 50 per cent from USD 58.33 billion to USD 87.64 billion. This was driven by the July potential sale of USD 23.11 billion worth of F-35 aircraft to Japan, which was the second-largest single FMS notification ever authorised by the Department of State,” Cooper said.The Direct Commercial Sales (DCS), which is the Department of State-authorised commercial export licenses, totalled USD124.3 billion in the fiscal year 2020, and this was up from USD114.7 billion in fiscal year 2019, he said.“This represented an 8.4 per cent increase. This total value covers authorisations of hardware, defense services, and technical data. The total number of licences issued decreased by 20-per cent from 36,111 in Fiscal Year 2019 to 28,800 in the Fiscal Year 2020,” Cooper said.The top commercial DCS notified to Congress in Fiscal Year 2020 included a USD 8.39 billion sale to Australia, Canada, Denmark, Italy, Japan, and the United Kingdom for F-35 components.This also included a USD 3.2 billion sale to Australia for P-8 aircraft parts, and a USD 2.48 billion sale to the United Kingdom and Australia for E-7 airborne early warning and control aircraft, Cooper said.

India's weapons procurement from US jumps to USD 3.4 billion in 2020

In 2019, the sale of US weapons to foreign countries was USD 55.7 billion, according to data from the Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA). In 2017, the sale of US weapons to other countries was USD 41.9 billion.

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Pope Francis travelled to Hiroshima and Nagasaki on SundayPope Francis travelled to Hiroshima and Nagasaki on Sunday to demand that world powers renounce their nuclear arsenals, declaring the use and possession of atomic bombs an “immoral” crime and a dangerous waste. Standing before survivors of the 1945 U.S. atomic bombings, Francis denounced the steady erosion of arms control agreements and rejected the Cold War-era doctrine of deterrence that had been sanctioned by the Catholic Church for nearly three decades.In the rain of Nagasaki and the silent darkness of Hiroshima, he urged political leaders to accept that true peace and international security cannot be built in a climate of distrust, but rather solidarity.“The use of atomic energy for purposes of war is immoral,” the pope declared during a nighttime prayer at Hiroshima’s peace memorial. He added off-the-cuff, “As is the possession of atomic weapons.”“We will be judged for this,” he warned.Francis visited Hiroshima and Nagasaki during the first full day of a three-day trip to Japan aimed at emphasizing his call for a global ban on atomic weapons. Nagasaki was the perfect place to begin, the birthplace of Christianity in Japan where he could honour innocents killed in war as well as Christian missionaries and martyrs killed for their faith.The mood there was sombre, darkened by the downpour that drenched the terraced fields and rice paddies and the hundreds of Japanese who came out in plastic raincoats to witness the second pope pay his respects after St. John Paul II in 1981.The scene was equally as restrained in Hiroshima, where a brief round of applause when Francis arrived punctured an otherwise quiet night. After a gong signalled a moment of silence and Francis lit a candle of peace, two survivors offered their testimony about the “demonic” atom bomb.“No one in this world can imagine such a scene of hell,” said Yoshiko Kajimoto, who was 14 at the time and was working in a factory 2.3 kilometers (1.4 miles) north of ground zero when the blue light of the bomb tore through the windows, collapsing the building on top of her.Standing solemnly before Francis, she described what she saw along the evacuation route:“There were more and more people coming by. Their bodies were so burned and totally red. Their faces were swollen to double size, their lips hanging loose, with both hands held out with burnt skin hanging from them. They no longer looked human.”Kajimoto had two-thirds of her stomach removed in 1999 because of cancer and now suffers from leukaemia. “I work hard to bear witness that we must not use such demonic atomic bombs again, nor let anyone in the world endure such suffering,” she said.“Do we still need nuclear even after you see all of this?” she asked. “Each one of us can only do so much.”Her testimony clearly had an impact on Francis, whose own emotional reaction to images of the Nagasaki aftermath prompted him last year to print up thousands of pocket-sized copies of a photograph of a young Nagasaki boy carrying his dead brother on his back that was taken by American military photographer Joe O’Donnel.Francis had the words “The fruit of war” printed on the image, and a poster-sized copy was on display in Nagasaki, where Francis met with the photographer’s son, Tyge, an invited guest.The Holy See was among the first countries to sign and ratify the new U.N. nuclear prohibition treaty, and Francis himself went further than any pope before him in saying in 2017 that not only the use but the mere possession of atomic weapons is “to be condemned.”Up until Francis’ 2017 condemnation, the Catholic Church had held that nuclear deterrence could be morally acceptable in the interim as long as it was used toward mutual, verifiable nuclear disarmament. The Holy See, however, has seen that the deterrence doctrine has essentially resulted in a nuclear status quo, with arms control treaties collapsing.“Many liberals applauded and conservatives criticized the 2017 statement because they saw it as abandoning the prior teaching that deterrence can be morally acceptable if used as a step toward disarmament,” said Gerard Powers, director of the Catholic Peacebuilding Network at the University of Notre Dame’s Kroc Institute.He said he viewed Francis’ 2017 statement as a “prudential moral judgment based on his reading of the nuclear signs of the time.”Francis essentially repeated his 2017 position in Hiroshima, saying the possession of nuclear weapons too was “immoral.”Tomohide Hirayama, a former Nagasaki resident who travelled from another prefecture to see the pope, said his religious faith was different but he fully supported Francis’ call for a nuclear-free world.“There were atomic attacks twice in history, and there should never be a third time,” he said. “I feel that strongly, and isn’t that what the pope is saying?”The first U.S. atomic bomb fell on Hiroshima on Aug. 6, 1945, killing 140,000 people. The second one dropped three days later on Nagasaki and killed another 74,000 by the end of the same year. Many of the survivors have suffered the lasting impact of radiation and developed various forms of cancer.“In a world where millions of children and families live in inhumane conditions, the money that is squandered and the fortunes made through the manufacture, upgrading, maintenance and sale of ever more destructive weapons are an affront crying out to heaven,” Francis said.He lamented the “climate of distrust” that is eating away at nonproliferation efforts and the arms control framework, a reference to a series of violated treaties and the demise this year of the Intermediate-range Nuclear Forces treaty, a landmark Cold War-era arms control agreement. The U.S. formally withdrew from the treaty in August, after accusing Moscow of developing a Russian missile system prohibited under it.Japanese who came out to see Francis were grateful for his message and his pilgrimage.“I think he is a person who can deliver the message of peace without inhibition,” said Fumiyo Negoro, a 62-year-old Christian from Osaka.Negoro waited for hours in the rain for Francis’ Mass earlier Sunday, celebrated in Nagasaki’s baseball stadium before a crowd of some 35,000 — and the remains of a wooden statue of the Virgin Mary rescued from a cathedral destroyed in the bombing.The statue, which was remarkably well preserved despite the blast, was featured on the altar.Francis’ visit to Nagasaki also gave him the chance to honour Christian missionaries and martyrs centuries after St. Francis Xavier first brought Christianity to the Japanese archipelago in 1549.He laid the second wreath of flowers at the memorial of 26 Nagasaki Martyrs, who were crucified in 1597 at the start of the two-century wave of anti-Christian persecution by Japanese rulers.The example of the missionaries and martyrs and the Hidden Christians who kept their faith alive underground for generations helped inspire a young priest named Jorge Mario Bergolio to be a missionary in Japan.“May we never forget their heroic sacrifice!” Francis said in remarks at the memorial.ALSO READ | Pope Francis to arrive at Nagasaki in first papal visit to Japan in 38 yrsALSO READ | Pope Francis in Thailand calls for action to protect women, children

Pope in Hiroshima: Use and possession of atom bomb ‘immoral’

In the rain of Nagasaki and the silent darkness of Hiroshima, he urged political leaders to accept that true peace and international security cannot be built in a climate of distrust, but rather solidarity.

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Netizens are lashing out at a CNN anchor for allegedly making a "racist" remark against Indian-American national spelling champion Ananya Vinay, assuming that the 12-year-old is "used to using" Sanskrit due to her heritage.California resident Vinay was being interviewed by CNN anchors Alisyn Camerota and Chris Cuomo following her win last week at the prestigious Scripps National Spelling Bee.The sixth-grader had correctly spelled the word 'marocain' and became the 13th consecutive winner from the Indian-American community at the annual spelling bee championship.Towards the end of the interview, Camerota asked Vinay to spell 'covfefe', the word recently used by President Donald Trump in one of his tweets that took the social media by storm with people guessing what the US leader could have meant by that word.Like a true spelling bee participant, Vinay asked the definition of 'covfefe' and its language of origin, to which the anchors responded "gibberish."Vinay, sincerely tried to guess the spelling of the word, asked if there were any alternate pronunciation for it. She finally spelled it 'cofefe'.Camerota then told Vinay the correct spelling was 'covfefe' and added, "It's a nonsense word. So, we're not sure that its root is actually in Sanskrit, which is what you're probably, uh, used to using, so, I don't know. Anyway."Criticism of Camerota's comment has since been circulating on social media.Cuomo immediately congratulated Vinay for doing a great job, saying, "You know what I love about this. Not only did you make yourself proud and your family, but do you know that there are kids all over the country, probably the world, who are going to look at you and say 'I want to put in that work. I want to be a champion. I want to spell like her'."However, netizens were quick to criticise Camerota for assuming that Vinay would know Sanskrit, some calling her comment racist and others expressing disbelief that she would make such an assumption just because Vinay is of Indian-origin heritage.Susan Benesch wrote on Twitter, "CNN guesses the US national spelling bee winner is 'used to using' Sanskrit. If she were Jewish would u say 'your real language is Hebrew'."Another user Jeremy McLellan, a standup comedian, wrote on Twitter "12-year-old Ananya Vinay won the National Spelling Bee so naturally CNN had her on to spell 'covfefe' and say some racist stuff to her."Asha Dahya, creator/editor-in-chief of female empowerment blog 'GirlTalkHQ', wrote on Twitter, "CNN anchor assumes spelling bee champ, who happens to be of Indian descent, uses Sanskrit to find the origin of a word."A CNN spokeswoman, in a report in the Washington Post, said Camoreta's comment had nothing to do with the girl's heritage, and that the interview was not the first time the anchor has joked about Sanskrit being the origin of 'covfefe'."Alisyn made the same joking reference to the root of 'covfefe' in an earlier panel discussion that was aired on Wednesday," the CNN spokeswoman said."If she's guilty of anything it is recycling a joke. To assign a bias to what was a fun and innocent segment celebrating Ananya Vinay's incredible accomplishment is frankly extremely cynical," she said in a statement.(With PTI inputs)

CNN anchor rakes up Twitter storm with ‘racist’ comments on Indian-American Spelling Bee champ

Netizens are lashing out at a CNN anchor for allegedly making a "racist" remark against Indian-American national spelling champion Ananya Vinay, assuming that the 12-year-old is "used to using" Sanskrit due to her heritage

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Pakistan's Defence Minister Khawaja Asif on Saturday emerged as the "most potential candidate" to replace beleaguered Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif if he is disqualified by the Supreme Court for alleged graft and money laundering in the sensitive Panama Papers case. Asif is most likely to become the interim prime minister for 45 days till 67-year-old Sharif's wife Kalsoom or brother Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is elected on a National Assembly seat to lead the government for the remaining term, according to a top PML-N leader.He said it was discussed during back-to-back consultative meetings held by Sharif with his legal team and close aides after the apex court reserved its verdict yesterday. During a high-level meeting, it was decided that one of the three PML-N leaders could be made premier for '45 days'. The other two candidates shortlisted are National Assembly Speaker Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Petroleum Minister Shahid Khaqan Abbasi."The prime minister's legal team briefed him about the apex court's proceedings and possible verdict. As there are chances of the premier's disqualification, Sharif discussed his replacement as well. Khawaja Asif, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq and Shahid Khaqan Abbasi are shortlisted for the slot of the prime minister," the PML-N leader told PTI.Since Kalsoom or Shahbaz are not a member of the National Assembly - the lower house of Parliament - they cannot succeed him immediately and would have to contest elections and win a seat. Asif is very close to Sharif and considered anti-establishment."If Sharif is ousted by the Supreme Court there will be strong resentment in the ruling party against the establishment whom the PML-N believes to be involved in conspiracies against the premier. And Asif will be a perfect choice to give a befitting gesture to the establishment for its conspiracies," the PML-N leader said on anonymity.Sharif and his cabinet members have been alleging for weeks that conspiracies are being hatched to oust Nawaz Sharif. They openly blamed the military establishment and judiciary behind the plot for Sharif's ouster.It was also decided during the meeting that the party will utilise all legal and constitutional options available if the verdict goes against the premier. The meeting, chaired by Sharif, was also attended by Shahbaz along with federal ministers, advisers and the legal team representing the Sharif family in the Panama Papers case. The meeting reviewed the situation following developments in the Supreme Court.Meanwhile, Asif rebuffed the reports about him becoming the interim prime minister. "The entire party is behind the leadership of Sharif. There is no any prime ministerial candidate. There has been no discussion in the meeting on this issue," he said.Despite receiving adverse remarks during the court proceedings which the opposition parties believe a clear indication that the premier is going to get disqualified, Sharif reiterated his stance that he will not quit office. "I will not quit on the demand of opposition as I am elected by the people of Pakistan," Sharif said.He, however, said he would accept the court's decision. Opposition Leader in National Assembly Khursheed Shah said that Sharif has only time till tomorrow to resign. "He has two nights to decide about his resignation. His disqualification is a writing on the wall and he should honourably exist. The judges' remarks in Panama case has already foretold the court's decision," he said.The apex court yesterday concluded hearing the sensitive Panama Papers case against Sharif and his family for alleged corruption and money laundering.The judgement was reserved after counsels of both sides concluded their arguments before a three-judge bench of the apex court headed by Justice Ejaz Afzal Khan.A six-member JIT was set up in May by the apex court with the mandate to probe the Sharif family for allegedly failing to provide the trail of money used to buy properties in London in 1990s. The JIT has recommended that the report's Volume-X should be treated as confidential as it contains the details of correspondence with other countries. So far Sharif has refused to quit, calling the investigators' report a compilation of "allegations and assumptions". His decision to stay in power was endorsed by the federal Cabinet last week.

Panamagate: Defence Minister Khawaja Asif to replace Nawaz Sharif in case of conviction?

Asif is most likely to become the interim prime minister for 45 days till 67-year-old Sharif's wife Kalsoom or brother Punjab Chief Minister Shahbaz Sharif is elected on a National Assembly seat.

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Russia Ukraine War: Mriya, world's largest aircraft, destroyed by RussiaMriya, the world’s largest plane, has been destroyed by Russia amid the onslaught, according to Dmytro Kuleba, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Ukraine. Mriya means 'dream' in Ukrainian."A symbol of hope in the darkest hours of COVID, Mriya (Dream), the world’s largest plane, carried vast quantities of life-saving vaccine and PPE around the globe. It is now destroyed by Russian invaders in its war against Ukraine and the wider world (sic)," the Ministry of Foreign Affairs tweeted. "Russia may have destroyed our ‘Mriya’. But they will never be able to destroy our dream of a strong, free and democratic European state. We shall prevail!," Dmytro Kuleba tweeted.Mriya had been sitting in its hangar at a Ukrainian air base in Hostomel. The Russian military has taken control of the airbase. The aircraft first took off in 1988. It was used to transport large amounts of humanitarian aid around the world, especially at short notice. Mriya was 84 meters long (276 feet) and it could transport up to 250 tonnes (551,000 pounds) of cargo at a speed of up to 850 kilometres per hour (528 mph). The cargo plane was operated by Ukraine's Antonov Airlines.READ MORE: What are sanctions, do they ever work? Could they stop Russia’s invasion of Ukraine?READ MORE: How is Russia-Ukraine war linked to religion? | Explained 

Russia Ukraine War: Mriya, world's largest aircraft, destroyed by Russia

Mriya, world's largest aircraft, first took off in 1988. It was used to transport large amounts of humanitarian aid around the world.

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Missing man's mortal remains finally found after 22 years. Thanks to Google EarthIt took 22 years, but a missing man’s remains were finally found thanks to someone who zoomed in on his former Florida neighborhood with Google satellite images and noticed a car submerged in a lake, authorities said.The skeletal remains were of William Moldt, who went missing in 1997 at the age of 40, according to the Palm Beach County Sheriff’s Office.Sheriff’s office spokeswoman Teri Barbera said on Thursday that a previous resident of the Grand Isles neighborhood in Wellington, Florida, was checking the neighborhood on Google Earth when he zoomed into the lake and saw what looked like a car .The former resident contacted a current homeowner, who used a drone to confirm it was a white car on the edge of the pond behind his house. The man called the sheriff’s office on Aug. 28, and deputies later arrived to find the white sedan’s exterior “heavily calcified.” After they got the car out, they found the skeletal remains inside.The National Missing and Unidentified Persons System says Moldt went to a nightclub in November 1997 but did not appear intoxicated as he left alone before midnight. He had called his girlfriend from the club saying he would return to their Lantana home soon.The subdivision was under construction when Moldt went missing, but the pond was already there. Barry Fay, whose home is near where the car was found, told The Palm Beach Post that he had never noticed anything from the shoreline.“Never did I believe there would be a 22-year-old dead body,” Fay told the newspaper.ALSO READ | Universe 2 billion years younger? Study makes startling revelationsALSO READ | 'Big Surprise': Astronomers spot asteroid changing colour for the first time, scientists baffled

Missing man's mortal remains finally found after 22 years. Thanks to Google Earth

It took 22 years, but a missing man’s remains were finally found thanks to someone who zoomed in on his former Florida neighborhood with Google satellite images and noticed a car submerged in a lake, authorities said.

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7.1-magnitude earthquake hits southern PhilippinesA strong undersea earthquake struck off the southern Philippines on Saturday and the head of the country’s quake-monitoring agency advised people in a southeastern province to avoid beaches in case of a tsunami.No casualties or damage have been reported, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center lifted its warning for a potential tsunami that could hit coastal areas of the southern Philippine and Indonesia.The Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology said that the quake was detected at a depth of 49 kilometers (30 miles) and a magnitude of 7.1 about 162 kilometers (100 miles) off Davao Oriental province. It said that it could generate aftershocks but the agency did not expect any damage.The U.S. Geological Survey said the quake hit at a depth of 60 kilometers (37 miles) and measured 6.9.Renato Solidum, who heads the quake-monitoring institute, said that a major tsunami was unlikely given the depth of the quake and other factors but advised villagers to avoid the beach in Davao Oriental province and outlying regions for about two hours after the quake struck around noon as a precaution.The quake was felt in some coastal areas, he said.Indonesia’s Meteorology and Geophysics Agency said the quake doesn’t have a potential to cause a tsunami affecting Indonesia.

7.1-magnitude earthquake hits southern Philippines; no casualties, damage reported

No casualties or damage have been reported, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center lifted its warning for a potential tsunami that could hit coastal areas of the southern Philippine and Indonesia.

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Artificial intelligenceChina has unveiled the world's first first artificial intelligence (AI) news anchor at the ongoing fifth World Internet Conference in its east Zhejiang Province.The news anchor, based on the latest AI technology, has a male image with a voice, facial expressions and actions of a real person. "He" learns from live broadcasting videos by himself and can read texts as naturally as a professional news anchor.The AI news anchor was jointly developed by Xinhua News Agency, the official state-run media outlet of China, and Chinese search engine company Sogou.com.According to Xinhua, "he" has become a member of its reporting team and can work 24 hours a day on its official website and various social media platforms, reducing news production costs and improving efficiency.

China unveils World's first AI news anchor

The AI news anchor was jointly developed by Xinhua News Agency, the official state-run media outlet of China, and Chinese search engine company Sogou.com.

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Benjamin Netanyahu vows to form new government Israel's incumbent Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu gave a speech to supporters early on Wednesday following the general election in the Middle Eastern country in which he vowed to build a new ruling coalition and said the next government could not depend on Arab parties.Singling out the US and its President Donald Trump, Netanyahu said that Israel was at a historical juncture ahead of great security and diplomatic challenges and opportunities.As counting got underway, exit poll projections showed Netanyahu -- the country's longest-serving Prime Minister -- and former military chief Benny Gantz locked in a tight race.Just after polling stations closed across Israel, the country's three main TV stations flashed the result of their individual exit polls -- showing Netanyahu's right-wing Likud party neck and neck with Gantz's centrist Blue and White Party."Negotiations with Trump will decide Israel's future for decades, so Israel needs a strong, stable and Zionist government," Netanyahu said, according to Efe news. "We need to make sure we maintain our achievements.""There won't and cannot be a government supported by anti-Zionist Arab parties who deny the existence of Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, who glorify bloodthirsty terrorists who murder our soldiers. This cannot be, we cannot accept it," he added.Netanyahu, who has been leading the executive since 2009 (and had previously served as Premier between 1996-99) said he had already initiated negotiations with Likud's potential coalition partners on the right."They all committed to pursue our goals together," he said, as his supporters chanted "We don't want unity!" - a reference to speculation that Likud could ally with its main rival Blue and White in these polls.Netanyahu, who is vying to win a record fifth term in office, declined to name Gantz in his speech or hint at any possible deal with the centrist coalition.He has pledged to annex Jewish settlements and a swathe of other territory in the occupied West Bank if he is returned to power. Palestinians, who seek a state in the West Bank and Gaza, with its capital in occupied East Jerusalem, have warned such a move will kill any hopes for peace.Gantz has not advocated any form of annexation though his position on the creation of a Palestinian state is unclear.Like Netanyahu, he has ruled out ever dividing Jerusalem, which Israel considers its capital.On Wednesday morning, Yisrael Beiteinu's leader Avigdor Lieberman, reiterated that he would only support a government comprising both Likud and Blue and White.However, Blue and White has ruled out sitting with Netanyahu in a coalition. Instead, Gantz offered to form a national unity government and said he had already reached out to the heads of the two centre-left Zionist parties, the Labour party and the Democratic Union.ALSO READ | Israel PM Netanyahu appears to suffer setback in exit pollsALSO READ | Israel PM Benjamin Netanyahu: Will annex Jordan Valley, West Bank settlements if elected

Benjamin Netanyahu vows to form new government

As counting got underway, exit poll projections showed Netanyahu -- the country's longest-serving Prime Minister -- and former military chief Benny Gantz locked in a tight race.

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Breaking News January 8The total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 88 million, including 1,906,630 fatalities. As many as 63,606,252 patients are reported to have recovered. Follow this breaking news blog for live updates on the coronavirus pandemic as it continues to pose a challenge for health workers and scientists who are in a race against time to produce a vaccine/medicine.IndiaTvNews.com brings you the economic fallout of the COVID-19 crisis that has resulted in job losses in millions and changing the way we work. Stay Home, Stay Safe, and Stay Informed as our team of dedicated editors/reporters bring you the latest news on coronavirus, coronavirus vaccine trial updates, photos, video, news, views and top stories from monsoon rains, business, politics, education, science, yoga, and much more in India and worldwide. 

Breaking News January 8 | Highlights

Get all the latest news on coronavirus cases, news on the vaccine, business, politics, science, education and much more in India and worldwide.

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Global death toll due to coronavirus has now crossed 16,000The deadly coronavirus, which had its roots in China has taken a toll over nearly 190 nations across the globe. As on March 24, 7:55 am, the global fatalities resulting out of COVID-19 reached 16,514, with 3,78,849 confirmed cases from across the world. In India, a total of 468 positive cases of coronavirus have been registered so far, while the death toll stands at 9. According to the data, a total of 34 patients have so far recovered from novel coronavirus across India. Not just fatalities and economic slowdown, the widespread reach of COVID-19 has also led to a shortage of supply of essential goods and has caused huge financial loss at the stock market. India, along with several other nations is on lockdown, to contain the further spread of coronavirus. Besides China, the following countries are worst-hit by the global pandemic: Iran: On Monday, Iran said that 127 people in the country have succumbed to the novel coronavirus in the last 24 hours, raising the death toll to 1,812. The deadly virus has affected more than 33,000 people in Spain and more than 2,000 have died due to the virus.Italy: Another 602 people died from the COVID-19 infection in Italy in the past 24 hours, bringing the total number of coronavirus deaths in the country to 6,078, Angelo Borrelli, the head of the National Civil Protection Agency said.France: French Health Minister, Olivier Veran said that the country registered more than 3,000 new cases of the coronavirus disease in 24 hours, bringing the total to 19,856, and 860 deaths.United Kingdom: The number of confirmed cases of the coronavirus in the United Kingdom increased by 967 to over the last 24 hours, bringing the total to 6,650, the Health Ministry said on Monday.United States: According to the Johns Hopkins University Coronavirus Resource Centre, the number of confirmed cases in the United States has increased to 35,225, while the death toll reached 473.Meanwhile, the World Bank expects to begin distributing funds from a USD 6 billion emergency package this week for nearly 50 countries to respond to the novel coronavirus pandemic, President of the World Bank Group David Malpass said in a speech on Monday.Amid the outbreak, UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for an immediate halt of fighting worldwide in order to focus together on combating the novel coronavirus pandemic.As the COVID-19 is unfolding, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects that the coronavirus will cause a global recession in 2020 that will be as bad as 2008 financial crisis, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said on Monday.Also Read | Coronavirus LIVE Updates Also Read | Tihar Jail to release over 3,000 criminals to ease congestion amid coronavirus crisis /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; 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Coronavirus Pandemic: Global death toll surges past 16,500; nearly 190 nations affected

As the COVID-19 is unfolding, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) expects that the coronavirus will cause a global recession in 2020 that will be as bad as 2008 financial crisis, IMF Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva has said.

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Pakistan records highest single-day spike of 5,387 cases; WHO urges ‘intermittent lockdown’Pakistan has registered its highest single-day spike of coronavirus cases with over 5,000 infections in the last 24 hours, a day after the World Health Organisation urged the government to follow an “intermittent lockdown” policy to stem the spike in the disease. According to the Ministry of National Health Services, 83 more COVID-19 patients died during the same period, taking the death toll to 2,255 and 5,387 new patients were detected in the last 24 hours.A total of 36,308 patients have also recovered so far from the disease across the country, the ministry said.Out of the total 113,702 cases, Punjab has registered 43,460 patients, Sindh 41,303, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa 14,527, Balochistan 7,031, Islamabad 5,963, Gilgit-Baltistan 974 and Pakistan-occupied Kashmir 444. The ministry said that 23,799 tests were done in the last 24 hours, taking the tally of total tests in the country to 754,252.The virus is spreading fast but the government has refused a proposal by the World Health Organisation to follow the “intermittent lockdown” policy of two-week lockdown followed by two-week relaxation on alternate basis.In a letter to Punjab province Health Minister Yasmin Rashid dated June 7, WHO Country Head, Pakistan, Dr Palitha Mahipala said the coronavirus has spread to almost all districts in the country with big cities making up the majority of the cases.Mahipala has recommended an “intermittent lockdown” approach. However, advisor on Health Zafar Mirza told the media that no such policy is under consideration. The WHO country head pointed out that after the partial relaxation on May 1, and complete relaxation on May 22 the infection rate has increased on both occasions.Pakistan had lifted the virus restrictions in view of an under-control rate of transmission and the health system’s ability to “detect, test, isolate and treat every case and trace every contact”.

Pakistan records highest single-day spike of 5,387 cases; WHO urges ‘intermittent lockdown’

Pakistan has registered its highest single-day spike of coronavirus cases with over 5,000 infections in the last 24 hours, a day after the World Health Organisation urged the government to follow an “intermittent lockdown” policy to stem the spike in the disease.

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Malaysia: New MH17 report 'politically motivated' against RussiaMalaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad on Thursday said he was unsatisfied with the latest report from international investigators that implicated Russia and charged four pro-Russian rebels over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine in 2014, describing it as "politically motivated".Mahathir was reacting to Wednesday's report from the Joint Investigation Team in charge of the MH17 probe. Related Stories IAF AN-32 recovery update: All 13 mortal remains recovered from crash site in ArunachalAN-32 crash: Six bodies airlifted to West Siang in Arunachal, likely to be taken to AssamThe board of investigators, based in the Netherlands, charged four pro-Russian rebels with murder for their alleged role in firing a Buk surface-to-air missile at the passenger plane flying above the conflict zone in eastern Ukraine on July 17, 2014, killing all 298 passengers and crew aboard. "We are very unhappy because from the beginning it became a political issue on how to accuse Russia of the wrongdoing before they examined," the Prime Minister told reporters, as cited by state news site Bernama. "From the very beginning, they wanted to accuse Russia and now, of course, they said they have proof who the person is. This is a ridiculous thing. We want proof of guilt but so far no proof," Mahathir said. Dutch authorities have issued an arrested warrant for Igor Girkin, Sergey Dubinsky, Oleg Pulatov and Leonid Karchenko. Girkin was the so-called Donetsk People Republic's (DPR) Defence Minister when flight MH17 was downed, Dubinsky was his deputy and a former member of Russia's GRU intelligence service, Pulatov was head of the DPR's intel service and Karchenko, who has no military background on record, commanded a unit in Donetsk. The suspects will be tried in the Netherlands either in person or in absentia in a procedure beginning March 9, 2020.The JIT, comprising experts from the Netherlands, Belgium, Australia, Malaysia and Ukraine, said the first three suspects were Russian and most likely lived in Russia, while Karchenko was Ukrainian and probably lives in rebel-held Ukraine. According to the JIT, the Buk missile used to down the craft belonged to the Russian military and had been transported to the breakaway region of eastern Ukraine across the Russian border. After it was fired, the JIT said, it was returned across the frontier. Moscow has vehemently denied all accusations implicating it in the tragedy. On Thursday, the Russian Defence Ministry said in an online statement that none of its air defence missile systems had ever crossed the border between Russia and Ukraine. 

Malaysia: New MH17 report 'politically motivated' against Russia

Malaysia's Prime Minister Mahathir bin Mohamad on Thursday said he was unsatisfied with the latest report from international investigators that implicated Russia and charged four pro-Russian rebels over the downing of Malaysia Airlines flight MH17 in eastern Ukraine in 2014, describing it as "politically motivated".

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US President Joe Biden speaks about the end of the war in AfghanistanUnited States President Joe Biden said withdrawing the troops from Afghanistan to end the 20-year war was the “best” and the “right” decision for America. He said there was no reason to continue in a war that was no longer in the service of the “vital national interest” of the American people.“I give you my word: With all of my heart, I believe this is the right decision, a wise decision, and the best decision for America,” Biden said in his address to the nation from the White House on Tuesday.“We’ve been a nation too long at war. If you’re 20 years old today, you have never known an America at peace. So, when I hear that we could’ve, should’ve continued the so-called low-grade effort in Afghanistan, at low risk to our service members, at low cost, I don’t think enough people understand how much we have asked of the 1 percent of this country who put that uniform on, who are willing to put their lives on the line in defense of our nation,” he said.Telling his fellow Americans that the war in Afghanistan is now over, Biden said he is the fourth President who has faced the issue of whether and when to end this war.“When I was running for President, I made a commitment to the American people that I would end this war. And today, I’ve honored that commitment. It was time to be honest with the American people again. We no longer had a clear purpose in an open-ended mission in Afghanistan,” he said.“After 20 years of war in Afghanistan, I refused to send another generation of America’s sons and daughters to fight a war that should have ended long ago,” Biden added.After more than USD 2 trillion spent in Afghanistan -- a cost that researchers at Brown University estimated would be over USD 300 million a day for 20 years in Afghanistan- for two decades, he said.“If you take the number of USD 1 trillion, as many say, that’s still USD 150 million a day for two decades. And what have we lost as a consequence in terms of opportunities? I refused to continue in a war that was no longer in the service of the vital national interest of our people,” he added.“As Commander-in-Chief, I firmly believe the best path to guard our safety and our security lies in a tough, unforgiving, targeted, precise strategy that goes after terror where it is today, not where it was two decades ago. That’s what’s in our national interest,” the President said.Biden said that the world is changing and the US is confronted with new challenges.“We’re engaged in a serious competition with China. We’re dealing with the challenges on multiple fronts with Russia. We’re confronted with cyberattacks and nuclear proliferation,” he said.“We have to shore up America’s competitive[ness] to meet these new challenges in the competition for the 21st century. And we can do both: fight terrorism and take on new threats that are here now and will continue to be here in the future,” he added.Biden said, “There’s nothing China or Russia would rather have, would want more in this competition than the United States to be bogged down another decade in Afghanistan. As we turn the page on the foreign policy that has guided our nation the last two decades, we’ve got to learn from our mistakes.”He said the terror threat has spread across the world, well beyond Afghanistan.“We face threats from al-Shabaab in Somalia; al Qaeda affiliates in Syria and the Arabian Peninsula; and ISIS attempting to create a caliphate in Syria and Iraq, and establishing affiliates across Africa and Asia,” he added.“The fundamental obligation of a President, in my opinion, is to defend and protect America- not against threats of 2001, but against the threats of 2021 and tomorrow. That is the guiding principle behind my decisions about Afghanistan. I simply do not believe that the safety and security of America is enhanced by continuing to deploy thousands of American troops and spending billions of dollars a year in Afghanistan,” Biden said.“But I also know that the threat from terrorism continues in its pernicious and evil nature. But it’s changed, expanded to other countries. Our strategy has to change too,” he added.The United States, he said, will maintain the fight against terrorism in Afghanistan and other countries.“We just don’t need to fight a ground war to do it. We have what’s called over-the-horizon capabilities, which means we can strike terrorists and targets without American boots on the ground- or very few, if needed,” he said.“We’ve shown that capacity just in the last week. We struck ISIS-K remotely, days after they murdered 13 of our servicemembers and dozens of innocent Afghans. And to ISIS-K: We are not done with you yet,” Biden said.(With PTI inputs) /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_1302482270 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_nid49xrm/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_nid49xrm_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "Aaj Ki Baat: Taliban shows its true colours, hangs an Afghan translator for US official from helicopter", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "duration": "3192", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_1302482270 = ''; jwsetup_1302482270(); function jwsetup_1302482270() { jwvidplayer_1302482270 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_1302482270").setup(jwconfig_1302482270); jwvidplayer_1302482270.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_1302482270, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_nid49xrm\", ns_st_pr=\"Aaj Ki Baat: Taliban shows its true colours, hangs an Afghan translator for US official from helicopter\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"Aaj Ki Baat: Taliban shows its true colours, hangs an Afghan translator for US official from helicopter\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"Aaj Ki Baat: Taliban shows its true colours, hangs an Afghan translator for US official from helicopter\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2021-08-31\", ns_st_tdt=\"2021-08-31\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_nid49xrm/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_1302482270.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_1302482270.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_1302482270.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_1302482270.stop(); jwvidplayer_1302482270.remove(); jwvidplayer_1302482270 = ''; jwsetup_1302482270(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_1302482270.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_1302482270.stop(); jwvidplayer_1302482270.remove(); jwvidplayer_1302482270 = ''; jwsetup_1302482270(); return; }); jwvidplayer_1302482270.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_1302482270.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_1302482270.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_1302482270.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_1302482270.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_1302482270.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

'Best decision for America': Biden praises airlift, defends withdrawal of troops from Afghanistan

“I give you my word: With all of my heart, I believe this is the right decision, a wise decision, and the best decision for America,” Biden said in his address to the nation from the White House on Tuesday.

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BREAKING: Nepal announces newly-measured height of Mount Everest at 8848.86 meters8848.86 metres is the newly-measured height of Mount Everest, Nepal's Foreign Minister Pradeep Kumar Gyawali announced on Tuesday. He said the height of Mount Everest has increased by 0.86 centimetres. Mount Everest continues to be the tallest mountain on Planet Earth.Nepal undertook the initiation to measure the height of the world's tallest peak after speculations that widely accepted that the height of 8,848 metres might not be the actual length after the 2015 earthquake which shook the nation.While deploying Nepali officials and experts to re-measure the mountain's height, the Government of Nepal also coordinated with China in its domestic efforts. During Chinese President Xi Jinping's Nepal visit in 2019, both nations signed an agreement to jointly announce the height of the world's tallest peak.Measured in 1954 by Survey of India, 8,848 metres is the widely accepted and recognized height of Sagarmatha, the Nepali name for the famed world's tallest peak.(With ANI inputs)

Nepal announces newly-measured height of Mount Everest at 8848.86 meters

8848.86 metres is the newly-measured height of Mount Everest, Nepal's Foreign Minister announced on Tuesday. Nepal undertook the initiation to measure the height of the world's tallest peak after speculations that widely accepted that the height of 8,848 metres might not be the actual length after the 2015 earthquake which shook the nation.

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HIV AIDSAn international team, comprising experts from the World Health Organization (WHO), Center for Disease Control (CDC), Unicef and Unaids, will arrive in Pakistan on Tuesday to probe the latest HIV outbreak in Sindh province."Led-by Oliver Morgan, Director of Health Emergency Information and Risk Assessment, in the Health Emergencies Programme of WHO, a 12-member international team comprising experts from CDC Atlanta, Georgia, Unicef and Unaids is landing today in Karachi to investigate the root cause of the latest HIV outbreak in Ratodero area of Larkana", an official of the WHO told The News International. As of Monday, 700 people including 576 children were tested positive for HIV since the outbreak was first reported on April 25. The Sindh health department blamed "quacks" or unqualified practitioners for reusing syringes which is one of the major source of HIV spread among the general population, especially children. But national and international experts were not satisfied with the investigations so far largely being carried out by experts from the University of Karachi. Fearing a ‘foul play' in the recent HIV outbreak in Larkana, officials associated with the international health organisations said that although the "reuse of syringes" was emerging as "most likely cause of HIV outbreak" in Larkana, epidemiologists both in Pakistan as well as around the globe were not "satisfied" and have several questions as to why such a large number of children are infected, which is an unusual pattern.

Over 700 people test positive for HIV in Pakistan's Sindh, international experts reach Larkana

As of Monday, 700 people including 576 children were tested positive for HIV since the outbreak was first reported on April 25.

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People and private guards wear masks while gather outside a hospital, where victims of toxic gas leak, are treated in Kamari neighborhood of Karachi, Pakistan A toxic gas leak killed five people and sickened dozens of others in a coastal residential area in Pakistan’s port city of Karachi, police said Monday. The source of the leak, which occurred on Sunday night, and the type of gas that had leaked were not immediately known. There was no suspicion of sabotage.Authorities said they became aware of the incident when people in the Karachi neighborhood of Kamari, which is close to the main port where incoming ships anchor, suddenly started rushing to the area’s hospitals with severe breathing problems overnight, police chief Adil Malik told reporters. On Monday, officials were still trying to determine where the gas leak started and what caused it.He said three women and two men died in the incident. No further information was immediately available.Karachi is the capital of southern Sindh province, Pakistan’s largest city and also the country’s chief commercial hub. It also has oil refineries nearby.Also Read: Important for India and Pakistan to 'de-escalate, both militarily and verbally': UN chief GuterresAlso Read: 4 dead, 15 hospitalised after inhaling toxic gasses coming out of vegetable container in Karachi

Pakistan: Toxic gas leak kills 5, sickens dozens in Karachi port city

The source of the leak, which occurred on Sunday night, and the type of gas that had leaked were not immediately known. There was no suspicion of sabotage.

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Locked and Loaded: Belgian Air Force releases photos of intercepted Russian jetsBelgian Air Force on Friday released images of intercepted Russian SU-34 and SU-24 fighter aircraft.In a tweet from its official handle, Belgian Air Force said: After one month of safeguarding the Baltic airspace, the @BeAirForce conducted already 109 sorties totalising 191 flying hours. Our #F16 aircraft and crew were already scrambled 16 times and performed 8 interceptions. Yesterday our pilots encountered a #SU34 and SU-24.As per reports, the images of the locked-in fighter jets were taken from a thermal imager. There has been no further information from either Belgium or NATO about the reasons behind this detection. Capital of Belgium -- Brussels is also the headquarters of the European Union. Image Source : BELGIAN AIR FORCELocked and Loaded: Belgian Air Force releases pictures of intercepted Russian jetsLocked and Loaded: Belgian Air Force releases pictures of intercepted Russian jetsThere has been no official response from the Russian side either. On 17 September, the Belgian Air Force had claimed to intercept Russian Tu-160 and Su-27 fighters over the Baltic Sea. Also Read | Downing of Mi-17 chopper our mistake, will take action: IAF Chief

Locked and Loaded: Belgian Air Force releases pictures of intercepted Russian jets

As per reports, the images of the locked-in fighter jets were taken from a thermal imager. There has been no further information from either Belgium or NATO about the reasons behind this detection.

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a large video display reads "Now hiring for our new hotel coming soon!," at the new Emerald Queen Casino, which is open, and owned by the Puyallup Tribe of Indians, in Tacoma, Wash. The United States added 1.8 million jobs in July, a pullback from the gains of May and June and evidence that the resurgent coronavirus has weakened hiring and the economic rebound.The number of laid-off workers applying for unemployment aid fell below 1 million last week for the first time since the pandemic intensified five months ago yet still remains at a high level. The viral pandemic keeps forcing layoffs just as the expiration of a $600-a-week federal jobless benefit has deepened the hardships for many.The Labor Department said applications fell to 963,000, the second straight drop, from 1.2 million the previous week. The decline suggests that layoffs are slowing, though last week’s figure still exceeds the pre-pandemic record of just under 700,000.The pandemic, the shutdowns that are meant to fight it and the reluctance or inability of many people to shop, travel or eat out are continuing to weaken the economy and force companies to cut staff. Twenty-three states have paused or reversed their business re-openings. In a hopeful sign, the rate of new confirmed viral cases has declined in the past couple of weeks, though it remains far above the rates that prevailed in May and June.All told, fewer people are also continuing to receive state jobless aid. That figure dropped to 15.5 million, from 16.1 million the previous week.For months, the unemployed had also been receiving the $600 a week in federal jobless aid on top of their state benefit. But the federal payment has expired, and negotiations in Congress to extend that benefit, likely at a lower level of payment, have collapsed in rancor.The supplemental federal aid had enabled many jobless Americans to afford rent, food and utilities, and its expiration threatens to weaken consumer spending and further slow the economy. Unemployment benefits have accounted for roughly 5% of national income since April, a larger share than even Social Security. The loss of the $600 has shrunk benefits for the average recipient by one-half to three-quarters.Michelle Meyer, an economist at Bank of America Merrill Lynch, says that the loss of the additional aid will reduce Americans’ incomes by $18 billion a week.“That’s a big hit to purchasing power,” she said.Last week, President Donald Trump issued an executive order that would provide $300 a week in federal aid to the jobless to replace the expired $600-a-week benefit. But experts say it would take weeks for the states to implement that payment.In addition to people who applied last week for state benefits, nearly 489,000 others sought jobless aid under a new program that has made self-employed and gig workers eligible for the first time. That figure isn’t adjusted for seasonal trends, so it’s reported separately.But including that group, the Labor Department says 28.2 million people are receiving some form of unemployment benefits, though that figure may be inflated by double-counting by some states.For states to set up systems to distribute a new $300 federal jobless benefit, their labor departments would need more guidance from the federal government, noted Michele Evermore, a senior researcher at the National Employment Law Project. The money, which is supposed to come from a federal disaster relief fund, would likely require states to hire more people and possibly contract with software vendors to establish a system to process the payments, Evermore said.“I can’t imagine that this goes up in less than a month anywhere,” she said.After the pandemic hit, Congress approved a $2 trillion aid package. Among other things, it provided the $600-a-week benefit and made self-employed and gig workers newly eligible for unemployment aid.Both programs required the states to create new processing systems while handling a crush of benefit applications. That influx resulted in huge backlogs and left millions of the unemployed frustrated by their inability to access benefits. Washington state, for one, eventually called in National Guard troops to help process applications.In the meantime, with confirmed virus cases still high, it’s not clear when business owners will be able to reopen or will have enough customers to rehire.Grace Della is one of them. She opened her food tour business in Miami a decade ago with $300 from her mother. On weekends, she led the tours herself and eventually built up a business with 13 tour guides, averaging 10 tours a day through culinary hot spots in South Beach and Little Havana.Yet with the risk of infection still high and with scant customer demand, it’s been more than four months since Miami Culinary Tours has taken out guests, and Della, 46, says she doesn’t expect to recall her employees anytime soon.She hopes to reopen later this month but isn’t sure she can, given the state’s high level of confirmed infections. Della said she tries to stay positive but confesses to moments of crippling fear. At one point, hyperventilating with anxiety, she contacted firefighters.“There’s no money coming in,” Della said. “We’re all scared.”

US jobless claims below 1 million for first time in COVID-19 Pandemic

The number of laid-off workers applying for unemployment aid fell below 1 million last week for the first time since the pandemic intensified five months ago yet still remains at a high level.

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China is planning to build a space-based, solar-powered drone telecommunications network capable of providing week-long emergency assistance on the ground, according to a state media report today.A research institute affiliated with China Aerospace Science and Industry Corp is developing the project "Feiyun," which means "flying cloud," the Global Times reported, citing another report in the Science and Technology Daily. The network will be based in "near space", it said, adding the system will be able to provide week-long emergency communications access and likely to go on trial this year. The drones can fly as high as 20 kms above the ground for days - somewhat like a telecommunications satellite - and can undertake remote sensing and relay signals, the report quoted Ma Hongzhong, head of the institute, as saying. Experts believe the technology can play an important role in aiding rescuers in the aftermath of natural disasters. However, they warned that the severe environment in "near space" - 20-100 kms above sea level - poses a challenge to the UAVs as the thin air inhibits the functioning of fuel- powered aircraft engines. The high-flying drones are easy to maintain and control, and can better provide high-resolution data than satellites. They can also be used as "airborne Wi-Fi hubs" to provide convenient mobile telecommunications and Internet access for remote areas and islands, which would save on construction and maintenance costs of traditional infrastructure. Wang Peiji, an expert at Harbin Institute of Technology's School of Aeronautics, said the UAVs have military uses too. "Its remote sensing technology can help the military get accurate information with higher definition." China's first solar-powered UAV, the Caihong (rainbow), completed its first successful near-space test flight in June.

China plans space-based, solar-powered telecom drones: Report

China is planning to build a space-based, solar-powered drone telecommunications network capable of providing week-long emergency assistance on the ground, according to a state media report today

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Flooding surrounds a damaged building and boat Friday, Aug. 28, 2020, in Cameron, La., after Hurricane Laura moved through the area Thursday. (AP Photo/David J. Phillip)The Louisiana coastline devastated by Hurricane Laura began a long and gloomy recovery Friday as hundreds of thousands of people still without water and power confronted the possibility that basic services may not return for weeks or even longer. The number of dead climbed to at least 14.A day after the Category 4 storm hit, more bodies emerged in the aftermath in Louisiana and neighboring Texas. The deaths included five people killed by fallen trees and one person who drowned in a boat. Eight people died from carbon monoxide poisoning due to unsafe operation of generators, including three inside a Texas pool hall, where authorities say the owner had let seven Vietnamese shrimp boat laborers and homeless men take shelter. The other four were in critical condition.The lack of essential resources was grim for the many evacuated residents eager to return.Chad Peterson planned to board up a window and head to Florida. “There’s no power. There’s no water. There’s no utilities,” he said.Thousands of people who heeded dire warnings and fled the Gulf Coast returned to homes without roofs, roads littered with debris and the likelihood of a harsh recovery that could take months.Lawrence “Lee” Faulk came back to a home with no roof in hard-hit Cameron Parish, which was littered with downed power lines. His metal storage building, 24 feet square, was thrown into a neighbor’s oak trees.“We need help,” Faulk said. “We need ice, water, blue tarps — everything that you would associate with the storm, we need it. Like two hours ago.”The White House said President Donald Trump would visit the region Saturday and survey the damage.Simply driving in Lake Charles, a city of 80,000 residents that sustained some of the worst damage, was a feat. Power lines and trees blocked paths or created one-lane roads that drivers had to navigate with oncoming traffic. Street signs were snapped off their perches or dangled, and no stoplights worked, making it a trust exercise with those sharing the roads.Mayor Nic Hunter cautioned that there was no timetable for restoring electricity and that water-treatment plants “took a beating,” resulting in barely a trickle of water coming out of most faucets. “If you come back to Lake Charles to stay, make sure you understand the above reality and are prepared to live in it for many days, probably weeks,” Hunter wrote on Facebook.Caravans of utility trucks were met Friday by thunderstorms in the sizzling heat, complicating recovery efforts.Forty nursing homes were also relying on generators, and assessments were underway to determine if more than 860 residents in 11 facilities that had been evacuated could return. Water outages remained a major problem in evacuated facilities, the Louisiana Department of Health said.Meanwhile, the hurricane’s remnants threatened to bring flooding and tornadoes to Tennessee as the storm, now a tropical depression, drifted north. Forecasters warned that the system could strengthen into a tropical storm again upon returning to the Atlantic Ocean this weekend.In the storm’s wake, more than 600,000 homes and businesses were without power in Louisiana, Texas and Arkansas, according to poweroutage.us, which tracks utility reports.The Louisiana Department of Health estimated that more than 220,000 people were without water. Restoration of those services could take weeks or months, and full rebuilding could take years.Ira Lyles returned to find that his downtown Lake Charles salon called The Parlor House survived with little damage, but his home was destroyed.“It tore the front off, tore the front of the roof off, picked up my camper trailer and hit the side wall, and the side wall buckled and cracked inside,” he said. “I think it’s going to be a wash.”Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards called Laura, which packed a top wind speed of 150 mph (241 kph), the most powerful hurricane to strike Louisiana, meaning it surpassed even Katrina, which was a Category 3 storm when it hit in 2005. He said Friday that officials now believe the surge was as high as 15 feet.More than 580,000 coastal residents were put under evacuation as the hurricane gained strength in the Gulf of Mexico. Laura was the seventh named storm to strike the U.S. this year, setting a new record for U.S. landfalls by the end of August. Laura hit the U.S. after killing nearly two dozen people in Haiti and the Dominican Republic.In Lake Charles, chainsaws buzzed and heavy machinery hauled tree limbs in the front lawn of Stanley and Dominique Hazelton, who rode out the storm on a bathroom floor. A tree punctured the roof just a few feet from where the couple was taking cover.They regretted staying.“There’s people without homes,” Stanley Hazelton said. “So it was dumb. We’ll never do it again. We’ll never stay through another hurricane again."

Hurricane Laura victims may go weeks without power; US deaths reach 14

The Louisiana coastline devastated by Hurricane Laura began a long and gloomy recovery Friday as hundreds of thousands of people still without water and power confronted the possibility that basic services may not return for weeks or even longer. The number of dead climbed to at least 14.

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In this April 15, 2020, image made from the Youtube account of Arisa Kadono, she speaks to her smartphone video at a hospital, in Himeji, western Japan. Soon after Kadono tested positive for the coronavirus and hospitalized in early April, her friends let her know that groundless rumors were circulating.(Arisa Kadono via AP) The coronavirus in Japan has brought not just an epidemic of infections, but also an onslaught of bullying and discrimination against the sick, their families and health workers. A government campaign to raise awareness seems to be helping, at least for medical workers. But it’s made only limited headway in countering the harassment and shunning that may be discouraging people from seeking testing and care and hindering the battle against the pandemic.When Arisa Kadono tested positive and was hospitalized in early April, she was only identified as a woman in her 20s in food business. Soon, friends let her know that groundless rumors were circulating: that the family-run bar she helps with was a hotbed of virus; that she had dined with a popular baseball player who was infected earlier but she has never met; that she was sneaking out of the hospital and spreading the virus.“It was as if I was a criminal,” Kadono said in an interview from her home in Himeji, western Japan, after ending her three-week hospitalization.Apart from a fever on the first day and a loss of smell, Kadono had no major symptoms though she repeatedly tested positive for the virus that causes COVID-19. Her mother developed pneumonia and was briefly in intensive care at another hospital.“There are many other people who also have faced discrimination and prejudice,(asterisk) said Kadono, who decided to speak out on her own behalf and that of other COVID-19 survivors and their families. “I really want to change people’s tendency to blame those who get infected.(asterisk)Apart from fear of infection, experts say the prejudice against those even indirectly associated with the illness also stems from deeply rooted ideas about purity and cleanliness in a culture that rejects anything deemed to be alien, unclean or troublesome.Medical workers risking their lives to care for patients are a main target, but people working at grocery stores, delivering parcels and carrying out other essential jobs also are facing harassment. So are their family members.“I can imagine people fear the virus, but we are working hard at the front lines under enormous pressure,” said a nurse in her 30s, speaking on condition of anonymity out of fear she might be targeted if identified. “We also have our own families we care about. Discrimination against us just because we are medical workers is discouraging and demoralizing.”Another nurse was approached by a few mothers and asked to leave a Tokyo park she was visiting with her children. Some nurses are unwelcome at restaurants they usually eat at. Some are rejected by taxi drivers. The Health Ministry issued a directive to day care facilities after some barred the children of doctors and nurses.A veteran nurse in the northern island of Hokkaido said the mother of one of her coworkers was suspended from work. The husband of another was told at a job interview he wouldn’t be hired because of his wife’s job.The nurses, both assigned to COVID-19 patients, were staying at hotels to protect their families while working under severe conditions without adequate protective equipment and testing.“We understand people’s fears, but medical workers are doing their utmost to prevent infections at hospitals. We seek your support,” said Toshiko Fukui, head of the Japanese Nursing Association.“We are not asking for anything special. ... Just a word of thanks is a huge reward that boosts our motivation,” Fukui said.The backlash against coronavirus patients may lead some who fall sick to avoid seeking medical care, raising the risks of infection spreading further, clinical psychologist Reo Morimitsu at the Suwa Red Cross Hospital said in an interview with NHK public television. Reports said Japanese police last month found about a dozen people dead at home alone or collapsed on the streets who later tested positive for the virus.“The virus not only infects our body but also our minds and behavior, harming us and dividing our society,” Morimitsu said.Prejudice against those not viewed as mainstream or “pure” is a legacy of feudal times, when some Japanese engaged in professions such as leather tanning and butchering were deemed unclean. Their descendants still face discrimination. People suffering from ailments such as Hansen’s disease, or leprosy, were likewise forced to live in isolation decades after a cure was found.Victims of the 1945 U.S. atomic bomb attacks on Japan, known as “hibakusha,” and others injured in industrial accidents such as mercury poisoning have faced similar treatment. More recently, some who fled the 2011 nuclear meltdowns in Fukushima have suffered bullying and harassment.“Underlying the (coronavirus) discrimination is a sense that the patients are impure,” Naoki Sato, an expert on criminology and Japanese culture at the Kyushu Institute of Technology, wrote in a recent article in the Gendai Business online magazine. “Growing anxiety and fear of infection are adding to discrimination against the infected.”Random acts of hatred have been reported from across the country:— Arson threats were made against Kyoto Sangyo University after some of its students were infected.— An Osaka city assemblyman compared a young patient to “a murderer” of elderly people.— In Mie, central Japan, people threw stones at a patient’s house and vandalized property.— In Iwate, a man died while in self-quarantine after his future neighbors sought to bar him from moving into a retirement home and the local government office refused to register him.Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and other officials have denounced such behavior.“It’s shameful,” Abe told a recent parliamentary session. “Anyone could get infected.”Some places in Japan have begun following the examples set in Europe and elsewhere of sending messages of appreciation and praising medical workers and others in essential jobs. Some offices have started collecting donations and other support for hospitals.The belated campaign to raise awareness and combat corona discrimination is only a first step, but it’s a start, said the nurse from Hokkaido.“People started to cheer us,” she said. “Neighborhood stores sometimes bring us treats like pancakes, fried noodles and milk.”

In Japan, pandemic brings outbreaks of bullying, ostracism

The coronavirus in Japan has brought not just an epidemic of infections, but also an onslaught of bullying and discrimination against the sick, their families and health workers.

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France reports 135 new fatalities due to COVID-19 in 24 hours, total death toll at 24,895The total death toll due to coronavirus has reached 24,895 in France on Monday, while hospitalizations and the number of patients in intensive care continued to fall, according to the official data released by the Ministry of Health. A total of 135 people have died in the past 24 hours, a slower pace compared with Sunday's 166, Xinhua reported. At 25,827, the number of hospitalized patients fell for the 25th consecutive day. The number of patients in intensive care also fell to 3,819, down from 3,827 on Saturday, confirming a continued slowdown for the third running week on Sunday. A total of 131,287 people infected by COVID-19 have been identified in France since the start of the pandemic on March 1.​France has entered a lockdown in mid-March. Now, it's planning to lift the two-month confinement by opening gradually schools and shops and unwinding restriction on people movement as a slowing-down spread of the virus put less pressure on hospitals in the last three weeks.Meanwhile, the government decided to extend the state of health emergency it declared on March 24, by another two months to stem the coronavirus outbreak and address a possible resurgence of the COVID-19 when the lockdown ends on May 11."We must not relax our collective efforts which are bearing fruit and which are effectively curbing the epidemic. To succeed in the gradual lifting of containment, it is more than ever necessary to scrupulously apply all barrier gestures, respect the minimum physical distance of one meter and reduce contacts," the ministry said."All together we have fought against the spread of the epidemic...All together we will fight against the risk of epidemic resurgence," it added.(With Inputs from IANS)ALSO READ | COVID-19: Death toll in France nears 25,000-mark; 166 fatalities in 24 hours 

France reports 135 new fatalities due to COVID-19 in 24 hours, total death toll at 24,895

The total death toll due to coronavirus has reached 24,895 in France, while hospitalizations and the number of patients in intensive care continued to fall, according to the official data released by the Ministry of Health.

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Indian charged with kidnapping after driving away 2 children in car in US

Indian charged with kidnapping after driving away 2 children in car in US

A 24-year-old Indian man has been charged with kidnapping, assault and theft after he drove off in an elderly woman's car from outside a medical centre in the US with her grandchildren inside the vehicle.

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COVID-19: UK's new cyber crime service reports over 5,000 suspect emails in one day (Representational image)Over 5,000 suspect emails were reported to the UK's National Cyber Security Centre by Wednesday, just a day after the new cyber crime reporting service was launched to check fake coronavirus-related messages tricking people into online harm. The service was launched on Tuesday alongside the new cross-governmental campaign Cyber Aware, which promotes recommended behaviours to stay as secure as possible online.The Cyber Aware campaign is delivered by the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) working alongside the UK Home Office, Cabinet Office and Department for Digital, Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS). The NCSC was launched as the experts at the government's cyber security centre noted a trend of fake coronavirus-related services in malicious emails tricking people into online harm. Over 5,000 suspect emails were reported to the centre by Wednesday.The NCSC has clamped down on at least 83 web scams within a day after it launched a new "Suspicious Email Reporting Service" for the public. This "Suspicious Email Reporting Service" was co-developed with the City of London Police. Apart from taking down malicious sites, it will support UK policing by providing live time analysis of reports and identifying new patterns in online offending - helping them stop even more offenders in their tracks."The immediate take-up of our new national reporting service shows that the UK is united in its defence against callous attempts to trick people online," said NCSC CEO Ciaran Martin. "While we have not seen a rise in email scams in the last month, coronavirus is the top lure currently used to conduct cyber crime – exploiting public unease and fear of the pandemic. We hope the success of the 'Suspicious Email Reporting Service' deters criminals from such scams, but if you do receive something that doesn't look right forward the message to us – you will be helping to protect the UK from email scams and cyber crime," he said.Once any dubious emails – including those claiming to offer support related to coronavirus – are forwarded to report@phishing.gov.uk, the NCSC's automated­ programme immediately tests the validity of the site. Any sites found involved in phishing scams are removed immediately. "This new service allows the public to take the power back from the criminal, and it's fantastic so many people have utilised it already. This will assist the police in tracking down those responsible for sending these scam emails, and help in bringing them to justice," said Commander Karen Baxter, City of London Police, National Lead for Fraud.The initial 83 takedowns relate to phishing attacks, or untargeted mass emails sent to many people asking for sensitive information (such as bank details) or encouraging you to visit a fake website. The NCSC said it had been taking down malicious sites since its creation in 2016, and its Active Cyber Defence programme last year took down 190,000 fraudulent sites and stopped 140,000 phishing attacks. 

COVID-19: UK's new cyber crime service reports over 5,000 suspect emails in one day

Over 5,000 suspect emails were reported to the UK's National Cyber Security Centre by Wednesday, just a day after the new cyber crime reporting service was launched to check fake coronavirus-related messages tricking people into online harm.

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COVID-19: US announces 2.9 mn financial assistance to India; USD 174 mn aid to other 63 nationsThe United States on Friday announced USD 174 million financial assistance to 64 countries including USD 2.9 million to India to help them fight the coronavirus pandemic. This is in addition to the USD 100 million aid announced by the US in February. The newly announced assistance is part of a larger American global response package across multiple departments and agencies, including the Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).The funding is for 64 of the most at-risk countries facing the threat of a global pandemic.The US State Department said it is providing USD 2.9 million to help the Indian government prepare laboratory systems, activate case finding and event-based surveillance, and support technical experts for response and preparedness, and more."This builds upon the foundation of more than USD 1.4 billion in health assistance out of the more than USD 2.8 billion in US assistance for India over the last 20 years," the State Department said.According to United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Deputy Administrator Bonnie Glick, the new assistance builds on the US' record of global health leadership."For decades, the United States has been the world's largest provider of bilateral assistance in public health. The US has saved lives, protected people who are most vulnerable to disease, built health institutions, and promoted the stability of communities and nations," he told reporters.In South Asia, the State Department is providing USD 1 million in health funding to help it strengthen monitoring and better prepare communities to identify potential outbreaks.To bolster its national COVID-19 action plan, the United States has also redirected more than USD 1 million in existing funding for training of healthcare providers and other urgent needs.It is providing USD 1.3 million to Sri Lanka, USD 1.8 million to Nepal, USD 3.4 million to Bangladesh and USD 5 million to Afghanistan to help them fight the pandemic.ALSO READ | COVID-19 global death toll surges past 25,000; Italy reports one-third of the casualtiesALSO READ | Coronavirus: Number of infections in India crosses 700 mark, virus continues to wreak havoc in Europe

COVID-19: US announces $2.9 mn financial assistance to India; $ 174 mn aid to 63 other nations

The United States on Friday announced USD 174 million financial assistance to 64 countries including USD 2.9 million to India to help them fight the coronavirus pandemic.

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Joe Biden administration looking whether to apply or waive sanctions on India under CAATSA: US diplomat Donald Lu.  The Biden administration is looking whether to apply or waive sanctions on India for its purchase of the S-400 Triumf missile defence system from Russia, under Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), said US diplomat Donald Lu said on Wednesday. Lu's remarks came as India drew criticism from US lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, at a hearing on the "US relationship with India" for being among 35 nations that abstained Wednesday from a UN vote to rebuke Russia's invasion. A concern that stood out repeatedly in the hearing was the India-US defence security cooperation and whether India would be sanctioned for its purchase of the S-400 Triumf missile defence system from Russia, under CAATSA. Lu said that the Biden administration is yet to decide on applying sanctions on India under CAATSA. "What I can say is that India is a really important security partner of ours now and that we value moving forward that partnership," he said.  ALSO READ: Did Biden say 'Iranian' instead of 'Ukrainian' in first State of the Union address? WATCH As the US strengthens its ties with India as a pivotal regional counterweight to China, the Biden administration has delayed enforcement of a law ordering sanctions on India for trading with Russia. India has been the largest importer of Russian arms since 2016. Lu informed the Sun panel that India had recently cancelled orders of Russian MiG-29 fighter aircraft, helicopters and anti-tank weapons, and he projected that the new sanctions would motivate other countries to do likewise. He told lawmakers it is unlikely Russia will be able to make new sales or provide maintenance to customers for existing systems. "My view is that it's going to be very hard for anyone to buy major weapon systems from Moscow in the coming months and years, given sweeping financial sanctions that the administration, with the support of Congress has levelled...I would guess that India is one of those countries worried about that," Lu added. Notably, voting results displayed on screens at the UN General Assembly showed that 141 nations voted in favour of the move condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and five nations were against it, with 35 countries, including India, abstaining. (With ANI inputs) ALSO READ: 'Putin badly miscalculated': Joe Biden hails Ukrainians as 'wall of strength' as war continuesThe Biden administration is looking whether to apply or waive sanctions on India for its purchase of the S-400 Triumf missile defence system from Russia, under Countering America's Adversaries Through Sanctions Act (CAATSA), said US diplomat Donald Lu said on Wednesday.Lu's remarks came as India drew criticism from US lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, at a hearing on the "US relationship with India" for being among 35 nations that abstained Wednesday from a UN vote to rebuke Russia's invasion.A concern that stood out repeatedly in the hearing was the India-US defence security cooperation and whether India would be sanctioned for its purchase of the S-400 Triumf missile defence system from Russia, under CAATSA. Lu said that the Biden administration is yet to decide on applying sanctions on India under CAATSA."What I can say is that India is a really important security partner of ours now and that we value moving forward that partnership," he said. ALSO READ: Did Biden say 'Iranian' instead of 'Ukrainian' in first State of the Union address? WATCHAs the US strengthens its ties with India as a pivotal regional counterweight to China, the Biden administration has delayed enforcement of a law ordering sanctions on India for trading with Russia. India has been the largest importer of Russian arms since 2016. Lu informed the Sun panel that India had recently cancelled orders of Russian MiG-29 fighter aircraft, helicopters and anti-tank weapons, and he projected that the new sanctions would motivate other countries to do likewise.He told lawmakers it is unlikely Russia will be able to make new sales or provide maintenance to customers for existing systems."My view is that it's going to be very hard for anyone to buy major weapon systems from Moscow in the coming months and years, given sweeping financial sanctions that the administration, with the support of Congress has levelled...I would guess that India is one of those countries worried about that," Lu added.Notably, voting results displayed on screens at the UN General Assembly showed that 141 nations voted in favour of the move condemning Russia's invasion of Ukraine and five nations were against it, with 35 countries, including India, abstaining.(With ANI inputs)

Biden administration looking whether to apply or waive sanctions on India under CAATSA: US diplomat Donald Lu

Lu's remarks came as India drew criticism from US lawmakers, both Republicans and Democrats, at a hearing on the "US relationship with India" for being among 35 nations that abstained Wednesday from a UN vote to rebuke Russia's invasion.

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Trump later praised the "eternal friendship" between the UK and US during a state banquet at Buckingham Palace hosted by Queen Elizabeth IIOn the second day of his UK state visit, US President Donald Trump will meet outgoing British Prime Minister Theresa May for "substantial" talks on Tuesday, amid widespread protests planned several cities, including London, against his trip to the country.Trump and May will start the day by co-hosting a breakfast meeting of British and American business leaders at St James's Palace in a bid to boost trade links, the BBC reported.Related Stories India is 'great ally' and US will continue to work closely with PM Modi: Trump administrationUS anticipating very positive trajectory in ties with India: Trump administration Preferential trade treatment: US President Donald Trump to end privileges for India on June 5The Duke of York, Chancellor Phillip Hammond, US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo and the President's daughter Ivanka Trump are also expected to attend.May, who will stand down as Conservative leader on Friday, will then hold talks with the US President in Downing Street, when they are expected to discuss a range of issues including climate change and the Chinese tech giant Huawei, which the US has blacklisted for security reasons.Also on Tuesday, thousands of people are expected to join protests against Trump's visit.A "national demonstration" in London's Trafalgar Square will start at 11 a.m., while protests are also planned in Birmingham, Stoke, Sheffield, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Chester, Leicester, Oxford and Exeter.Organisers have called for a carnival atmosphere, but a huge police operation is taking place in central London to prevent any disruption to the trip.Opposition Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn is due to address the London rally, where he will be joined by members of other political leaders.The President and First Lady Melania Trump arrived in London on Monday. He later praised the "eternal friendship" between the UK and US during a state banquet at Buckingham Palace hosted by Queen Elizabeth II.But before touching down, the President reignited his political feud with the Mayor of London, calling Sadiq Khan a "stone cold loser".

Trump to hold talks with Theresa May amid protests

Trump and May will start the day by co-hosting a breakfast meeting of British and American business leaders at St James's Palace in a bid to boost trade links, the BBC reported.

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US President Joe BidenUS President Joe Biden has signed into law a legislation that provides for the authority to increase the federal government's debt limit by $2.5 trillion, averting a looming debt default.The move came on Thursday after US Congress on Wednesday morning gave a final approval to the measure that would raise the debt limit to roughly $31 trillion, which would cover the federal government's borrowing through 2023, Xinhua news agency reported."We're relieved policymakers agreed to raise the debt ceiling rather than putting the country's full faith and credit at risk. But this was way too last minute and brought our economy too close to the brink," Maya MacGuineas, President of the Committee for a Responsible Federal Budget, said Thursday in a statement."Washington now has a couple years before we next have to raise the debt ceiling. Before then, lawmakers should turn their attention to the hard work of developing a plan to start dealing with our problematic debt levels. Both parties are responsible for our near-record levels of debt, and they will need to work together to fix it," MacGuineas added.The Bipartisan Policy Center, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank, estimated earlier in December that the federal government could be unable to pay its bills as soon as December 21 if Congress fails to raise the debt limit.Failure to pay the nation's bills on time could send immediate ripple effects throughout the global economy, particularly during a time of economic recovery and heightened uncertainty over a new Covid-19 variant, the think tank warned.The debt limit, commonly called the debt ceiling, is the total amount of money that the US government is authorized to borrow to meet its existing legal obligations, including social security and medicare benefits, interest on the national debt, and other payments.ALSO READ: Pakistan reaches out to US to justify non-participation in Joe Biden's Democracy SummitALSO READ: Joe Biden invokes Mahatma Gandhi in Democracy Summit speech

Joe Biden signs legislation raising US debt limit, averts potential default

The move came on Thursday after US Congress on Wednesday morning gave a final approval to the measure that would raise the debt limit to roughly $31 trillion, which would cover the federal government's borrowing through 2023, Xinhua news agency reported.

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Pak closes Afghan border crossings for 2 daysThe Pakistan government has announced the closure of all border crossings with Afghanistan for two days in view of the fourth presidential election being held in the war-torn country on Saturday.Meanwhile, enhanced security checks of pedestrians and trading vehicles were started from Thursday and the process will continue till Sunday, reports Dawn news."In view of the upcoming presidential election and in support of domestic transition in Afghanistan, it has been decided to enhance security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border," said a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Thursday.The statement further said that in this regard, strict security check of all pedestrians and trading vehicles had been ordered from Thursday to Sunday, whereas the closure of all passage ways/cargo terminals (except for emergency patients) would be done on Friday and Saturday.The presidential election, which is taking place weeks after the collapse of the US-Taliban peace process, has been overshadowed by fears of Taliban violence on voting day.In a statement issued last month, thw Taliban had pledged to disrupt polls and denounced the electoral process as a "sham".ALSO READ | Pak to close all routes to Afghanistan ahead of presidential pollsALSO READ | Afghan visa now mandatory for Pakistan transporters

Pak closes Afghan border crossings for 2 days

"In view of the upcoming presidential election and in support of domestic transition in Afghanistan, it has been decided to enhance security along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border," said a statement issued by the Foreign Office on Thursday.

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Hurricane Irma which made landfall in Florida on Sunday as Category 4 storm with winds up to 130 mph (209 kmph) has come down to a Category 2 with winds of 105 mph (177 kmph). The Hurricane on Sunday gave Florida a coast-to-coast pummeling, swamping homes and boats, toppling massive construction cranes over the Miami skyline and causing power outages affecting at least 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state.Nearly 6.4 million people were told to evacuate Florida, with warnings of a huge storm surge that would be "life-threatening" to anyone in its path. Related Stories Hurricane Irma devastates Caribbean islands, turns paradises into nightmares Hurricane Irma: 60 Indian nationals being evacuated from St Martin in the CaribbeanHurricane Irma regains Category 4 force, makes landfall in FloridaThe 400-mile-wide (640-kilometer-wide) storm blew ashore in the morning in the mostly cleared-out Florida Keys, then began a slow march up the state’s west coast, its punishing winds extending clear across to Miami and West Palm Beach on the Atlantic side. The Hurricane that left a trail of death and destruction across the Caribbean has also claimed three lives in Florida. A man in Monroe County, which encompasses Key West, was killed after he lost control of a truck that carried a generator as winds whipped at tropical-storm strength, officials said. Two other people, including a sheriff's deputy, died in a car crash in the rain in Hardee County, officials said. The sheriff's deputy, identified as Julie Bridges, was a 13-year veteran of the Hardee County force, Hardee County Sheriff Arnold Lanier was quoted as saying by ABC News. Image Source : APRough surf surrounds Boynton Beach inlet as Hurricane Irma hits in Boynton BeachMiami and Tampa appeared "ghost towns" as nervous residents, many of whom struggled to cope with abandoning their homes, moved to safer places following mandatory evacuation notices. Irma has already devastated parts of the Caribbean with 25 deaths. About 60 Indian nationals are being evacuated from the vacation island of St Martin in the Caribbean. Irma was expected to hit the heavily populated Tampa-St. Petersburg area early Monday, though in a much-weakened state. While it arrived in Florida a Category 4 hurricane, by nightfall it was down to a Category 2 with winds of 105 mph (177 kph). The eye of the Category 4 storm was 24 kilometres southeast of Key West. An apparent tornado spun off by Irma destroyed six mobile homes in Palm Bay, midway up the Atlantic coast. Flooding was reported along Interstate 4, which cuts across Florida’s midsection.Image Source : APFallen trees are seen during Hurricane Irma, in Fort Myers, FloridaIn downtown Miami, two of the two dozen construction cranes looming over the skyline collapsed in the wind. No injuries were reported. City officials said it would have taken about two weeks to move the massive equipment.At least 3.3 million homes and businesses across the state lost power, and utility officials said it will take weeks to restore electricity to everyone.While Irma raked Florida’s Gulf Coast, forecasters warned that the entire state — including the Miami metropolitan area of 6 million people — was in danger because of the sheer size of the storm.Nearly 7 million people in the Southeast were warned to evacuate, including 6.4 million in Florida alone.About 30,000 people heeded orders to leave the Keys as the storm closed in, but an untold number refused, in part because to many storm-hardened residents, staying behind in the face of danger is a point of pride.Image Source : APA houses is surrounded by water as Hurricane Irma passes through Naples, FloridaJohn Huston, who stayed in his Key Largo home, watched his yard flood even before the arrival of high tide.“Small boats floating down the street next to furniture and refrigerators. Very noisy,” he said by text message. “Shingles are coming off.”Irma made landfall just after 9 a.m. at Cudjoe Key, about 20 miles outside Key West. During the afternoon, it rounded Florida’s southwestern corner and hugged the coast closely as it pushed toward Naples, Sanibel, Fort Myers and, beyond that, Sarasota, at 14 mph (23 kph).Forecasters warned some places could see a storm surge of up to 15 feet of water.Some 400 miles north of the Keys, people in the Tampa-St. Petersburg area started bracing for the onslaught. The Tampa Bay area, with a population of about 3 million, has not taken a direct hit from a major hurricane since 1921.Image Source : APWater floods a street in the business district in Naples, FloridaAfter leaving Florida, a weakened Irma is expected to push into Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi, Tennessee and beyond. A tropical storm warning was issued for the first time ever in Atlanta, some 200 miles from the sea.Irma at one time was the most powerful hurricane ever recorded in the open Atlantic, a Category 5 with a peak wind speed of 185 mph (300 kph), and its approach set off alarm in Florida.For days, forecasters had warned that Irma was taking dead aim at the Miami area and the rest of the state’s Atlantic coast.But then Irma made a more pronounced westward shift that put a bull’s-eye on the Tampa area — the result of what meteorologists said was an atmospheric tug-of-war between weather systems that nudged Irma and determined when it made its crucial right turn into Florida.Image Source : APThe surf floods a walkway leading to the beach in Naples, Florida Curfews were imposed in Miami, Tampa, Fort Lauderdale and much of the rest of South Florida, and some arrests of violators were reported. Miami Beach barred outsiders from the island.Fort Lauderdale police arrested nine people they said were caught on TV cameras looting sneakers and other items from a sporting goods store and a pawn shop during the hurricane.President Donald Trump approved a disaster declaration for Florida, opening the way for federal aid.“Once this system passes through, it’s going to be a race to save lives and sustain lives,” Federal Emergency Management Agency chief Brock Long said on “Fox News Sunday.”Florida Governor Rick Scott asked people to move out of the danger zones as soon as possible. "The state has never seen anything like this. The storm's surge can kill you." Image Source : APThe eye of Hurricane Irma passes through Naples, FloridaThe Governor activated all 7,000 members of the Florida National Guard, and 10,000 guardsmen from elsewhere were being deployed.The US Army has so far deployed more than 7,400 soldiers and US Army Corps of Engineers civilians on the US Virgin Islands, Puerto Rico, and the continental US. The Pentagon said the Army has over 140 aircraft, 650 trucks, 150 boats prepared along with additional resources on standby. Indian-Americans in Atlanta and neighbouring areas today opened up their homes for their friends, families and community members from Florida, as catastrophic hurricane Irma made landfall on the state's southern islands. Around 120,000 Indian-Americans reside across Florida while thousands of them live in the now-dangerous zones of Miami, Fort Lauderdale and Tampa. The Indian Embassy in the US has opened a round-the-clock helpline number and rushed senior diplomats to Atlanta to lead relief efforts for Indian-Americans stuck in the region. The hotline number is 202-258-8819. Embassy officials said India's Ambassador to the US Navtej Sarna was closely monitoring the situation. Sandeep Chakravorty, India's Consul General in New York, was in Atlanta overseeing preparation for relief efforts from a 24X7 control room. The Indian Consulate in Atlanta tweeted helpline numbers (+14044052567 & +1678179393) for people seeking assistance. "Atlanta is fully prepared to take care of evacuees from Florida. Some have already reached. Consulate is on call 24x7," it said in another tweet. External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Raveesh Kumar has also tweeted 24X7 helpline at High Commission of India, Kingston (+1876 833 4500; +1876 564 1378). He also tweeted email ids for Indians to contact in case of emergency: hc.Kingston@mea.Gov.In; hoc.Kingston@mea.Gov.In. The Indian Friends of Atlanta -- in association with the Consulate-General of India, the Gujarat Samaj Atlanta and the Hindu Temple of Atlanta -- have operationalised three shelters.They were preparing to open more shelters and provide food. Several Indian businesses have started contributing to relief efforts. The Indian Embassy in Venezuela tweeted the helpline number in Aruba, a tiny Dutch Caribbean island off the coast of Venezuela, for the situation in Sint Maarten: 00297-593- 2552. The helpline numbers in Curacao, a Dutch Caribbean island, is 005999-513-2407; 005999-690-2686. The Indian Embassy in the Netherlands said countrymen affected by Irma can reach them on: 0031643743800. Those affected in Cuba, Dominican Republic and Haiti can contact Indian authorities on emergency no. +5352131818 or email them at: controlroomindiairma@gmail.Com.(With agencies) 

3 dead, no power for 3.3 million as Hurricane Irma batters Florida

Hurricane Irma made landfall in Florida on Sunday and has caused at least three deaths and power outages to 3.3 million

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Dangerous conditions complicate wildfire fight in western USErratic winds and dry lightning added to the dangers for crews battling the nation’s largest wildfire on Monday in parched Oregon forests, just one of the dozens burning across several Western states.The destructive Bootleg Fire, one of the largest in modern Oregon history, has already burned more than 476 square miles (1,210 square kilometers), an area about the size of Los Angeles. The blaze just north of the California state line was 25% contained.Meteorologists predicted critically dangerous fire weather through at least Monday with lightning possible in both California and southern Oregon.“With the very dry fuels, any thunderstorm has the potential to ignite new fire starts,” the National Weather Service in Sacramento, California, said on Twitter.Thousands have been ordered to evacuate, including some 2,000 people who live in rugged terrain among lakes and wildlife refuges near the fire, which has burned at least 67 homes and 100 outbuildings while threatening many more.Climate change has made the West much warmer and drier in the past 30 years and will continue to make weather more extreme and wildfires more frequent and destructive. Firefighters said these conditions in July are more typical of late summer or fall.Pyrocumulus clouds — literally translated as “fire clouds” — complicated containment efforts Sunday for the Dixie Fire in northern California, where flames spread in remote areas with steep terrain crews can’t easily reach, officials said. New evacuation orders were issued in rural communities near the Feather River Canyon.The Dixie Fire remained 15% contained and covered 29 square miles (74 square kilometers). The fire is northeast of the town of Paradise, California, and survivors of that horrific fire that killed 85 people watched warily as the blaze burned.A growing wildfire south of Lake Tahoe jumped a highway, prompting more evacuation orders, the closure of the Pacific Crest Trail and the cancellation of an extreme bike ride through the Sierra Nevada.The Tamarack Fire, which was sparked by lightning on July 4, had charred about 28.5 square miles (74 square kilometers) of dry brush and timber as of Sunday night. The blaze was threatening Markleeville, a small town close to the California-Nevada state line. It has destroyed at least two structures, authorities said.A notice posted Saturday on the 103-mile (165-kilometer) Death Ride’s website said several communities in the area had been evacuated and ordered all bike riders to clear the area. The fire left thousands of bikers and spectators stranded in the small town and racing to get out.Kelli Pennington and her family were camping near the town Friday so her husband could participate in his ninth ride when they were told to leave. They had been watching smoke develop over the course of the day, but were caught off guard by the fire’s quick spread.“It happened so fast,” Pennington said. “We left our tents, hammock and some foods, but we got most of our things, shoved our two kids in the car and left.”About 800 fire personnel were assigned to battle the flames by Sunday night, “focusing on preserving life and property with point protection of structures and putting in containment lines where possible,” the U.S. Forest Service said.A fire in the mountains of northeast Oregon grew to more than 18 square miles (48 square kilometers) by Sunday. The Elbow Creek Fire that started Thursday has prompted evacuations in several small, remote communities around the Grande Ronde River about 30 miles (50 kilometers) southeast of Walla Walla, Washington. It was 10% contained.Natural features of the area act as a funnel for wind, feeding the flames and making them unpredictable, officials said.Overall, about 70 active large fires and complexes of multiple blazes have burned nearly 1,659 square miles (4,297 square kilometers) in the U.S., the National Interagency Fire Center said. The U.S. Forest Service said at least 16 major fires were burning in the Pacific Northwest alone.

Dangerous conditions complicate wildfire fight in western US

Erratic winds and dry lightning added to the dangers for crews battling the nation’s largest wildfire on Monday in parched Oregon forests, just one of the dozens burning across several Western states.

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Woman among six IS militants killed in encounter in Pakistan: PoliceA woman was among the six militants of the Islamic State terror group killed in an encounter after security forces raided a terrorist hideout on Wednesday in Pakistan's restive Balochistan province, police said.Inspector General of Police Mohsin Hassan Butt said that an official of the Balochistan Constabulary was also killed in the operation carried out near Eastern Bypass in the provincial capital Quetta, the Dawn newspaper reported.Butt said that the militants belonged to the Islamic State group.Eight other personnel from the Anti-Terrorist Force (ATF) were injured, one of whom is said to be critical.Butt said that the operation, that lasted for six hours, was carried out by officials of the intelligence agencies, counter-terrorism department and ATF.The security forces also recovered a large quantity of weapons and ammunition from the militants.The bodies of the terrorists have been shifted to a hospital in Quetta for postmortem.Another security official, who declined to be named, said the militants were involved in a series of targeted killings and bomb explosions in Balochistan.Following the operation, a large contingent of police and other security personnel was deployed at the site of the raid.According to a spokesperson of the Counter Terrorism Department, the raid took place after the security agencies received reports about the presence of terrorists in the area, Geo TV reported.The woman, who was wearing a suicide jacket, blew herself up during the encounter, the spokesperson said.ALSO READ: Two infiltrating Pakistani terrorists held from LoC in KashmirALSO READ: India backs peace deal which will not leave space for terrorists in Afghanistan: Foreign Secretary​ALSO READ: Internet shutdown in J&K done to stop terrorist assets: Jaishankar

Woman among six IS militants killed in encounter in Pakistan: Police

Inspector General of Police Mohsin Hassan Butt said that an official of the Balochistan Constabulary was also killed in the operation carried out near Eastern Bypass in the provincial capital Quetta, the Dawn newspaper reported.

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Kim Yo Jong, sister of North Korean leader Kim Jong UnIn North Korea’s first comments directed at the Biden administration, Kim Jong Un’s powerful sister on Tuesday warned the United States to “refrain from causing a stink” if it wants to “sleep in peace” for the next four years.Kim Yo Jong’s statement was issued as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Asia to talk with U.S. allies Japan and South Korea about North Korea and other regional issues. They have meetings in Tokyo on Tuesday before speaking to officials in Seoul on Wednesday.“We take this opportunity to warn the new U.S. administration trying hard to give off (gun) powder smell in our land,” she said. “If it wants to sleep in peace for coming four years, it had better refrain from causing a stink at its first step.”Kim Yo Jong, a senior official who handles inter-Korean affairs, also criticized the U.S. and South Korea for holding military exercises. She also said the North would consider abandoning a 2018 bilateral agreement on reducing military tensions and abolish a decades-old ruling party unit tasked to handle inter-Korean relations if it no longer had to cooperate with the South.She said the North would also consider scrapping an office that handled South Korean tours to the North’s scenic Diamond Mountain, which Seoul suspended in 2008 after a North Korean guard fatally shot a South Korean tourist.The North "will watch the future attitude and actions of the (South Korean) authorities,” before determining whether to take exceptional measures against its rival, she said in her statement published in Pyongyang’s official Rodong Sinmun newspaper.Challenges posed by North Korea’s nuclear arsenal and China’s growing influence loom large in the Biden administration’s first Cabinet-level trip abroad, part of a larger effort to bolster U.S. influence and clam concerns about the U.S. role in Asia following four years of President Donald Trump’s “America first” approach.A senior official from the Biden administration said Saturday that U.S. officials have tried to reach out to North Korea through multiple channels since last month, but had yet to receive a response. The official was not authorized to publicly discuss the diplomatic outreach and spoke on condition of anonymity.“This is Kim Yo Jong continuing to be the tip of the wedge North Korea tries to drive between South Korea and its U.S. ally,” said Leif-Eric Easley, a professor of international studies at Ewha University in Seoul. “North Korea’s latest threats mean the allies have precious little time to coordinate their approaches on deterrence, sanctions and engagement.”Biden’s presidency begins as Kim Jong Un faces perhaps the toughest moment of his nine-year rule. His country’s battered economy has decayed further amid pandemic border closures while his summits with Trump failed to lift crippling sanctions.While Kim in recent political speeches has vowed to strengthen his nuclear weapons program, he also has said the fate of U.S. relations depends on Washington’s actions.The 2018 military agreement, which had been the most tangible outcome from the three summits between Kim and South Korean President Moon Jae-in, requires the countries to take steps to reduce conventional military threats, such as establishing border buffers in land and sea and no-fly zones.But inter-Korean relations have lain in ruin amid the stalemate in the nuclear diplomacy between Washington and Pyongyang.The South Korean and U.S militaries began annual military exercises last week that continue through Thursday. The drills are command post exercises and computerized simulation and don’t involve field training. They said they held the downsized drills after reviewing factors like the status of COVID-19 and diplomatic efforts to resume the nuclear talks with North Korea.But Kim Yo Jong said even the smaller drills are an act of hostility toward the North. In the past, the North has often responded with U.S.-South Korea drills with missile tests.“(War drills) and hostility can never go with dialogue and cooperation,” she said.Boo Seung-chan, a spokesperson from South Korea’s Defense Ministry, said the combined drills were defensive in nature and called for the North to show a more “flexible attitude” that would be constructive to stabilizing peace on the Korean Peninsula. He said the South’s military wasn’t detecting any unusual signs of military activity from the North.

'If you want to sleep in peace for next 4 years...': Kim Jong Un's sister warns Joe Biden

Kim Yo Jong’s statement was issued as U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin arrived in Asia to talk with U.S. allies Japan and South Korea about North Korea and other regional issues.

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COVID-19 death toll in US crosses 57,200; positive cases exceed 1 million-markThe United States reported more than 1 million cases of novel coronavirus, with the death toll exceeding 57,200. The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 1,002,498, and a total of 57,266 deaths related to the disease were recorded, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University, Xinhua news agency reported.New York remains the hardest-hit state, with 291,996 cases and 22,668 deaths. New Jersey follows, 11,188 cases and 6,442 deaths. Other states with over 40,000 cases include Massachusetts, California and Pennsylvania.“We continue to pray for the victims as well as for those Americans who are grieving their lost ones and their loved ones. There's never been anything like this. We suffer with one heart but we will prevail. We are coming back, and we're coming back strong,” US President Donald Trump said at the White House during his remarks on the Paycheck Protection Program.The US on Tuesday became the first country in the world to have more than one million cases of coronavirus. With nearly 58,000 deaths, the US also accounts for one-fourth of the over 213,000 global fatalities."Now that our experts believe the worst days of the pandemic are behind us, Americans are looking forward to the safe and rapid reopening of our country,” Trump said.“Throughout this ordeal, millions of hard-working Americans have been asked to really make tremendous, tremendous sacrifices. It is sacrifices like nobody thought would even be possible; nobody thought we would ever be talking about something like this,” he said.In California, Governor Gavin Newsom outlined the phased reopening of his state."We are not going back to the way things were until we get to immunity or a vaccine. We will base reopening plans on facts and data, not on ideology. Not what we want. Not what we hope," he told reporters.More than 1,800 people have died due to coronavirus in California so far. Schools and colleges, he said, could start in July-August.California and Washington were among the first two states to impose stay-at-home order.Now more than 95 per cent of the country's 330 million population are under stay-at-home order.Texas Governor Greg Abbott has also announced first phase reopening of the state.Tennessee on Monday allowed reopening of restaurants and later this week retail outlets could resume their businesses.Pennsylvania has announced three-phase reopening of the state beginning May 3.States like South Carolina, Oregon, Oklahoma, Ohio, have announced phased reopening of their economies. The state of Utah Tuesday announced relax restrictions and offered a mask to its residents.In New York, the epicentre of the coronavirus outbreak in the US, non-essential businesses are ordered to stay closed till May 15.New York along with other states including New Jersey, Connecticut, Pennsylvania, Delaware, and Rhode Island and Massachusetts have announced to coordinate reopening.Responding to questions, Trump said the US has done more testing that any other country in the world."We're doing more testing than any other country in the world by far… So, we're going to show more cases because we're doing much, much more testing, double than anybody else,” he said.Trump said he relied on experts, who apparently went wrong on this.“We were listening to experts and we always will listen to experts. But, the experts got it wrong. A lot of people got it wrong. And, a lot of people had no idea it would be this serious,” he said.“I listened to experts. I'll tell you what. I did something that the experts thought I shouldn't have done. I closed down our country and our borders. I did a ban on China from coming in, other than US citizens, and we did very strong checks on even our US citizens,” he asserted.The United States, he said, is opening up again.“I think it's going to be very, very successful. I think that third quarter, it's obviously a transition quarter, but I think it's going to be okay, maybe better than okay. Then I think fourth-quarter will the great and I think next year is going to be a tremendous year for this country,” Trump said.Worldwide, more than 210,000 people died of the disease as of Wednesday, among over 3.1 million cases, showed the CSSE data.(With PTI Inputs)ALSO READ | Coronavirus cases in Italy surge past 2 lakh-mark; death toll at 27,359ALSO READ | China's Hubei reports no increase in COVID-19 cases 

US COVID-19 cases exceed 1 million-mark; death toll reaches 57,266

The total number of COVID-19 cases in the country reached 1,002,498, and a total of 57,266 deaths related to the disease were recorded, according to the Center for Systems Science and Engineering (CSSE) at Johns Hopkins University, Xinhua news agency reported.

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Donald TrumpCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom has announced plans to sue the Donald Trump administration over the President's declaration of a national emergency to access funds for building a wall on the Mexican border."President Trump is manufacturing a crisis and declaring a made-up 'national emergency' in order to seize power and subvert the constitution. This 'emergency' is a national disgrace, and the blame lays solely at the feet of the President," Newsom said in a statement on Friday hours after Trump's declaration, Xinhua reported.Related Stories China wants a deal with US very badly: Donald TrumpDonald Trump declares national emergency to build border wallUS President Trump claims Japan’s PM nominated him for Nobel Peace Prize"Meanwhile, he plans to shut down and divert funds used by California law enforcement that run counter-narcotics operations and fight drug cartels to build his wall. Our message back to the White House is simple and clear --California will see you in court," the Democratic Governor added.Newsom and California Attorney General Xavier Becerra did not mention when they would file the lawsuit at a press conference in Sacramento, the capital city of California."Fortunately, Donald Trump is not the last word, the courts will be the last word," said Newsom at the press conference.Becerra said California is being called upon to act, noting that they held the press conference because the important matters impacting the state of California and American people."He can't do this, because the US Constitution gives Congress, not the President, the powers to direct dollars, the powers of the purse," he added.Trump announced earlier on Friday that he will sign a national emergency to build the US-Mexico border wall and push for his signature campaign promise. The move gave the president power to bypass US Congress to get access to money, but it sparked a new round of legal and partisan battles almost immediately.The White House plans to redirect $3.6 billion in military construction funding toward the border project, re-purposing about $2.5 billion from the Defense Department's drug-interdiction programme and $600 million from the Treasury Department's asset-forfeiture fund. 

California to sue Trump administration over emergency declaration

Becerra said California is being called upon to act, noting that they held the press conference because the important matters impacting the state of California and American people.

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Iranian cargo ship attacked in Red Sea off Yemen.  An Iranian cargo ship believed to be a base for the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and anchored for years in the Red Sea off Yemen has been attacked, Iranian state television acknowledged Wednesday. The state TV acknowledgment, citing foreign media, marks the first Iranian comment on the mysterious incident involving the MV Saviz. In a statement, the US military's Central Command only said it was "aware of media reporting of an incident involving the Saviz in the Red Sea.""We can confirm that no US forces were involved in the incident," the command said. "We have no additional information to provide." Iran previously described the vessel as aiding in "anti-piracy" efforts in the Red Sea and the Bab el-Mandeb strait, a crucial choke point in international shipping.The Saviz, owned by the state-linked Islamic Republic of Iran Shipping Lines, came to the Red Sea in late 2016, according to ship-tracking data. In the years since, it has drifted off the Dahlak archipelago, a chain of islands off the coast of the nearby African nation of Eritrea in the Red Sea. It likely received supply replenishments and switched crew via passing Iranian vessels using the waterway.Briefing materials from the Saudi military earlier obtained by The Associated Press showed men on the vessel dressed in camouflage, military-style fatigues, as well as small boats capable of ferrying cargo to the Yemeni coast. That briefing material also included pictures showing a variety of antennas on the vessel that the Saudi government described as unusual for a commercial cargo ship, suggesting it conducted electronic surveillance. The Washington Institute for Near-East Policy has called the Saviz an ôIranian mothershipö in the region, similarly describing it as an intelligence-gathering base and an armory for the Guard. Policy papers from the institute don't explain how they came to that conclusion, though its analysts routinely have access to Gulf and Israeli military sources.The Saviz had been under international sanctions until Iran's 2015 nuclear deal with world powers, which saw Tehran receive economic relief in exchange for limiting its enrichment of uranium. The Trump administration later renewed American sanctions on the Saviz as part of its decision to unilaterally withdraw from the accord. In June 2019, Saudi Arabia flew a critically ill Iranian off the Saviz after Tehran made a request through the United Nations for assistance. 

Iranian cargo ship attacked in Red Sea off Yemen: Report

The US military's Central Command said it was "aware of media reporting of an incident involving the Saviz in the Red Sea."

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The cause of the crash was not immediately determined. A plane carrying skydivers crashed Sunday shortly after takeoff in central Russia, killing 15 of the 22 people aboard.The L-410, a Czech-made twin-engine turboprop, crashed near the town of Menzelinsk, about 960 kilometers (600 miles) east of Moscow.The Emergencies Ministry said seven people were extracted from the wreckage alive, at least one of them with severe injuries. The cause of the crash was not immediately determined.ALSO READ |  Plane makes emergency landing in New York's LaGuardia Airport after passenger behaves 'suspiciously'ALSO READ | Why did 145 Chinese air force planes violate Taiwan airspace in 4 days? Explained /* .jw-reset-text, .jw-reset{line-height: 2em;}*/ .jw-time-tip .jw-time-chapter{display:none;} if ('' == comscore_jw_loaded || 'undefined' == comscore_jw_loaded || undefined == comscore_jw_loaded) { var comscore_jw_loaded = 1; firstjw = document.getElementsByClassName('jwvidplayer')[0]; cs_jw_script = document.createElement('script'); cs_jw_script.src = 'https://sb.scorecardresearch.com/internal-c2/plugins/streamingtag_plugin_jwplayer.js'; firstjw.parentNode.insertBefore(cs_jw_script, firstjw.nextSibling); } var jwconfig_8070857782 = { "file": "https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_u7cb0ic4/master.m3u8", "image": "https://thumbs.indiatvnews.com/vod/0_u7cb0ic4_big_thumb.jpg", "title": "A plane from Ukraine hijacked by unidentified armed men in Kabul\n", "height": "440px", "width": "100%", "aspectratio": "16:9", "autostart": false, "controls": true, "mute": false, "volume": 25, "floating": false, "sharing": { "code": "", "sites": [ "facebook", "twitter", "email" ] }, "stretching": "exactfit", "primary": "html5", "hlshtml": true, "sharing_link": "", "duration": "678", "advertising": { "client": "vast", "autoplayadsmuted": true, "skipoffset": 5, "cuetext": "", "skipmessage": "Skip ad in xx", "skiptext": "SKIP", "preloadAds": true, "schedule": [ { "offset": "pre", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PreRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" }, { "offset": "50%", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_MidRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=" }, { "offset": "post", "tag": "https://pubads.g.doubleclick.net/gampad/ads?iu=/8323530/Eng_Video_Desktop_PostRoll&description_url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.indiatvnews.com&tfcd=0&npa=0&sz=640x480&gdfp_req=1&output=vast&unviewed_position_start=1&env=vp&impl=s&correlator=", "type": "linear" } ] } }; var jwvidplayer_8070857782 = ''; jwsetup_8070857782(); function jwsetup_8070857782() { jwvidplayer_8070857782 = jwplayer("jwvidplayer_8070857782").setup(jwconfig_8070857782); jwvidplayer_8070857782.on('ready', function () { ns_.StreamingAnalytics.JWPlayer(jwvidplayer_8070857782, { publisherId: "20465327", labelmapping: "c2=\"20465327\", c3=\"IndiaTV News\", c4=\"null\", c6=\"null\", ns_st_mp=\"jwplayer\", ns_st_cl=\"0\", ns_st_ci=\"0_u7cb0ic4\", ns_st_pr=\"A plane from Ukraine hijacked by unidentified armed men in Kabul\", ns_st_sn=\"0\", ns_st_en=\"0\", ns_st_ep=\"A plane from Ukraine hijacked by unidentified armed men in Kabul\", ns_st_ct=\"null\", ns_st_ge=\"News\", ns_st_st=\"A plane from Ukraine hijacked by unidentified armed men in Kabul\", ns_st_ce=\"0\", ns_st_ia=\"0\", ns_st_ddt=\"2021-08-24\", ns_st_tdt=\"2021-08-24\", ns_st_pu=\"IndiaTV News\", ns_st_cu=\"https://vod-indiatv.akamaized.net/hls/2021/08/0_u7cb0ic4/master.m3u8\", ns_st_ty=\"video\"" }); }); jwvidplayer_8070857782.on('all', function (r) { if (jwvidplayer_8070857782.getState() == 'error' || jwvidplayer_8070857782.getState() == 'setupError') { jwvidplayer_8070857782.stop(); jwvidplayer_8070857782.remove(); jwvidplayer_8070857782 = ''; jwsetup_8070857782(); return; } }); jwvidplayer_8070857782.on('error', function (t) { jwvidplayer_8070857782.stop(); jwvidplayer_8070857782.remove(); jwvidplayer_8070857782 = ''; jwsetup_8070857782(); return; }); jwvidplayer_8070857782.on('mute', function () { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8070857782.on('adPlay', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8070857782.on('adPause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8070857782.on('pause', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8070857782.on('error', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); jwvidplayer_8070857782.on('adBlock', function (event) { ga('send', 'event', 'JW Player Events', 'Errors', event.message); }); }

Russian skydiver plane crashes, 15 dead

The L-410, a Czech-made twin-engine turboprop, crashed near the town of Menzelinsk, about 960 kilometers (600 miles) east of Moscow.

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China on Friday claimed that the coronavirus broke out in the various parts of the world last year but it was the only one to have reported and acted firstChina has refuted claims that the deadly coronavirus originated from the Wuhan city, adding that it broke out in the various parts of the world last year but it was the only one to have reported and acted first. According to Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Hua Chunying, the coronavirus is a new kind of virus as more and more facts emerge as reports reveal, "we all know that the epidemic broke out in various places in the world at the end of last year, while China was the first to report the outbreak, identified the pathogen and shared the genome sequence with the world".Addressing the media on Friday, Hua catgorically denied the US allegations that COVID-19 has emerged from a bio-lab in Wuhan. The spoksperson also rejected reports that the virus emanated from a wet market in the central Chinese city from bats or pangolins before infecting humans. Hua’s comments came in response to US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo’s allegations of a cover-up by the ruling Communist Party of China (CPC).The coronavirus crisis was infinitely made worse by the Chinese Communist Party’s cover-up, Pompeo had said in Tokyo at the QUAD ministerial meeting of the US, India, Australia and Japan on Tuesday.The Chinese Foreign Ministry statement was made as the World Health Organisation (WHO) was gearing up to probe the origin of the deadly coronavirus.According to Johns Hopkins Coronavirus Resource Center, the contagion has infected over 36 million people and killed more than 1 million across the world. The US is the worst affected country with over 7.6 million cases and more than 2,12,000 deaths. China has reported 90,736 cases and 4,739 deaths due to COVID-19.The WHO has given to Beijing a list of global experts to be sent to China to probe the origin of the coronavirus, Hong Kong-based South China Morning Post reported on Thursday. The WHO is awaiting its approval.In May, the annual meeting of the World Health Assembly (WHA), the Geneva-based WHO’s decision-making body currently headed by India, passed a unanimous resolution to probe the origin of the virus. China also backed the resolution.In August, a two-member team from the WHO, which visited China, completed the groundwork for the probe into the animal source and reservoirs of the COVID-19 which first emerged in Wuhan in December last year.On Monday, WHO health emergencies programme executive director Mike Ryan told a special meeting of the organisation’s executive board that “a list of candidates has been submitted to the Chinese authorities for their consideration and for the next steps in order to deploy that team”.Hua, while refuting Pompeo’s charge of a cover-up, said that a high-level group of Chinese scientists first identified the person-to-person transmission due to coronavirus on January 19. After a thorough research and investigation, China made the decision at the earliest and closed Wuhan city to the outside world and placed most rigorous measures in isolating Wuhan city and Hubei province, Hua said.She said that the CPC Politburo discussed the virus outbreak on the first day of the Lunar New Year in January and convened a meeting on the outbreak of its 31 provinces and municipalities, and activated the level one emergency response.“On January 23 as China placed Wuhan on lockdown, there were only nine confirmed cases outside China and the US had only one. On February 2, when the US closed its border to the Chinese citizens, the US only officially confirmed a dozen cases. Now the confirmed cases in the US exceeded 7.5 million and 2.10 lakh deaths,” she said.“How could the most powerful country on earth with the best medical resources on hand screw up the tests so badly. Why hasn’t the US discovered this virus at the earliest and why hasn’t it taken prompt measures to test as many people as possible to prevent and control the spread of this virus?” Hua asked.The COVID-19, which originated in China's Wuhan city in December last year, has also battered the world economy with the International Monetary Fund saying that the global economy is bound to suffer a "severe recession".Scientists are racing against time to find a vaccine or medicine for treating coronavirus patients.(With PTI Inputs)

Coronavirus broke out in various parts of world last year, we reported first: China

China on Friday claimed that the coronavirus broke out in the various parts of the world last year but it was the only one to have reported and acted first.

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Rescue workers search for the black boxes at a plane crash site in Tengxian county, southwestern China's Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region, Tuesday, March 22, 2022. China on Wednesday said one of two black boxes from the China Eastern plane crash was found in severely damaged condition. The crashed airliner had two black boxes, one in the cockpit and one in the tail to record various data."A black box of the China Eastern Airlines passenger plane has been recovered," rescuers at the site told state-run Xinhua news agency.The recorder is so damaged that they are not able to tell whether it is the flight data recorder or the cockpit voice recorder. Aircraft black boxes are generally in bright orange-red so they can be found quickly after a flight accident. They are built to withstand explosions, disintegration, high temperature combustion, immersion in water and other damage, and the battery lasts for about 30 days.Because the crash site is in a forested mountainous area, searchers are relying on drones and manpower, which will bring certain difficulties.A China Eastern flight 5735 carrying 123 passengers and nine crew members crashed outside the city of Wuzhou in the Guangxi region on Monday while flying from Kunming, the capital of the southwestern province of Yunnan, to Guangzhou, an industrial centre not far from Hong Kong on China's southeastern coast. It ignited a fire big enough to be seen on NASA satellite images before firefighters could extinguish it. No survivors have been found so far among the 132 people, Sun Shiying, chairman of China Eastern Airlines Yunnan branch, said on Tuesday night.The cause of the crash cannot be confirmed immediately and the investigation into the cause is difficult, said Zhu Tao, an official with the Civil Aviation Administration of China (CAAC) said on Tuesday.At present, the investigation team is carrying out a full probe in accordance with the procedures, with rescuers exploring the crash site and going all out to search the black boxes, Zhu had said. The team is also thoroughly investigating other aspects, including flight, maintenance, air traffic control, meteorology, aircraft design and manufacturing, Zhu added.READ MORE: What are the latest clues in China's plane crash? | EXPLAINER

China plane crash: One black box found in severely damaged condition

The China Eastern Airlines Boeing 737 aircraft, which departed from Kunming and was bound for Guangzhou on Monday, crashed into a mountainous area near Molang Village in Tengxian County in the city of Wuzhou, in the worst air disaster in over a decade in the country.

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Russian Foreign Minister Sergey LavrovRussia’s foreign minister said Monday that the country is suspending its mission to NATO. Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the move is in response to last week’s expulsion by NATO of eight members of Russia’s mission to the military alliance.NATO said that they were secretly working as intelligence officers and halved the size of Moscow’s team able to work at its headquarters. Lavrov also announced that NATO’s military liaison and information offices in Moscow would be closed.“As a result of NATO’s deliberate moves, we have practically no conditions for elementary diplomatic work and in response to NATO’s actions we suspend the work of our permanent mission to NATO, including the work of the chief military envoy, probably from Nov. 1. Or it may take several more days,” Lavrov said.He also said that contact between the Western alliance and Moscow could be done through the Russian embassy in Belgium.The Russian mission isn’t based at NATO’s headquarters, but in a leafy neighborhood in the south of the Belgian capital, Brussels.NATO suspended practical cooperation with Russia in 2014 after it annexed Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula, but has kept channels open for high-level meetings and for military-to-military cooperation. But the NATO-Russia Council, their preferred forum, has only met sporadically since then.Russia and NATO also have been at odds over Moscow’s nuclear missile development, aerial intrusions into NATO airspace and the buzzing of allied ships by fighter planes.Official talks between them have been limited in recent years.ALSO READ: Russia invites United States for upcoming talks on AfghanistanALSO READ: Russia to invite Taliban to Moscow on October 20 for international talks

Russia suspends its mission to NATO, says foreign minister Sergey Lavrov

Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said that the move is in response to last week’s expulsion by NATO of eight members of Russia’s mission to the military alliance.

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The Islamic State (ISIS) has warned Muslims in Egypt against visiting Christian sites and police, army and government facilities as it considers them legitimate targets.The terror organisation has also asked the citizens to avoid visiting places places frequented by foreigners of Western countries. In an interview in Islamic State's al-Naba weekly newspaper, an unidentified leader of the organisation's branch in Egypt said the group could target these places at any time, Efe news reported.At least 45 people were killed and dozens wounded on April 9, when two suicide bombers detonated themselves at churches in the cities of Alexandria and Tanta."We do not accept that one of you is hurt in the operations against these apostates," said the anonymous terror leader addressing Muslims.However, he admitted that "a large portion" of the Egyptian population is against the extremists and therefore urged Egyptians to repent of this attitude, which he considered "apostasy."Egypt's President Abdel Fatah el-Sisi declared a state of emergency throughout the country following the April 9 attacks and deployed army forces around public places and churches.(With IANS inputs)

ISIS in Egypt warns Muslims against visiting Christian sites

The Islamic State (ISIS) has warned Muslims in Egypt against visiting Christian sites and police, army and government facilities as it considers them legitimate targets.

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Breaking News August 5, 2020 | As it happenedThe total number of global coronavirus cases has surpassed 18.6 million, including more than 704,000 fatalities. More than 11,931,000 patients are reported to have recovered. Follow this breaking news blog for live updates on coronavirus pandemic as it continues to pose a challenge for health workers and scientists who are in a race against time to produce a vaccine/medicine. Also, the grand ceremony of the Ayodhya Ram Temple Bhoomi Pujan is set to take place today. The Bhoomi Pujan is very likely to take place at 12:30 PM, while the foundation stone will be laid at 12:40 PM today. The prime minister will also release a commemorative postage stamp on 'Shree Ram Janmabhoomi Mandir'.

Breaking News August 5, 2020 | As it happened

Get all the latest news on India's coronavirus cases, updates on COVID-19 vaccine, monsoon rains, business, politics, science, education and much more in India and worldwide.